The castle was erected with an ancient ring-fort around the early part of the 13th century. It became a strategic fortress during the following turbulent years. It was the property of the Earls of Kildare for nearly 300 years until the rebellion in 1536, when it was forfeited and granted to the Earls of Desmond who gave the castle its present name.

Castle Tours
Tours of the 13th century Norman Castle operate daily from June to the end of September.

Groups may be accommodated outside of these months on request.
Tickets are available to book online via PayPal by clicking on the button below, or from the main reception desk at the Adare Heritage Centre.
Please note that tours are conducted through English.
Multilingual options are available by request, but booking is essential.
For Information on Castle Tours: Phone: +353 (0) 61 396666
or
Email: reception@adareheritagecentre.ie

View the video of the Desmond Castle here, which was produced for Adare Tidy Towns by Corbett Photography and Landyphoto.com