IMPORTANT NOTICE
PLEASE NOTE THAT DUBLIN CASTLE WILL BE CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FROM 5th MAY – 31st DECEMBER 2026 TO ACCOMMODATE THE EU PRESIDENCY.
WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM 1ST SEPTEMBER 2025
THE VIKING EXCAVATION WILL NOT BE PART OF THE GUIDED TOUR EXPERIENCE DUE TO UPGRADE WORKS.
WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED.
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.
Accessibility
All areas in the State Apartments and the Chapel Royal are universally accessible. The Viking Excavation is only accessible by stairs.
The Coach House Gallery located in the Dubh Linn Gardens is also universally accessible, as are the gardens themselves.
Caution is advised on the uneven surfaces in the Upper Courtyard of the Castle.
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.
Ticket Prices
Self-guided Tour
Adult Ticket: €8.00
Senior Ticket (60+): €6.00
Student Ticket (18+): €6.00
Child Ticket (12-17 yrs): €4.00
Child Ticket (under 12 yrs): €0.00
Family Ticket (2 Adults & 3 children): €20.00
Guided Tour
Adult Ticket: €12.00
Senior Ticket (60+): €10.00
Student Ticket (18+): €10.00
Child Ticket (12-17 yrs): €6.00
Child Ticket (under 12 yrs): €0.00
Family Ticket (2 Adults & 3 children): €30.00
Latest Posts
Read the latest posts below, and click through to the full Castle Blog for all news updates.
Ship’s Biscuits in Ship Street Barracks
By Anna Caffrey, Guide & Information Officer Ship Street Barracks and the Rising Nestled in the south-west corner of Dublin Castle are the brick clad buildings of Ship Street Barracks. Four of the buildings were originally built around the 1750s and were converted...
1916 In and around Dublin Castle: People and Places that made History
In our work, the business of buildings is inextricable from the business of history. In 1916, fighting broke out at the castle gates and the adjacent City Hall. James Connolly and Kathleen Lynn were brought here after their arrest and other key figures of the Rising...
The Royal Exchange, now Dublin City Hall
By Dr Aidan O’Boyle, Guide & Information Officer Dublin City Hall, previously known as the Royal Exchange, was built between 1769 and 1779. It stands on the site formerly occupied by Cork House and Lucas’s Coffee-House. Following the death of the Great Earl of...

