
What is recorded here
Situated at the NW side of the junction of Castle Street and White's Villas. The tower house is known as 'Goat's Castle', this urban towerhouse served as the Town Hall and is now Dalkey Castle and Heritage Centre. The tower is built of roughly coursed granite masonry with dressed stone quoins. The tower house is rectangular in plan, three storied with a vault above the ground floor. A projecting stair tower in the SE corner rises above parapet level. The present entrance off Castle Street is a late round-arched opening in the S wall. The original entrance was in the N side where remains of the original staircase survives. A drawing by Beranger dated 1765 shows the present entrance on the S as a damaged, blocked up doorway and another flat-arched entrance on the E side (Harbison 1998, 77). The ground floor chamber is barrel vaultedon an E-W axis. There are floor corbels visible in the upper NE corner wall. The interior is lit by a deeply splayed embrasure in the E and a lower tall, single ope in the SW. A large fireplace has been inserted into the S wall on the first floor. This room was re-modelled as the council chamber with wood panelling (int. dims. L 10.6m; Wth 5.95m). It is lit by double-light windows in the S wall. The second floor has a round-arched window in the W end. A building, which serves as the parish hall has been built up against the N wall.
Compiled by: Geraldine Stout and Padraig Clancy
Revised upload on: 22 May 2018
Built in the 15th century, Dalkey Castle was constructed by the Talbot family, Earls of Shrewsbury, as a defensive structure overlooking Dublin Bay. It is important as a well-preserved example of a medieval tower house and now serves as a heritage centre, reflecting the area's historical and architectural significance.
The monument record does not grant public access. Check the route and ask the landowner before entering private land.
- What survives
- Recorded monument
Places near here
Dalkey CastleFortified town house and castle · 1 yd
Dalkey Heritage CentreVisitor information · 14 yd
DalkeyHistoric town · 44 yd
Indicated as Dalkey LodgeHouse, 16th/17th century · 450 yd
Dalkey Island Viewpoint & TelescopeViewpoint · 959 yd
Thomas Higgin MemorialMemorial · 1034 ydOther information
Photo: Mike Searle · CC BY-SA 2.0