Dunluce Castle

Dunluce Castle stands on the edge of a basalt cliff in County Antrim, between Portballintrae and Portrush. The ruins occupy a narrow ridge that drops steeply on both sides into the sea. An early Irish fort once stood here, and the site attracted both Vikings and early Christians. A bridge now links the castle to the mainland. The castle’s dramatic position made it a strong defensive position long before the present ruins were built. The castle was first built in the 13th century by Richard Óg de Burgh, the 2nd Earl of Ulster. By 1513 it belonged to the McQuillan family, who added two large drum towers. Later the MacDonnell clan took control after defeating the McQuillans in battle. Chief John Mor MacDonald came from Scotland and improved the castle in the Scottish style. In 1588 the wreck of the Spanish Armada ship Girona supplied cannons and cargo that helped restore the castle. The MacDonnells furnished the castle lavishly, but after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 they abandoned it. Visitors walk across the bridge to explore the ruined towers and gatehouses. The steep drops on either side give views of the sea and the Antrim coast. Nearby archaeological work has uncovered remains of the lost 17th-century town built by Randall MacDonnell. The town once had indoor toilets and a grid street plan, unusual for its time. The castle’s ruins and the nearby earthworks are protected as scheduled historic monuments. The site inspired music, literature and film, including C. S. Lewis’s Cair Paravel and scenes from Game of Thrones.