Malahide

A visit to Malahide is well worth while as it has a cluster of attractions adjoining each other within the castle grounds.  The town itself is very attractively located on the coast with a marina, beach, boutiques, restaurants, bars and a hotel. 

The 12th Century Castle adjoins the town on the western side.  Malahide has won the title of Ireland’s tidiest town and the local residents and traders present the town in a most attractive way. The Castle has been fully restored and is open to the public every day of the year (except Christmas).  It has some of Ireland’s best 17th and 18th century rooms on display as well as the historic national portrait collection including the portraits of the Talbot family who built the castle and lived there for 800 years till 1976. 

The Talbot Botanical Gardens holds one of Europe’s greatest collections of southern hemisphere trees, shrubs and plants (Open spring to autumn). 

The Fry Model Railway is one of the Worlds greatest 00 gage model railways.  It contains a model of every train that ever ran on the railways of Ireland. Adjoining it is Tara’s Palace and Museum of Childhood of which this site gives full details. Individual or combined entry tickets are available for these attractions.

There are also craft shops, an attractive restaurant in the ground floor of the Castle, a large outdoor children’s playground, pitches for many sports.  All these attractions are contained within the castle’s 250 acre Demesne and can easily absorb the visitor for a full day or half day.