The Haunting Ruins of Dunluce Castle

Even though it lies in ruins, Dunluce Castle remains one of the best castles in Ireland. Built on a cliff overlooking the sea in Northern Ireland, and surrounded by sheer drop-offs, the iconic ruins bear witness to a long and tumultuous history. The castle was built by the McQuillan family, but was taken over by the Scottish MacDonnell clan in the 1550s. In 1639, the castle’s kitchen fell into the sea during a ferocious storm, killing all the cooks and servants except for one boy who watched the kitchen disappear into the ocean.

After the collapse, Dunluce Castle was abandoned to the elements and the North Atlantic storms soon reduced the castle to the ruins you see today. But its incredibly haunting beauty and dramatic history continue to inspire visitors and provide dramatic filming locations for movies and TV shows.