<p class="MsoNormal">The original ancestral home of the O'Cahan Clan, Dungiven Castle is now a boutique hotel popular with wedding couples. Tucked at the foot of Benbradagh Mountain, the castle makes a good home base for exploring Northern Ireland.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i>Castles—in various states of repair—dot the countryside of the Irish Isles. Some remain private homes, some are open to the public, and some are mere ruins of what they once were. But all are worth a visit, located in some of Ireland's most breathtaking locations.</i></p>

Dungiven Castle, County Derry, Northern Ireland

The original ancestral home of the O'Cahan Clan, Dungiven Castle is now a boutique hotel popular with wedding couples. Tucked at the foot of Benbradagh Mountain, the castle makes a good home base for exploring Northern Ireland.

Castles—in various states of repair—dot the countryside of the Irish Isles. Some remain private homes, some are open to the public, and some are mere ruins of what they once were. But all are worth a visit, located in some of Ireland's most breathtaking locations.

Photograph by Christopher Hill, National Geographic

Ireland's Castles

Castles dot the countryside of the Irish Isles. Some remain private homes, some are open to the public, and some are mere ruins of what they once were.

Read This Next

Our guide to Kilkenny, the modern Irish city in a medieval skin
10 best things to do in Ireland
Hollywood’s love affair with Ireland’s western isles

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet