Rick Steves' Europe: Dunguaire Castle's Medieval Banquet

Home > Plan Your Trip > Best Destinations > Ireland

Dunguaire Castle's Medieval Banquet

Dunguaire Castle Banquet

Banquet Cost and Hours

€51, April–Oct Fri-Tue at 17:30 and 20:45, closed Nov–March, reservations tel. 061/360-788.

Sleeping in Kinvarra (area code: 091)

Cois Cuain B&B is a small but stately house with a garden, overlooking the square and harbor of the most charming village setting you'll find. Mary Walsh rents three super-homey rooms for non-smokers (Db-€72, cash only, The Quay, tel. 091/637-119).

Updated for 2008

For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Ireland guidebook — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Ireland.

Kinvarra, a tiny town between Ballyvaughan and Galway (30 min from each), is waiting for something to happen in its minuscule harbor. It faces Dunguaire Castle, a four-story tower house from 1520 standing a few yards out in the bay.

The Dunguaire Castle medieval banquet is Kinvarra's most tourist-worthy sight. The 500-year-old Dunguaire Castle hosts a touristy but fun medieval banquet. Warning: This company also operates banquets at Bunratty Castle (30 miles south), so be sure that you've made your reservation for the correct castle.

The evening is as intimate as 55 tourists gathered under one time-stained, barrel-vaulted ceiling can be. You get a decent four-course meal with wine (or mead if you ask sweetly), served amid an entertaining evening of Irish tales and folk songs. Remember that in medieval times, it was considered polite to flirt with wenches. It's a small and multitalented cast: One harpist and three singer/actors who serve the "lords and ladies" between tunes. The highlight is the 40-minute stage show — featuring songs and poems by local writers — that comes with dessert.