Trim Castle
Caisleán Bhaile Átha Troim
Ireland's largest Anglo-Norman castle; its cross-shaped, twenty-sided keep on the banks of the Boyne was a filming location for Braveheart.
Caisleán Bhaile Átha Troim was begun in the 1170s by the Norman lord Hugh de Lacy and is the largest surviving Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, covering about 30,000 square metres on the south bank of the Boyne. Its core feature is the distinctive twenty-sided, cross-shaped, three-storey keep, surrounded by curtain walls, gatehouse towers and the remains of a moat. In 1995, Mel Gibson's Braveheart was filmed here. The outer grounds can be explored freely, but entering the keep requires a guided tour of about 45 minutes with limited places, so arrive early in peak season. The castle is managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW), and admission is inexpensive. It is about 45 km from Dublin, reachable by car or bus, and is often combined with Sí an Bhrú and Teamhair na Rí as a Boyne Valley day trip.
Opening hours
Approx. 10:00–17:00 (winter weekends only; check OPW announcements)
Nearby sights
- Hill of Tara
- Newgrange (Brú na Bóinne)
- Phoenix Park
- Kilmainham Gaol
- Dublin Zoo
- Irish Museum of Modern Art
- Glasnevin Cemetery
- Guinness Storehouse