Dunluce Castle, Northern Ireland Resort, Great Britain
Rating: 8,8/10 ( votes)  Dunluce Castle is one of the oldest castles in Great Britain, located five kilometers from the small town of Portrush. Currently, the territory of the castle consists of ruins in a relatively safe state for visitors, which, in turn, are included in the list of historical monuments specially protected by the state. Founded in the XIII century, this castle for many centuries served as an impregnable border that protected the coast from attacks from the Atlantic Ocean.
According to the scarce data that have survived to this day, this castle belonged to several of the richest families, but the last recorded owners are the Scottish clan of McDonald's. The castle belonged to this clan until 1690. Not long before this, very tragic pages began in its history. In 1639, the owners of the castle arranged a dinner party with guests and musicians; in the midst of the fun, the kitchen yard could not withstand the mass of the assembled guests and fell right into the sea, not everyone managed to escape. The rest of the kitchen courtyard is now fenced off for security reasons, but it can be viewed from several points of the castle.
Half a century after this tragic incident, the McDonald's clan was completely ruined, and the castle was taken away as debt repayment. The majestic medieval building was not restored, it was decided to gradually dismantle it in order to obtain high-quality building materials, from which some other buildings in the vicinity were later created. The castle was included in the list of historical and architectural monuments of Northern Ireland only at the end of the 19th century, since that time it has become a popular excursion object.
Currently, guided tours of the castle are held regardless of the season, but you can only get here with a guide, whose services can be ordered in the city of Portrush. An excursion minibus will take you to the castle in a matter of minutes, and after the overview lectures, guests can go for a free walk around the surrounding areas.
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