Dundrum Castle Walk & Talk

Dundrum Castle Walk & Talk

Join the Historic Environment Division for an informative Walk & Talk at Dundrum Castle, led by an archaeologist from the State Care team.

Following his invasion of Ulster in 1177, John de Courcy selects Dundrum—already the site of an earlier fortification—as the location for a coastal defensive castle. King John captures the castle in 1210 and grants it to Hugh de Lacy in 1227, when the keep is constructed. A gatehouse is added in the 1260s. As Anglo-Norman power declines in east Ulster in the mid-14th century, the castle passes into the hands of the Magennis family, Lords of Iveagh, who hold it for the next three centuries. In 1636, the castle is granted to Sir Francis Blundell, who builds a new house in the lower ward.

Dundrum Castle stands on a wooded hill northwest of Dundrum village, near Newcastle. It controls access to Lecale and overlooks Dundrum Bay. Its primary function is to control the land routes from Drogheda to Downpatrick.

Practical information

General public (All Ages Welcome)

Duration: 1 hour

Free admission

Enquiries: scmenquiries@communities-ni.gov.uk

Please note that access may be difficult for wheelchair users due to the sloping and rocky terrain.