What a fun, informative and educational experience! The staff interact with the audience really well and with quick wit! I highly recommend this for ALL newcomers whether moving here or just visiting! read more

Dalkey is a posh little village, so it is small wonder that they get all the best stuff. Not only do they have a castle, but they also have actors who dress up as 14th century tradespeople to go with it. On your visit, you will meet a Viking coin minter, a medieval cook, an archer or barber surgeon, depending on whose day off it is. Some else dressed in a doublet will show you around and give you the skinny on Dalkey's famous residents. After the tour is finished, you are free to climb to the battlements for panoramic views of surrounding sea and mountains, and a cathartic giggle. It's only about five minutes from the DART and it's a good option if you have restless children and a spare six quid. read more

Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre - photo from website - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Dalkey, D

Loads of fun if you give the actors interaction. They treat it like an improv and make smiles and happiness happen. It takes you through life in the castle and even a trip to the Barber surgery's. Great organization of the area's history from 8th century to current and offers an expanse of local history of authors, poets, artists from the Dalkey area. My favorite bit was trying my luck as an archer and then later being promised a whiskey for the pain after my surgeon chair experience ( no alcohol actually given) but playing the part made the interactive living history fun to participate in. Great for all ages as long as you are willing to play along. If it is the end of the day and you are too tired to not be interactive then pass it by as that is where the fun is. read more

Dalkey is a very scenic part of the world and also a notorious dwelling spot of the rich and famous. The Hampton's of Ireland. The Castle is a beautiful landmark and the drive out that way is well worth it with the sea views and winding roads. If you pay for a guided tour during the summer and autumn months it will be given to you by an actor dressed in medieval costume. I could not stop giggling at the fella that led our tour, not that he was crap, he was just hilarious and the costume added to it! Set me back 6 euro. read more

Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Dalkey, D

Dalkey or Deilginis, is a very prosperous seaside suburb of Dublin, which I knew previously from having a great love of Flann O'Brien, he wrote a lovely mad novel 'The Dalkey Archive', which like all of his work defies explanation really! This area's home to lots of genius celebs, not least fab film director Neil Jordan & writer Maeve Binchy. I came here with a mate on the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport), from Dublin's Connolly Station, and it took us around 30 minutes. We'd been after visiting James Joyce's Martello tower from Ulysses, at nearby Sandycove but that was closed, so we walked along the coast past the "Fortyfoot", (a legendary point for swimming), and after a short walk exploring found ourselves in the centre of an attractive little village with shiny bars & expensive looking shops, and also a castle at the end of the street. I've always loved medieval castles, and hadn't had a castle fix for a while, so after a bit of refreshment we made for Dalkey's Castle. Strictly speaking this is a fifteenth century fortified Town House, known as the Goat Castle. A very friendly & informative lady called Margaret gave us an introduction to Dalkey, before Eoghan the Archer descended on us, (it was just the two of us), for a spot of living history! We were taken by "Eoghan", up into Goat Castle, and in character he gave us the guided tour, which eventually takes us to the roof. There was a great bit of banter between Eoghan & my mate about the marauding O'Byrnes and O'Tooles of Wicklow, (he was as an O'Rourke eventually accepted as being "friendly")! Other characters appear, a kind of Baldrick-like serf, (the actor looking a lot like a young Cyril Cusack), with horrible tales about the cooking, and a maid servant with equally horrible tales about medieval medicine. She was especially good. It must have been hard for them with it just being the two of us, but they more than justified their paypackets, and our €6 admission. After this you can look at an intersting exhibition on Dalkey writers with interesting stuff on James Joyce & Flann O'Brien, and there's the adjoining ruins of a tenth century Church & Graveyard dedicated to St Begnet. They've gone to a lot of trouble here, and it's a very friendly, fun & absorbing environment. read more

Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Dalkey, D

A find and a must see. The Heritage Centre in the Castle includes a 13th Century Church and Graveyard, a writers exhibition and some other info on Dalkey as well as the castle itself. There is a "Living History" tour every 30 mins everyday apart from Tuesday. You meet 3 actors, a ghost haunting the graveyard, the lord of the castle and the archer (depending on the actors and time of year, in the off-season you may just meet one character). The Ghost brings you around the graveyard and church and then to the entrance of the castle where the guests are meet by the Lord of the house. He tells you a little of the time period it is set and the barber-surgeon (and if you're unlucky you might get put in the stocks!!). Then the Archer will talk about the food and how to defend the castle, afterwards you are brought up to the battlements where you get to worn off the wild Irish!! The Living History show is fun and entertaining and for only €6 is probably the cheapest theatre performance in Dublin. Well worth a visit!!! read more

I was here to celebrate Blooms Day 16 June 2011 for the Nestor Episode of Ulysses to be followed by the Joycean (who invented that word!) walk. The Nestor scene set in a classroom had the school teacher talking to the pupils (no children apparently they were too unruly in the past), a narrator and the headmaster. I have to say of the 3 the headmaster was the very best and put everything into his acting and he brought the scene alive for me. This lasted about 20-30 minutes which was great for my uncultured mind. Our guide for the next part was introduced to us and he lost me with the first sentence. All I know about James Joyce was that he wrote a few books and lived in the area - I think. However while he spoke to the more cultured minds there I had the opportunity to look at the map and other information which I found much more interesting. Did you know that the little church in Dalkey which is now a ruin has been both Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic. Mental note to go back for the more historic tour. The tour to the 'school room' took off with out my friend and I - well it had started to rain and I had a blister so we took off to the Queens. The tour was supposed to take about 45 minutes but they did not get back to the Queens for the free glass of wine along with Gorgonzola cheese and biscuits - apparently James liked the mix - for about 2 hours. We on the other hand had being sitting in the dry and comfortable surroundings of the Queens. We did not wait for the rest of the tour and we tucked into the Cheese and Wine. read more

From the outside, the square tower looks like it would take just five minutes to visit but enter Dalkey Castle and you realise what a great job they have done with this place. The tour guides were excellent but the highlight of the tour is the live performances by Deilg Inis Theatre Company which bring the castle and the history of its inhabitants to life and with humour. Highly recommended for all ages. read more

Originally named Goat Castle, Dalkey Castle stands proud in the centre of Dalkey Village, and is home to an attractive heritage centre that offers Living History theatre tours during the summer, in which an actor dressed in medieval attire narrate the histories of Dalkey's most eminent residents. The second chapter of James Joyce's Ulysses was set in Dalkey, and the centre has an interesting exhibit on Joyce and other literary figures who were associated with or wrote about Dalkey. The descriptions in the exhibitions were written by Hugh Leonard, an eminent Irish playwright who lives in the village. The views from the castle battlements are spectacular. read more