Drimnagh Castle today

Over the years, the old castle of Drimnagh had improvements carried out on it. Its windows were opened to allow more light into the interior. It contains some very interesting old stone stairs that can only be trod up or down by one person at a time, part of its defence system. It also contains some old cells, and on its tower can be seen the sentry posts of former times. Drymenagh Castle has inspired some romantic poems such as Hartstonge’s “Marion of Drimnagh”, Dwyer Joyce’s “The Rose of Drimnagh”, and Fitzachery’s “The Bride of Drimnagh”. The story is told, that on the eve of St. John, the ghost of Desmond, the lover of Marion de Bernivale, haunts the castle grounds, where he was murdered as he rode through the woods, his murderer being a rival suitor, Tyrell of Castleknock. Marion’s father had lost his life in the Holy Land, where he had gone with Desmond on a Crusade.

Major refurbishments have been completed and the castle is now a major tourist Dublin tourist attraction.