Castles of Ireland

By Ellen Butler

 

Deadly Secrets at Ballyford Castle takes place in 1950s Ireland, and was inspired by a vacation I took in 2023. The tour company called it Castles In the Mist. My husband and I spent two weeks touring and lodging at magnificent castles and manor houses dotting the lush, emerald countryside of Ireland. From majestic medieval strongholds, like my husband’s ancestral seat, Kilkenny Castle, to the ruins of crumbling tower houses perched on windswept hillsides. They are a striking reminder of Ireland’s turbulent feudal past, but for locals, they are also part of the cultural fabric of the land. One question we asked: why are so many crumbling castles still standing, and why were they never torn down?

The answer lies partly in history and partly in sentiment. Unlike other parts of Europe, where old fortifications were dismantled to make way for new building projects, in Ireland many castles were left as they were when they fell out of use. Wars, political shifts, and changing ownership often left castles abandoned rather than repurposed. Over time, the cost of demolishing the thick stone walls far outweighed the benefits. In rural communities, these ruins have become silent landmarks—reminders of a stormy monarchial past. Today, they are protected as heritage sites, that continue to attract scholars, artists, and tourists like us.

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