going back in time at Dalkey Castle  - Though it's described as a castle it's more like a fortified tower house as it lacks a moat, outer walls, a bailey or accommodation for soldiers or horses .
Nevertheless... read more well worth a visit,as it is the last remaining one in a street that had a number of them.
The heritage centre has displays showing the development of Dalkey and it's links to various Irish writers. There is an ancient ruined church next to it.
Best of all is the living history, with three characters, which takes you back hundreds of years. The characters interact with you if you are willing to engage. The party I was with had 3 Swiss french ladies so the characters were happy to switch to french to explain things to them
We missed the tour we'd booked as there was a delay getting off the cruise ship but they let us come back for the afternoon tour at no extra cost.
Dalkey is a prosperous village and we had a nice lunch in a local pub.

  A wonderful and entertaining surprise! - Stumbled across this attraction and went in to learn more only to be in time for the interactive tour. The whole experience was wonderful from start to finish. Every person... read more working there was professional, knowledgeable and welcoming. I really couldn’t recommend this tour highly enough.

  Dalkey Castle living history - Absolutely superb living history tour. Really loved the live actors and a very thorough history of the castle and surroundings. Would highly recommend this tour

  Excellent experience in Dalkey  - An excellent experience and fun day out in Dalkey . I would highly recommend this visit to Dalkey Castle. From the lovely lady on reception to the tour guide Minota... read more , and the actors bringing us back in time and making it all fun and enjoyable. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and will be back for sure. Well done everyone at Dalkey Castle.

  Day Trip to Dalkey  - My husband and I absolutely loved this tour. The staff is highly professional. We enjoyed the video presentation and the wall of notable people associated with the village. The in... read more character performances were a highlight. I absolutely loved just how committed the performers were. The staff in the visitor's center were very helpful in providing information and a map of the area.

  Fun experience at Dalkey Castle! - The Living History actors were absolutely brilliant—funny, engaging and totally brought the past to life. Big shoutout to all the staff too, super friendly and made the whole visit a... read more blast. History’s never been this entertaining whilst being educational!

  Absolute must stop on your day in Dalkey!  - An absolute must stop on your trip to Dalkey. The entire tour and staff (Owen) were amazing. Was a very pleasant experience!

  Amazing experience and truly superb staff and actors!! - Stellar experience!! 5 stars if not more! Angie and Liz were wonderful, we’d come to the Heritage Centre on a whim and had no idea there was a tour going... read more on. Angie and Liz recommended it and booked us in for the next tour, and gave a few suggestions for things to do while we waited. We came back and honestly were blown away by the quality of the tour! Angie took us around and each and every actor was superb and so witty and wonderful! Great costumes and props, and just such an informative and friendly experience!! We recommend it highly to everyone, no matter your age or interests! And great value for €17 per person!!

  Review of Spring Heritage 2025 for Ukrainian families  - Hello

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who made the wonderful trip to Dalkey Castle on 24th April 2025 for Ukrainian children and their parents and carers residents... read more at the Clayton Hotel Dublin Airport. This free tour was part of the Spring Heritage 2025 programme, which is organised annually by Dun Leary County Council. The trip was generously sponsored by Northside Partnership and transport was organised by Alison McCormack.

For many families, it was their first time visiting Dalkey. We strolled through the charming streets, saw a pub from 1840, walked along the seaside, and finally arrived at the castle.

At Dalkey Castle, we were warmly welcomed by Margaret Dunne (Manager & Festival Director of ECHOES), Elizabeth Crossen (Reception & Training Supervisor), and the talented actors who brought history to life:

Robert, the barber-surgeon

Michael, the archer

Katriona, the cook

Our guide Nataliia Miniailo gave us a fascinating tour. We watched a film about the castle's history with Ukrainian subtitles, which helped everyone better understand the story. Then, the actors performed interactive scenes showing what life was like in the 10th–12th centuries. We were amazed by the barber-surgeon’s methods of treating patients, including tooth extractions with large pliers. The cook showed us the dishes of that era, and the archer explained the weapons used, including a special arrow meant to scare horses and unseat riders—later taken as trophies.

It was an unforgettable, educational, and emotional experience for all of us.

Kind regards, children, parents and guardians staying at the Clayton Dublin Airport Hotel.

Kind regards, Natalia Burova was responsible for the trip.