Welcome to Dublin Castle
Constructed in the early thirteenth century on the site of a Viking settlement, Dublin Castle served for centuries as the headquarters of English, and later British, administration in Ireland. In 1922, following Ireland’s independence, Dublin Castle was handed over to the new Irish government. It is now a major government complex and a key tourist attraction. We hope you enjoy your visit.
Opening Times
Open all Year Round
Monday – Sunday and Public Holidays 09:45 – 17.45
Last admission at 17:15
Closed 25 – 27 December and 1 January
Average Length of Visit: Guided Tour 1 hour. Self Guided Tour 30 minutes.
Admission is by guided tour with a self guiding option also available.
The Castle Blog
Read the latest posts below, and click through to the full Castle Blog for all news updates.
In the Eye of the Beholder: An Exhibition on Beauty in the Eighteenth Century
By Laura Fitzachary, Tour Guide and Co-Curator/Information and Education Officer ‘It must, however, be remembered, when considering their good fortune, that in the day in which they lived beauty was all powerful.’ – Frances Gerard on the Gunning sisters on their...
Sacred Places
By Dr Myles Campbell, Collections and Research ‘Sacred places are protected from spoliation; they are steeped in the hopes and sufferings of those who have fought for them. And they belong to others who are yet to be.’ Roger Scruton Working in Collections and...
A Snapshot of Events: Hosting EU Presidencies
By Christiaan Feehan, Event Manager Did you know the Hibernia Conference Centre is for the most part a subterranean complex? It’s also one of the more modern additions to the upper courtyard in Dublin Castle, constructed as it was in the late 1980s in...