Interior View of Athenry Castle

Athenry Castle

Historical landmark

👍👍 Friendly and very knowledgeable staff! Recommended many awesome places for our time in Ireland! This castle and town has tons of history and I love how preserved it is. They offer ans audio visual tour which gives a lot of information on the castle/town and the eras it was a major part of People often mention castle, visit, history, tour, great, friendly, walk,


Address

Court Ln, Athenry, Co. Galway, Ireland

Website

heritageireland.ie

Contact

+353 91 844 797

Rating on Google Maps

4.40
(47549 reviews)


Working Hours

  • Tuesday: 9:30 am to 6 pm
  • Wednesday: 9:30 am to 6 pm
  • Thursday: 9:30 am to 6 pm
  • Friday: 9:30 am to 6 pm
  • Saturday: 9:30 am to 6 pm
  • Sunday: 9:30 am to 6 pm
  • Monday: 9:30 am to 6 pm

Visitor Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: castle (21) visit (10) history (8) tour (8) great (6) friendly (6) walk (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Katie L. 2 years ago on Google • 172 reviews
    Friendly and very knowledgeable staff! Recommended many awesome places for our time in Ireland! This castle and town has tons of history and I love how preserved it is. They offer ans audio visual tour which gives a lot of information on the castle/town and the eras it was a major part of
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Fergal J. 7 years ago on Google • 425 reviews
    The restored towerhouse is impressive. There are places like Ballintober Abbey, Holy Cross Abbey and the gatehouse in Boyle that recreate a simplicity of Norman style that I found surprising but these are all religious. Simply standing inside an undecorated tower house makes this place worth a visit. The guides I met on my three visits were always cheerful and engaging. The place was always well maintained and I enjoyed the visit
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jeff C. 8 months ago on Google • 103 reviews
    Interesting castle we stopped at while in the area. Cost €5 to go inside and see three levels. The tour guide was great, and they showed a short film about the castle and area if you were interested.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Sarah M. 5 years ago on Google • 78 reviews
    The staff is so friendly and informative. The castle is well cared for and easy to access and roam. Parking in front or just a very short walk if you park in town. The river that runs along side is beautiful and great for photos. If you visit take the time to cross the street to the priory and explore the grounds there.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Brian o. 2 years ago on Google • 101 reviews
    Great place to visit. Got some wonderful insight into the place before we went in from two great people at the visitors centre didn't get their names thought. Children under 12 go for free, doesn't take long and a 10 min or so video about the Tower and Abbey. Pay and display parking right beside and a playground. Wel recommended.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Mr. D. 6 years ago on Google
    The tour was great! Of course it was partly because I was the only one there. The guide was very knowledgeable, kind, and open to questions. A great find for any medieval enthusiast. The site is renovated in a true to form sense. So there is no handicap accessible unfortunately
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Enrico S. 1 year ago on Google
    The castle has been renovated, so the internal stairs and floors are rebuilt. You can get a better feel of what a castle felt like in its original state.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Amin S. 1 year ago on Google
    One of the oldest castles in western Ireland, marvellous, nice neighbourhood.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Marten G. 1 year ago on Google
    Really nice introduction by the employees of the history. You can have a nice little walk in and around the castle grounds.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Geraldine B. 6 months ago on Google • 124 reviews
    Fantastic big castle, you can go right up to the roof.

  • 4/5 Javier c. 6 months ago on Google • 108 reviews
    Típico castillo Irlandés rodeado por un cementerio católico. Recomendable si pasas por Athenry o si estás cerca.

  • 3/5 Libor H. 6 months ago on Google • 100 reviews
    Malý hrad připomíná spíše vzhledem větší stodolu, každopádně na každém patře dostanete odpovědi na otázky související s životem ve středověku. Milá paní v pokladně podala stručný výklad a potom už je na každém návštěvníkovi, které části komplexu dá přednost.

  • 3/5 Rosemary F. 5 months ago on Google • 81 reviews
    Lovely to see the castle restored but the space could have been used better for showing more artifacts and photos of the restoration, pitty

  • 5/5 HZD J. 6 months ago on Google • 54 reviews
    Great bit of history we arrived to the reception and the lady on the desk with the blonde hair couldn’t of been more welcoming we had a long chat about the history of the castle & the local area and its links to Birmingham uk The lady was super knowledgeable about the castle and answered any questions we had The castle its self had been restored beautifully The only down side the short film wasn’t working on are visit but we still got all the information

  • 3/5 Jennifer R. 1 year ago on Google • 37 reviews
    Part of the OPW Irish hertiage pass so we got in for free. Near Galway. Self guided not a lot to see but if in the area it is an impressive and well maintained castle structure.

  • 5/5 Sandra D. 1 year ago on Google • 30 reviews
    A glimpse into history, a self-guided tour, a short film about this castle. many information booklets. The staff were informative and friendly. The old cemetery is about a block down the road, the remains of an old chapel. You can walk around the ruins of the building, but you cannot enter.

  • 5/5 evelyne le b. 5 months ago on Google • 19 reviews
    Belle rencontre avec le gardien, il nous a donné de très bons conseils , il est très passionné et très intéressant dans l'explication du château

  • 4/5 kevin m. 6 months ago on Google • 17 reviews
    Beautifully restored and very grand in comparison with some local castles, fairly plain on the first couple of levels but the beautifully restored roof is a credit to the restoration team, a great history attached to the building , with walled outer surround, a few other local places of interest all within walking distance 👍😃.

  • 4/5 Udo M. 1 year ago on Google
    Athenry is an interesting village to visit. Unfortunatley we only passed through. My pictures show the ruins of the monastry.

  • 5/5 Nikki A. 1 year ago on Google • 17 reviews
    A peek into history with friendly staff, a self guided tour, and stunning picfure opportunities. There is limited parking in front of the castle, otherwise plenty of street parking in the surrounding area. Front desk staff was informative and friendly. The cemetery is about a block down the road with the relics of an old chapel remaining. You can walk all around the building's ruins, but can't go in.

  • 5/5 Tyler B. 1 year ago on Google
    Not much to do. But worth a visit if you're passing through. The 20 minute video is cool and informative!

  • 4/5 Will H. 3 years ago on Google
    A lady at the little "house" just inside the gate was lovely and an American chap(I think) with tour on his top was lovely and friendly also. Could only walk inside the basement and not the upper castle due to covid restrictions. The walk around the field is smaller than imagined it to be but despite the typical Irish weathe we enjoyed the 30 minute visit

  • 5/5 Rodger W. 2 years ago on Google
    The castle is just 5 minutes off the M6 motorway and only 30 km east of Galway City, seriously well preserved medieval town with cool restaurants and cafe's. Well worth a short detour.

  • 4/5 David F. 2 years ago on Google
    Well maintained. Not a lot to see. Informative video.

  • 5/5 Brown J. 2 years ago on Google
    Wonderful and informative. Friendly folk and a good coffee in the Barracks

  • 4/5 Celine K. 2 years ago on Google
    Our guide who told us the history to the castle was very knowledgeable and shared her knowledge in a very interesting way. She really engaged the younger children in our tour and kept them interested.

  • 4/5 William G. 2 years ago on Google
    Explored the Athenry Castle after leaving Galway heading towards Shannon airport

  • 5/5 BJ E. 2 years ago on Google
    Very interesting and nice tour. Saw it in the rain and was very fun.

  • 4/5 Steve B. 3 years ago on Google
    Nice place to visit if you have some time to spare.

  • 5/5 Rosalyn M. 3 years ago on Google
    Very interesting, lovely park beside it

  • 4/5 Jay K. 4 years ago on Google
    Nice park next to castle.

  • 5/5 Robert H. 3 years ago on Google
    Excellent attraction, kids loved it.

  • 4/5 Darren G. 3 years ago on Google
    Visited here with my family on Sunday. Staff very friendly. Kids lived exploring around the castle

  • 5/5 Lotty C. 3 years ago on Google
    Absolutely wonderful experience and History of the Castle and Athenry. A must see historic attraction. Thank you to Chris for a knowledgeable and interesting talk 10/10

  • 5/5 kevin f. 3 years ago on Google
    A nice little unplanned visit, being tourists in our own back yard. Really wonderful opw representitive on the gate. Roger I think. Plenty extra information from him. He is an asset.


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