Dalkey Castle

Dalkey Castle is one of the seven fortified town castles. The castles were built to store the goods which were off-loaded in Dalkey during the Middle Ages, when Dalkey acted as the port for Dublin. The castles all had defensive features to protect the goods from being plundered. In Dalkey Castle, you will see a fine example of barrel-vaulted ceiling and traces of the wicker work that supported it. Niches have been exposed on the walls where precious goods may have been stored. The Castle is an integral entrance to both the Heritage Centre and Dalkey Town Hall. Later, in the mid to late 1600s it was called Goat Castle when the Cheevers family of Monkstown Castle were the owners. In 1860s the former living quarters, upstairs, became a meeting room for the Dalkey Town Commissioners. Today, part of the Living History tour takes place there. There is a re-creation of the stocks that were across the street where the entrance to the church is today.