Ireland has a number of intriguing castles to visit from the wildly popular Blarney Castle to Ashford Castle and many more.

One not so well known castle is Bunratty Castle, situated in County Clare and overlooking the River Shannon on the banks of the River Ratty.

Bunratty (Bun Raite) Castle, is a major tourist attraction in Ireland both for local and international visitors, attracting people from all of the world, with its recreation of a 19th century folk park and very famous nightly medieval banquets.

Bunratty castle was built in 1425 and restored in 1954. The Castle is a specially built structure, mixing earlier Norman Castle style and later Gaelic tower houses.
It is a rectangular tower with three main floors and four, six-storey corner turrets. The castle is in excellent condition and well worth a visit, but it is still a major tourist attraction , so expect to see a lot of tour busses..

While at Bunratty Castle, be sure to sign up to participate in the medieval banquet.

Held throughout the year in the castle's Great Hall the medieval banquets are a fun and enjoyable adventure for young and old alike.. You can listen to harp music and watch the court jesters perform as you eat a four course meal of medieval recipes.

You can even sample “mead” -- - a specialty honey wine which was popular in medieval times.

Also all visitors are advised to tour the castle's Great Hall which holds a very fine collection of 14th to 18th century furniture, paintings, and wall hangings.

The folk park is a re-creation of what life was like in the 19th century, with farmhouses, cottages and shops all adorned with the furnishings of that time.
It is more like a living museum than a re-creation ---- the cottage roofs are thatched, the walls are whitewashed, animals are keep in pastures and fields, bread is baked in old-fashioned ovens and people walk the dirt streets in costumes of the time.

It is truly a great place for a family to spend a day.

Bunratty Castle is located on the N18 Limerick/Ennis Road.

Thee are also a number of other attractions in the area that a family would enjoy, so add a few days to your stay and make the most of your trip to County Clare.

Quin Abbey
Mooghaun Ring Fort
Knappogue Castle
Craggaunown
Fenloe Lake & Abbey
Cratloe Forest Park
Cratloe Woods House
Dromoland Castle
Bunratty Mead & Liquer Company