Malahide Castle

One of the first places that we went to as a group was Malahide Castle. We landed in Ireland, got on a bus and drove to the castle. So I don't have a whole lot written down on it, I have lots of photos but this is mostly from memory.

Malahide Castle is listed as one of the most haunted castles in Europe! It is known for its Oak room, Great Room and the gardens. You can visit on a small fee and you are provided a tour of the castle. It is a lovely building with beautiful grounds. The gift shop there is magnificent and the cafe is splendid.

Parts of the castle date back to the 12th century. It lies on over 260 acres and is 9 miles north of Dublin, Ireland.

"The estate began in 1185, when Richard Talbot, a knight who accompanied Henry II to Ireland in 1174, was granted the "lands and harbour of Malahide". The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 12th century and it was home to the Talbot  family for 791 years. The building was notably enlarged during the reign of Edward IV, and the towers were added in 1765.
The estate survived such losses as the Battle of the Boyne, when fourteen members of the owner's family sat down to breakfast in the Great Hall, and all were dead by evening, and the Penal Laws, even though the family remained Roman Catholic until 1774.

Malahide Castle and Demesne was eventually inherited by the 7th Baron Talbot and on his death in 1973, passed to his sister, Rose. In 1975, Rose sold the castle to the Irish State, partly to fund inheritance taxes. Many of the contents, notably furnishings, of the castle had been sold in advance leading to considerable public controversy, but private and governmental parties were able to retrieve some. Rose Talbot, one of the last surviving members of the Talbot family died at Malahide House, Tasmania in 2009. Her closest relatives, who married into the German surname Dietsch, travelled to Canada and the United States of America. Members of the Dietsch family still live in the USA and Canada today." (reference)

When our tour guide was telling us the main ghost story (basically the doors will open on their own and there is a lot of knocking when no one is there) another tour guide opened a hidden door! Needless to say we were all pretty spooked!

It was amazing and I really loved visiting there! It was a great way to be introduced to Ireland! Before I post my photos, here is the link to the official site of Malahide Castle: https://www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie/