Trim Castle

We visited Trim Castle on a sunny afternoon and absolutely loved it! Even though it’s mostly ruins today, you can still feel how grand it must have been — Ireland’s largest Norman castle, right by the River Boyne. The grounds are free to walk around, and entry to the tower is just €4 per person. The view from the top is fantastic, and it’s fun to know parts of Braveheart were filmed here. A beautiful mix of history, atmosphere, and scenery — definitely worth a visit!

Trim Castle is a beautiful historical landmark to visit, with a rich and intriguing history. The castle grounds are free to visit and explore, whereas entering the castle is possible for a small fee of €5 per person. We decided to take the guided tour, which was led by William. I highly, highly recommend this. William is very knowledgeable and humorous. His knowledge regarding the castle's history goes far beyond what you would expect. He answered any questions posed by the group with sheer joy and enthusiasm. The tour takes approximately 45 to 60 minutes, and takes you through the various rooms and floors in the castle. The view from the rooftop is amazing. Thank you William! It has been a pleasure to listen to you.

We had a great visit to Trim Castle. It's free to enter the grounds, but it's €5 for a tour of the tower. I highly recommend the tour. David was our tour guide, and he had lots of great information. There a quite a lot of spiral stairs on the tour, and it is high walkways, so be mindful of that.

I really enjoyed my visit to this castle. Its history is fascinating. Plus, the views over the city from above are excellent. 1. Largest Castle in Ireland: Trim Castle is the largest Anglo-Norman stronghold in Ireland, covering an area of ​​approximately 30,000 m². It was built in the 12th century by Hugh de Lacy as the center of the Lordship of Meath, and its massive walls with towers and a moat made it virtually impregnable. 2. Unique Architecture: The castle's central keep (donjon) has a rare cruciform shape with twenty corners, which distinguishes it from typical Norman fortresses. This three-story structure was erected on the site of an ancient ringfort and is surrounded by a massive curtain wall 450 meters long.   3. Film Role: Trim Castle became famous as the filming location for the movie "Braveheart," starring Mel Gibson, where it stood in for the medieval walls of York and London. The war film "The Big Red One," starring Mark Hamm, was also filmed here.

A really great old castle, one of the largest because of the area inside the walls is quite big. There’s a really good guided tour inside the Castle Keep. You have to take the tour to see the inside, well worth it. The tour takes you all the way to the top, which is a fantastic view over the area and the town. I was lucky it was a sunny warning when I got there and took the tour and it started to rain just as I was leaving the castle. Get there early at opening before the crowds. There’s lots to see inside the Keep with models of what the Keep used to look like. You can walk around inside the castle grounds with lots of good views of the Keep from the outside. The tour guide was very informative and happy to answer my many questions.

Amazing castle.. love the history. Our guide was wonderful and knowledgeable. The tour takes about an hour inside and will cost money, exploring the grounds is free and maybe 30 to 45 minutes for that. The Braveheart castle... worth seeing.

Last castle on our visit to Ireland, and it did not disappoint. Only guided tour we did, but well worth it. The grounds were larger than expected, and had an amazing view of the city from the top. One of the oldest Norman architecture castles still standing in Ireland and a filming location for Braveheart. Great experience!

Trim castle has a free guided tour, I believe every hour. Interesting facts, and three built models, showing how it was built up through the years. Quite a few towers, had fallen down, or been scavenged. There is a large cathedral tower falling down across from the castle. And, when you get above the Keep, you can see by most of the stones surrounding the castle where the walls were, a sheep gate, and where most of the towers stood.

Trim Castle, located in County Meath, Ireland, is Ireland's largest and best-preserved Anglo-Norman castle. It was constructed over a 30-year period starting in 1172 by Hugh de Lacy. Trim Castle was strategically built to guard the inland passage from Dublin to the northwest. Also....Trim Castle served as a prominent filming location for the 1995 film "Braveheart," directed by and starring Mel Gibson.

Loved the tour of the main part of the castle and walking around on the grounds! The tour guide was very knowledgeable and charismatic. The place is not too crowded and has wonderful nature trails to explore. I took a 1 hour bus from Dublin and it took me directly to the castle. I would definitely recommend!

We are conscious as we stood here that we stood on a living memorial to our ancestors. The Irish Government own the near 1,000 year old castle now - over 350 years ago it was occupied by Oliver Cromwell's army. Just to digress - Mr Cromwell was the anti catholic Puritan Lord Protector of England (and Wales). As a ruler, he executed an aggressive and effective foreign policy. His policy of religious toleration for Protestant denominations during the Protectorate extended only to "God's peculiar", and not to those considered by him to be heretics, such as the Quakers, Socinians, Roman Catholics and Ranters. Within 10 years of ransacking Ireland, aged 59, he would die. Three years after death the British exhumed his body from Westminster Abbey, London and subjected the corpse to a posthumous execution. His body was hanged in chains at Tyburn, London and then thrown into a pit. His head was cut off and displayed on a pole outside Westminster Hall London for 25 years. So much for being an English Lord Protector. Turning back to Trim; the castle was about 500 years old when Cromwell visited; it was built on land owned and gifted by the Catholic Church with work starting in the 1170's. It was originally built as a huge ringwork castle, defended by a stout double palisade and external ditch on the top of a hill. It took about 40 years to construct the castle itself and by the 15th century it operated a Mint, also by this time it had acquired a great hall, with undercroft and attached solar in a radically altered curtain tower, a new fore-building, and stables. The area around Trim was an important early medieval ecclesiastical and royal site that was navigable by boat in medieval times up the River Boyne, some 25 miles from the Irish Sea. The site was chosen because it is on raised ground, overlooking a fording point on the Boyne river. When we visited no one else was there and entry was free. We looked across a thousand years of our history and thought about Newgrange - a Stone Age tomb outside Drogheda just 25 miles away - built before the great pyramids of Giza. Having been inside both places we can tell you we'd rather be in Newgrange.

We really enjoyed our time at Trim Castle! You have to take the guided tour to go inside and it takes about an hour and is totally worth it! This castle is so well preserved and had 3d models inside the great hall where the tour starts to show the stages of construction! The tour guide was so knowledgeable. The view from the top was amazing and you can see several of other historic structures/ruins from there. Trim was the only castle we toured that still had the curtain wall intact so it gave a better perspective for the scale of what it once was. Fun Fact there were a few movies filmed there including parts of Braveheart! This was the perfect ending to our vacation and I would 100% recommend it!

So much history from past and present here at the Trim Castle! Jimmy was our guide and we loved our tour! Family and kid friendly! The inside castle however is not wheelchair or stroller accessible. Small stairways that are steep and can be hard to climb for those who have mobility issues. Outside the castle though is beautiful and has paved roads for all to enjoy. Jimmy shared with us details all about the castle, the surrounding moat, distant towers and passageways, and all about the inside castle. Seeing everything from the chapel, wash room, bedroom, fire place and main rooms, it was huge! Even though there were 20pmh winds that day, the view of the surrounding land and city was beautiful. Jimmy shared facts about how the tenants of the castle used to live and shared all the Hollywood splendors that have happened here at the castle. You even get to see the actual room where in Braveheart, a character was thrown from the window! Take part of the day to stroll around the outside and check out the river. There is a connecting bridge and plenty to see all around. The castle and surrounding buildings are fairly intact and we were there for an hour total. Bring your coats, scarves and mittens! The wind follows through to the castle keeping the steady breeze just as if you were outside!

The largest stone castle in Ireland, get in and pay the money for the tour. Cheap as chips and you get a really interesting (& amusing) talk and walk up inside the keep (there are quite a lot of narrow stairs). The keep is being preserved in its derelict state, as such it has a roof and walkways, but no windows or floors. There is a fantastic view of Trim, the River Boyne, Bell Tower and surrounds from the top. Apparently there are views of the Hill of Tara and other things from up here on a clear day, but unfortunately we were there on a wet August day. Still stunning though. Braveheart was filmed at the castle - they seem quite proud of that. There are also toilets, but there's no shop/café (though there are plenty in Trim itself, which is a lovely little village)

Really enjoyed the tour of the castle & the tour. Was so cheap, the tour guide was both informative and funny. Would highly recommend the tour

Braveheart was filmed at this castle. It's a real castle and not a ruin like so many castles in Ireland. We took the guided tour and it was excellent. They take you up to the top of the tower where the view is great. Overall, we are glad we stopped by for the tour.

This is another nice thing about visiting Ireland - the whole country is surrounded by tons of history. This castle was originally built in late 12th century. If you drive from Dublin, it would probably take you an hour or so to get there. They have guided tours throughout a day (except for winter time) which I took and it was very helpful. Oh, the castle is noted for the part it played in the filming of the Mel Gibson's Braveheart....

Visited April 2015 This location was apart of our Heritage Card, and on our way to Belfast. We stopped in, took some pictures of the site, and learned it was used in the movie Braveheart. Due to it being a windy day, we were not able to climb the castle. It's right next to a river, and there's a parking lot not far away.

The most beautiful castle in all the land. Seriously, it's worth a visit. Trim Castle is almost 850 years old and in the heart of the beautiful little heritage town of Trim. The tour is very inexpensive and very informative and interesting. You also get a stunning view of Trim town from the top of the castle. I would recommend taking a walk down the Boyne river walk to see other stunning ruins such as the Yellow Steeple, Sheep's gate, the Priory of John the Baptist and the Abbey.

Tromp around the ancient pad of Hugh de Lacy. He and his son Walter built the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland in late 1100's and it is still a magnificent structure. Admission is 10 Euros for a family and with that you gain access to the keep and a really informative tour which describes the stages of the castles construction and what life was like there in the 12th century. Oh yeah, if you loved Braveheart, with Mel Gibson, you can't miss it since the castle was featured in the movie.

It's the castle that served as a scenario for the movie Braveheart. It's well maintained, shame that's not opened on Mondays during the month of December, however, I still took lovely pictures from the castle grounds.

Beautiful castle with wonderful views of the area. I was especially impressed by our tour guide and that there were "catwalks" so you can go to multiple parts of castle (including the top); the other castles of this time period that I have been to in Europe no longer have the wood floors, and in some cases roofs, and no catwalks so you can't visit as many parts of the castle. We came here on a Sunday so most of restaurants and all of the shops were closed; we knew this ahead of time but now we wish we would have come on a different day of the week to explore the town.

Trim is a town in the heart of the Boyne river. I have seen other castles - sometimes not inside but the exterior already shows if it is worth visiting or not and this one is. The area was used in the great epic "Braveheart" in the nineties and boasts this castle, the largest of its kind in Ireland. What made me love the area the most was of course the Irish green lands everywhere but also the big park that surrounds it, which is nice for a picnic and is full of families and locals taking walks. The park has some funny seats in the shape of big mushrooms and at the very back, an interesting cemetery - full of good energy and with well maintained grounds. What really intrigued me is a romantic tomb and the history behind it - "Sir Lucas Dillon's tomb. Those 2 big statues are Lucas himself and his wife resting places, together. The legend says it is the tomb of the "jealous man and woman" and it seems to have the power to cure warts. Very nice short trip!

I am visiting my native land for the first time in 18 years and finding that there are all sorts of historical places open for visiting now that were just ruins not so long ago. Trim Castle is one and we visited on our first day here. It would have been a fantastic place to visit even if all we got to do was wander around but a guided tour definitely added value. It was built starting in 1173 not long after the Norman invasion of Ireland as the Norman's center of power in the area. We were told it was the largest Norman fort built anywhere. I will not give a lot of details as they are easily researched via Google (or any other search engine, I assume) but I have to say that the overall effect was stunning and it must have been even more stunning to the newly subjugated Irish. It also must have been a very uncomfortable place to live as there was just one fireplace. Today is a very cold, windy and wet day and just taking the tour left us chilled to the bone. I cannot imagine what it felt like to live in a place like that with no heat. The whole visit reminded me of a poem my father wrote: A Warning to Conquerors This is the country of the Norman tower The graceless keep, the bleak and slitted eye Where fear drove comfort out; straw on the floor Was price of conquering security. They came and won, and then for centuries Stood to their arms; the face grew bleak and lengthened In the night vigil, while their foes at ease Sang of the strangers and the towers they strengthened. Ragweed and thistle hold the Norman field And cows the hall where Gaelic never rang Melodiously to harp or spinning-wheel. Their songs are spent now with the voice that sang; And lost their conquest. This soft land quietly Engulfed them like the Saxon and the Dane But kept the jutted brow, the slitted eye- Only the faces and the names remain. Copyright Donagh MacDonagh

Trim Castle has recently become my new favourite running location. It's an amazing local amenity and the people of Trim are understandably proud of it. As well as the imposing castle, there is a park, walkways and open farmland around the castle just begging to be explored. Do yourself a favour and give it a visit when you have the chance.

Would you like to visit a castle which became part of 'Braveheart' - yes it was used in the filming of the blockbuster movie. As you approach, the stonework is so well constructed and the walls so impressively built, that you get a real feeling of Ireland in the Middle Ages; when you see all the turrets, you nearly feel that some Hawk eyes are peering out at you from the openings! For this is a real castle, and the Masons who built it, were craftsmen reaching for their place in history. And when you enter, you can feel the tides of history sweeping by; then look out at the beautiful River Boyne and you will feel like a priveleged member of a film club being given a sneak preview of the vistas of County Meath! If I were part of a real Star trek crew, this castle would tempt me to transport back in time to the Middle Ages. On a more practical note, the guided tours last about an hour.

Few historic sites in Ireland are as impressive as the trim castle tour, the history is so alive, the castle beautiful and the grounds are a fantastic place to take the kids. Don't miss the view from the top, stunning!

This was an amazing castle!!! It's huge and you actually get to see most of it. There isn't much to walk around outside, so it's perfect for a rainy day. If you love castles and want some history with it, definitely stop here.