Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre
Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre
Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre
5
11:00 - 17:30
Monday
10:00 - 17:30
Wednesday
10:00 - 17:30
Thursday
10:00 - 17:30
Friday
10:00 - 17:30
Saturday
11:00 - 17:30
Sunday
11:00 - 17:30
About
Travel south along the coast to the heritage town of Dalkey, 30 minutes from Dublin city. At Dalkey Castle, Living History actors bring the ancient history to colourful life with archery, barber surgery and cookery, as part of every guided tour. Climb to the battlements for magnificent views of sea and mountains. Check out the Writers’ Gallery which features the work of 45 creative artists from Joyce to Bono and Beckett to Maeve Binchy. Tours every 90 minutes.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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5.0
517 reviews
Excellent
417
Very good
82
Average
12
Poor
2
Terrible
4
Elisabet R
1 contribution
May 2023 • Couples
The town is beautiful, so if you have to wait to enter the castle, you can take advantage and take a nice walk around it.
Written 8 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandy W
Vancouver, Canada1,340 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
We arrived in mid-morning on the DART train but had to wait until 1:30 PM as there were tours booked solid for the morning. That gave us time to walk down to the nearby park and enjoy a very pleasant time observing the ocean and the shoreline.
The tour was approximately 75 minutes. It started with a 10 minute DVD presentation on the history of the area and was followed-up with a tour of the graveyard and castle. Three actors in period costume portrayed and explained the life of people who lived in the area hundreds of years ago. Our three actors portrayed a surgeon/barber, an archer defending the cast y and a cook. They were very good.
The tour was approximately 75 minutes. It started with a 10 minute DVD presentation on the history of the area and was followed-up with a tour of the graveyard and castle. Three actors in period costume portrayed and explained the life of people who lived in the area hundreds of years ago. Our three actors portrayed a surgeon/barber, an archer defending the cast y and a cook. They were very good.
Written 31 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Sandy,
Thank you for taking the time to submit the very detailed review of your visit to Dalkey Castle. We are delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience.
The DART is a great way to get to Dalkey and to see the beautiful coastline on the route. We hope you enjoy the remainder of your visit to Ireland.
Written 2 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TwoputtandMore
Ormond Beach, FL181 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
We decided to take the Dart train out of Dublin to see the coastal area south of the city. Dalkey is a charming seaside town that offers the Heritage Museum, shops and restaurants. We took the tour of the museum, we were the only two so it was a private tour. The tour is set up where local people act our their roles as barber/docter, archer and cook in explaining life in the castle back in the 1700's. It was a lot of fun and the museum has a lot to offer. Would highly recommend taking the Dart train a short ride (30 minutes) down the coast to visit the town of Dalkey. One of the highlights of our visit to Dublin area.
Written 28 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The DART really is a great way to get here from the city centre and appreciate the scenery on route.
We are delighted to hear that our Living History Tour of Dalkey Castle was one of the highlights of your visit to Dublin! Thank you for the five star review.
Written 2 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
dpyaffe
Washington DC, DC64 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Dalkey is a charming village south of Dublin. It can be accessed from Dublin via the public DART train. The Dalkey Castel tour is the perfect way to access the history of the region. Not only is it a tour and history of the castle but also an explanation of the development of the village under the Normans/English in the 15th Century but also an explanation with visual aids of its development from the 18th Century to the present. The tour itself is led by a professional guide who loves the work but also include character actors demonstrating life in the castle in the 15th Century. The character actors not only “play their parts” but also engage directly with the tourists as if they are visiting during the 15th Century. The interaction can get a bit saucy but not impolite at all; that’s part of the fun.
Taking the tour is the only way to access the castle; no advance booking is required. We highly recommend it.
Taking the tour is the only way to access the castle; no advance booking is required. We highly recommend it.
Written 27 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the five star review of our Living History Experience. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the unique interactive element of the tour with the actors and the guide. We really appreciate the recommendation.
Written 2 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Elaine S
2 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
If this was just a tour it would still be excellent because it’s so informative, but part of it is also like an interactive play, which was a lot of fun. Highly recommend
Written 27 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Elaine,
Thank you for the 'highly recommended' review and it is lovely to hear that you enjoyed the interactive part of the tour as well as the information imparted during it.
Written 2 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Marion M
Dublin, Ireland9 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
I visited Dalkey Castle with a group of friends on 11th May and what an unexpected treat that turned out to be!
Our guide was excellent, superb presentation and wonderfully informative. The castle is really interesting and the guide brought the history to life.
The actors transported us back in time and we got a sense of life in the castle in it’s heyday….the actors were just fantastic and really engaged with the visitors in relation to cookery, archery and a meet with the barber surgeon,all of whom were engaging, informative and engaging.
On that day we had thunderstorms and lightening but this treat which takes about an hour and a quarter lifted our spirits!
Our guide was excellent, superb presentation and wonderfully informative. The castle is really interesting and the guide brought the history to life.
The actors transported us back in time and we got a sense of life in the castle in it’s heyday….the actors were just fantastic and really engaged with the visitors in relation to cookery, archery and a meet with the barber surgeon,all of whom were engaging, informative and engaging.
On that day we had thunderstorms and lightening but this treat which takes about an hour and a quarter lifted our spirits!
Written 12 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Marion,
So glad that the weather didn't spoil your day in Dalkey with friends.
We will pass on your comments to our guides and actors. Thank you for taking the time to submit your comments and recommend us as a 'must do' experience.
Written 2 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
eidinnir
Dublin, Ireland6 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
We visited on impulse as we were walking through Dalkey. The price of €15 for adults seemed a bit steep for such a small castle but it was well worth it. We initially were shown a DVD giving an overview of the history and structure of the castle. During the tour three entertaining and witty actors interacted with us giving information on medieval healthcare (barber/surgeon) castle defence (archer) and diet for master and servants (cook). The tour also included a guided visit to the charming graveyard. Afterwards we were free to look at the information in the heritage centre which was well presented and there were models of the layout of Dalkey through the ages. I am from Dublin and went with my American husband and his brother and we would all highly recommend it.
Written 8 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the very high recommendation.
We appreciate the very descriptive review and that you all enjoyed the impulse visit so much and felt that the admission price was well worth it for the experience you got.
Written 2 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Breffnie O
Dublin, Ireland5 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
I didn't realise that this tour had such a rich format, firstly a beautifully filmed and clearly explained history of Dalkey island, coastline and village. Then a tour through the castle grounds and up to the ramparts, being greeting by the local barber / blood letter, archer and castle cook, each of whom engaged us fully with their warm and hugely instructive chat about their work. I couldn't recommend this tour more highly.
Written 7 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Breffnie,
It is good to hear that you enjoyed both the historical element and then the interaction with the actors on the Living History tour. Thank you for the recommendation.
Written 2 June 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
MF
Ireland5 contributions
May 2023 • Family
It was a great experience. Not your usual tour. Very informative and entertaining at the same time. The archer, the cook and the barber surgeon are great. Minotta the one who does the tour is brilliant. Would absolutely recommend this place.
Written 2 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is great to hear that you found the tour to be both entertaining and educational. We appreciate you taking the time to submit the review and for the recommendation.
Written 3 May 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Catherine H
London, UK10 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
Fascinating and friendly tour. The film we were shown at the beginning a explained the history of the castle and area clearly. The tour guide was friendly and engaging. The actors were brilliant and a nice surprise. I would highly recommend a visit.
Written 28 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Catherine,
Delighted to hear that you found the tour so entertaining and engaging. Thank you for the review and the recommendation.
Written 3 May 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Doug R
2 contributions
Hi!
Is there a better time/day to visit than others to avoid group tours? Is it best to purchase tickets in advance? We are on a limited time schedule and I would hate to get there to find out we can't tour the castle.
Christopher
345 contributions
Hi. When we visited there were no queues and very few visitors. I doubt you’ll need to pre-purchase tickets. The town and castle are quite small and only 30 minutes from Dublin. So, I’d just arrive, tour the castle, and have lunch in town. Enjoy!
AnnR
Vacaville, CA21 contributions
How much does entry cost?
DalkeyC
Dublin, Ireland
Drop in rates, tours half hourly, Adult: €9, Student/Concession: €8, Child: (4 -12 yrs.) €7, Family (2 & 2 4 -12 yrs.): €25. Maybe gives us a call in advance just to check availability on the day (353 1 2858366) as we can have some times booked out by large groups. We look forward to welcoming you to Dalkey Castle.
Leanne1444
Northamptonshire, UK73 contributions
How long would you recommend to allow for a visit?
RollininQueensNY
Queens N.Y.79 contributions
The castle itself with a skit that they do probably is about an hr at the most! then if you want to walk around the grounds, they also have a small movie room that shows a movie, I beleive it was about 20 minutes long. couple hours at most! The city around it is a nice small city, nice places for eating, supermarket was on the main street. It was a nice leisure day, we stayed in Dublin and the train ride was about half hr away. It was maybe a 15 minutes to walk to the castle, but I was with a small one 3 years old, so we have to walk at her pace.
hope this helps,
Tim
WendyK466
Lodi, WI1 contribution
How far is it from Dublin city center?
DalkeyC
Dublin, Ireland
Hello Wendy,
Dalkey Castle is about 30 minutes trip on the DART train service and about the same travelling by car depending on the volume of traffic. We are closed on a Tuesday but would be delighted to welcome you any other day of the week. It is a trip worth taking!
Jolene912
Savannah, GA336 contributions
Hi, how long is the tour of the castle? We will be visiting on a Monday in June.
DalkeyC
Dublin, Ireland
Hello Jolene, the tour with the Living History actors lasts about 45 minutes and then you can spend time looking at the interactive screens on the history of Dalkey and browsing in the Writers Gallery and the 10th century St. Begnet's Church and Graveyard.
I hope you enjoy your visit to Ireland and especially to Dalkey Castle.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
DALKEY CASTLE AND HERITAGE CENTRE - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre
- Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre is open:
- Mon - Mon 10:00 - 17:30
- Wed - Fri 10:00 - 17:30
- Sat - Sun 11:00 - 17:30
- We recommend booking Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 2 Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre:
- (0.26 km) Exceptional terraced villa in Dalkey Town !!Availability Sept & Oct 2022 !!
- (0.39 km) Stunning Coach House 1860 in Dalkey 10 miles South of Dublin city
- (1.07 km) Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel
- (0.84 km) Stunning 2 Bedroom Apartment With Panoramic Sea Views private garden & parking
- (2.26 km) Haddington House
- Restaurants near Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre:
- (0.00 km) Thyme Out Dalkey
- (0.03 km) Benito's
- (0.05 km) Kings Inn
- (0.05 km) P Borza
- (0.13 km) DeVille's