When touring Ireland you can stay in a farmhouse, guesthouse, villa, secret hunting lodge, abbey, palace, or country manor house. But for romance you must stay in a traditional and authentic Celtic castle!

The first castles were built in England by Normans, made of wood and earth and mostly on a motte and bailey plan, a central mound (motte), topped with a stronghold (the keep) and circled by a wall. The enclosed area was called Bailey. While touring Irish countryside I notice a green ziggurat covered with grass as if pushed up from depths and into sky. The first mottes were more defensive in nature.

Norman castles were royal military bastions. The Normans built Ireland ’s oldest castles. Superb Carrickfergus, begun in 1180, and still well preserved today, is probably first true castle in Ireland. A garrison town was usually built next to each castle, but castle had to be self supporting in times of a siege. Castles usually included stables, workshops, gardens, storerooms, and a chapel. Castles were economic and administrative and social centers for feudal society.

The end of feudalism, and not introduction of explosives, hastened use of castles. A few nobles still live in castles, surrounded by servants, or they are turned into luxury hotels or tourist attractions with Medieval banquets. Royalty still lives in castles in England, at Windsor.

The signature castle in Ireland is a Preferred Hotel — Dromoland, in western side of country. You won’t find serfs hurling rocks or spears or shooting flaming arrows or boulders catapulted onto castle grounds. The four-hundred-year-old castle is more of a Baronial home than a castle — and it never was used as a defensive castle. You don’t need a battering ram to get in to make a reservation.

Dromoland is not just a castle, it is a large sixteenth century Gothic revival castellated multi-towered aslar (hewn and dressed stone columns laid horizontally) monument. Dromoland was former home of O'Brien Family, one of great noble Irish clans, who ruled Southern Ireland. This stone splendor is set on 365 acres of its own estate in a natural amphitheatre scooped out in bygone days by action of a glacier ice sheet and surrounded by a lake (louge) and woodlands filled with deer. The castle first opened as a hotel in 1963, and today, after many renovations, there are 75 rooms and 21 suites on four floors; function space and conference facilities can handle hundreds.

This is most romantic place I have ever stayed in, and all guests I talk to wish they could stay forever and role play as a baron or baroness. Because of its romantic appeal, Dromoland is a major draw as a wedding and honeymoon destination; set your Rolex to GMT so you won’t be late for your own special event!

Plush carpets regale landed gentry’s museum quality of castle. Vibrant paintings are stars on vivid velvet walls. Exquisite sculpture stands testament to fine living. Luxury service is expected and received on damask dinner tables. Jetetters Magazine readers have always given castle superior ratings.

Gourmet dining at castle is a knightly pleasure, with many options and wonderful cuisine choices for various group sizes or for private romantic interludes.

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