Dunguaire Castle's Medieval Banquet

The Basics

You’re welcomed to Dunguaire Castle with a goblet of mead (honey wine) and an introduction. Then, take your seat at one of the long communal tables in the candlelit banquet hall. Feast on a 4-course dinner while enjoying traditional music, as well as readings from the works of Irish literary greats such as Yeats, Shaw, and O’Casey. Prebooking is essential.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Dunguaire Castle’s Medieval Banquet is a must-do for an entertaining dining experience.

• The castle isn’t wheelchair-accessible.

• Special diets can be accommodated—advise the banquet hall when booking.

How to Get There

Dunguaire Castle is just outside the village of Kinvara, around 16 miles (25 kilometers) southeast of Galway. Getting there from Galway by public transit takes just under an hour. Take bus 350 from the Galway bus station to Kinvara, then walk 15 minutes to the castle.

When to Get There

Dunguaire Castle’s Medieval Banquet has two seatings every day: one in the early evening and one later in the night. Each meal lasts around two hours. Banquets are held from April through October only.

Dunguaire Castle

Arrive early to take a look around the castle before dinner. Built in 1520, the tower-house-style structure was bought and repaired in 1924 by the literary figure Oliver St. John Gogarty. Gogarty turned the castle into a venue for meetings of literary revivalists such as J.M. Synge. Today, the restored castle gives us some insight into the lives of the various people who lived there, from the Middle Ages to modern times.