The Visit

GROUP TOURS GUIDED WALKS Luxury Group Experiences

A visit to Dalkey Castle on your day tour from Dublin involves interaction with Professional Actors & Guides on a tour, walk, event or luxury experience. This, combined with exploration of the atmospheric 10th Century Church, rare 14th Century Medieval Castle, Writers’ Gallery & Heritage Centre with interactive screens & scale models, all set against stunning scenic surroundings, makes for a powerful combination of family-friendly fun, history & heritage.

Walk-in visitors are welcome but we do recommend you book online in advance to secure your preferred timeslot.

Costumed Actors on Guided Tour at Dalkey Castle. Ideal day tour from Dublin

history springs to life

Living History Tour

More exciting than your average museum experience, with a touch of theatre on every tour!

This Must-See Tourist Attraction in Dalkey, Dublin, Ireland should be top on your list of Things to Do in Dublin, once you’ve covered off the City sights.

Ideal as a day trip from Dublin City Centre, history is really brought to life for you by Costumed Actors on the Immersive Medieval Living History Tour. Discover for yourself the history of this Rare, 14th Century Medieval Castle in this famous, scenic, heritage town.

Explore the atmospheric 10th Century Graveyard site which together with the Castle near Dublin make up a Recorded Irish National Monument & Landmark. This Interactive Guided Tour is a wonderful activity, full of family-friendly fun.

Tour from Dublin to marvel at the Medieval traits of the Iconic Fortified Townhouse Castle such as the Murder Hole, Stocks and the Battlements. Encounter Vikings, watch the Archer demonstrate his Longbow prowess (maybe even try it for yourself), as you gaze out at the stunning scenic views of the coastline & mountainous backdrop of Killiney Hill. Be amazed at all the expressions from Archery still in use today.

We have long been about sustainability. Cook gives us a masterclass in circular economy in medieval times. Nothing went to waste. Bet you don’t know the myriad of uses of the ancient goose, including the paring of the quill for Calligraphy writing? The Barber Surgeon, after his blood lettings and cures, uses the quill to write out his potions. You may even mint your own Viking coin as a souvenir.

The Heritage Centre also covered in your tour offers a Writers Gallery with interactive touchscreens of local creatives from Bono to Beckett, Maeve Binchy to James Joyce.

We also have a subtitled welcome video, interactive screens of the heritage town’s history in a variety of languages (English, Irish, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish, Polish, Russian, Chinese & Japanese) and scale models.

This guided tour may be combined with other options, such as our guided walks of the historic, heritage town of Dalkey. We also offer literary walk options. Choose to enquire about our luxury experiences for those looking for something more exclusive.

Alternatively, why not combine this day tour from Dublin’s bustling centre, with a visit to some of the other well-known local attractions.

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literary legends

Writers’ Gallery

Explore the area’s literary and creative connections in the Writers’ Gallery.

James Joyce to Bono, Samuel Beckett to Maeve Binchy and forty more writers have connections to Dalkey. These are illustrated in the Writers’ Gallery on portraits and interactive panels.

Did you know that Episode Two of James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses‘ is set nearby on Dalkey Avenue or that Maeve Binchy “thought everyone came from a place like this”, until she went…” to see the world, and discovered we were spoiled rotten”?

There is an enlightening wall-mounted Writers’ Trail Map with site specific quotes from Samuel Beckett on Dun Laoghaire Pier; G.B. Shaw about Torca Cottage; Hugh Leonard about Sorrento Park and Flann O’Brien enlivens the Vico Road.

Why not consider one of our guided walk options.

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Writers Gallery pictures including Maeve Binchy at Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre, Dalkey, Dublin, Ireland

castle surroundings

St. Begnet’s Church & Graveyard

St. Begnet’s Church & Graveyard, on site here, is dedicated to a local saint. The earliest part of the stone church dates from the 10th Century. Archaeologists believe that there was a wooden Early Christian Church on the site from the 7th Century.

There were various additions which include: the Twin Bell Tower, the Chancel and Chancel Arch.

Of particular note, on the northern side of the church is a rare Tau Cross.

The area around the church was thought to have been used as a burial ground from the 13th Century but the early graves are not marked. The earliest named gravestone is of someone called Cornelius in 1738. The most recent is Kavanagh in 1930.

Dalkey Castle does have one of the best examples of a Viking Headstone known as a Rathdown slab.

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View of the 10th Century St.Begnet's Church Graveyard at Dalkey Castle & Heritage Centre, Dalkey, Dublin, Ireland

Group Tours at Dalkey Castle

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Happy People on Guided Literary Walk Dalkey Castle, Dalkey, Dublin, Ireland

Group Tours

Dalkey Castle is popular with tourists, group bookings & corporate visitors looking for a unique, immersive experience. It is an ideal destination for groups and associations. Click here to learn more about venue hire.

We warmly welcome group visits of all kinds from corporate away days, private parties & events, tour operator and destination management companies, associations and group organisers. One-off groups of up to 20 can book a slot online directly. Large groups and recurring business click to learn more about discounts and submit an enquiry.