Cahir Castle

This was one of our favourite castles we saw on our Ireland trip. We enjoyed the self guided tour. Each room had good explanations of what we were looking at. And so much of the castle was open to walk around and explore.

The guided tour is informative and helps you picture how life here looked centuries ago, from battles to daily routines. Even without a tour, the information panels are clear and easy to follow. Practical tips for visitors: • Tickets: Affordable, with discounts for families. You can also get a combined ticket with the nearby Swiss Cottage, which I highly recommend – it’s only a short scenic walk away. • Facilities: Small gift shop with local books and souvenirs. Toilets are on-site and clean. • Accessibility: Some areas have steep stairs and uneven ground, so wear comfortable shoes. • Parking: Free and close to the entrance. • Best time to visit: Early morning or late afternoon for fewer crowds and beautiful light for photos. If you love history, film locations, or just want a peaceful day trip, Cahir Castle delivers.

We lucked out and came on the first Wednesday of the month so it was free. Guided tour was included and took 30 minutes, but then make sure you leave time to explore upstairs. Definitely the best preserved older castle we saw in Ireland. Guide was great as well. Lots of history and connections to Hollywood that were fun to hear about.

Visited Cahir Castle on a Friday en route to Killarney. We opted for a self-guided tour at our pace, having read it's history prior to arrival. We were able to explore several rooms within the castles interior, much of which has been restored, but it was still a great experience. Staff are very friendly and provided a map of the castle grounds for easy navigation. Parking was convenient near the castle and there are restaurants across the street for a quick bite or sit-down meal.

Really interesting location. Stephanie gave us brilliant information. I loved that it was packed with noisy tourists like the nearby Rock of Cashel. There is no cafe or it would have got 5 stars, but the riverside cafe straight across the road has lovely views over the weir. Beautiful parkland too.

Amazing castle, you can even feed the birds outside.. on the beautiful grounds. Bring some euros for this. Wonderful history, great map. Worth about 2 hours to enjoy it all.

Cahir Castle is truly one of Ireland’s hidden gems and a must-visit for anyone interested in history, architecture, or simply breathtaking scenery. Situated on a small island in the River Suir, the castle is not only one of the largest and best-preserved medieval castles in Ireland, but also one of the most atmospheric. Dating back to the 13th century, Cahir Castle was originally built by the powerful Butler family. Over the centuries, it has witnessed numerous battles and sieges, yet remains remarkably intact. The fortress showcases classic Norman architecture with massive stone walls, a formidable keep, towers, and a moat. Walking through its halls and courtyards truly feels like stepping back in time. Inside, the castle offers an informative audiovisual presentation and exhibits that tell the story of its rich past. You can explore rooms with ancient artifacts, climb narrow spiral staircases, and imagine what life was like during medieval times. The guided tour is also worth taking if you're interested in hearing about the castle's military significance and historical context in more detail. Beyond the castle walls, the views are absolutely stunning. The surrounding river, lush greenery, and quaint town of Cahir provide a perfect backdrop for photos and peaceful reflection. It's a fantastic place for history buffs, families, or anyone wanting to experience Ireland’s cultural heritage. Highly recommended — a place that blends beauty, history, and storytelling perfectly.

There are a lot of castles to visit in Ireland. I enjoyed this one particularly for the guided tour (lots of history and information). The castle has been well preserved too you can enter many rooms and even walk up one of the round towers.

This was a great stop - really enjoyed the guided tour that highlighted just how fortified this place was, as well as separating which parts of the building were more and less aged. Go if you can!

This was the last castle on our guided castle tour of Ireland! It was really nice, it's actually the most well-preserved castle in all of Ireland. Unfortunately, that means you can't go inside. We were here in November 2021, so it wasn't very crowded and it was right during COVID. We did have a "guided" tour, but it lasted about 5 minutes since you can really only walk around the outside. You can actually see where a cannonball hit the side of the castle which is pretty cool. Lots of movies are filmed at this castle as well! Most recently was The Last Duel, so it was cool to see where it was filmed and I recognized a few spots from the movie. After our short tour we walked around the park behind the castle which was really nice. The town of Cahir was quaint too- a few restaurants and coffee shops within walking distance. There are public bathrooms next to the castle but you have to pay to use them (so different from the US). Overall, it was a nice castle but I wouldn't go out of my way just to see it.

This was the last castle on our Castle tour. It's a smaller castle but it's actually one of the more interesting ones. It has water that surrounds it and is on top of solid rock, so no way to go around or under it. It's worth a stop if it's part of your tour, but if you are just driving by yourself, you could probably skip it.

Neat castle! Ireland is one of those places where you'll stumble upon something historic and beautiful at the spur of the moment.

This was a wonderful stop on our way back from the Ring of Kerry area to Dublin. Located in the lovely town of Cahir, the castle is centrally located in town. We opted for a mid-day stop and grabbed lunch across the street at a cafe after the visit. There is a small public parking lot adjacent to the castle, however it was full when we arrived and there were a few cars trolling for spots. As a result we parked on a side street very nearby and it worked out just fine. The man staffing the ticket counter informed us that a tour would be starting in just a few minutes and was expected to last about 30 minutes. We were quite pleased at the end of the tour on our decision to join it. Our guide had the perfect mix of information, humor, and personality. He talked about some of the history of the area which included discussing how ownership had changed over the years. He discussed many of the features of the castle, particularly as it relates to defending the structure and area. He also added some colorful commentary about some of the bathing habits (or lack thereof) of the elite inhabiting the castle. If you're a Game of Thrones fan, the guide did mention that they are "in the running" as a location for an upcoming season of the show. Do yourself a favor and pay a visit to this castle if you're nearby. Go on the tour and enjoy a rather quick but informative tour which helps bring the structure to life.

We only had a quick stop here but went into the castle. It was Stoney and rustic. There was an exhibition about medieval women. The grounds were fun to walk around with many different sculptures to photograph with. There were swans and ducks in the moat with people throwing them bread, not sure if they were supposed to but there was no sign otherwise. There were shops and restaurants on the same street.

On my way to Cork from Dublin and I initially just had to go to the bathroom but ended up staying in the area for about an hour and toured the castle. Very cute area and well maintained castle. The staff were very friendly and willing to answer questions. It cost like €3 for a student admission. Wasn't able to stay to see everything in depth but they have a few exhibits explaining the history of the castle and a video that you could watch as well. There are some walking paths around the castle if you want to tour the surrounding area. Parking lot adjacent to castle was chaotic but there was ample parking.

This is a must see if you visit Ireland! Skip the tour and explore on your own! You can climb the walls and go up into the towers as well as down into the dungeon. You will not be disappointed.

A beautiful well preserved structure that is definitely worth seeing.

Went there last Sunday great place nice walks and loads of wild geese the dog had a ball.Well worth a visit

This is a great little castle out in central Ireland. After we got the Heritage Pass, we saw that this place was included so we stopped by. It's situated by a little creek and a nice town. If you're hankering for more to do, there's a thatched cottage nearby that you can stop by (costs money/Heritage card).

This Old Heritage Site Can Give You Much History About Cahir And Surrounding Area's. It's View Is Great And It's Tours Are Even Better.