Mayo's Ashford Castle named among Ireland’s top 10 most popular castles
The Mayo landmark ranks sixth nationwide as interest in heritage tourism continues to grow
With the summer holidays fast approaching, interest in Ireland’s historic castles is on the rise. One of Mayo’s best-known landmarks has been recognised with Ashford Castle ranking sixth of Ireland’s most popular castles.
The nationwide research, carried out by travel insurance provider Chill, was based on visitor interest, online searches and social media engagement.
Ashford Castle secured sixth place overall, recording 33,100 monthly Google searches, 48,682 Instagram posts under its hashtag and 1,894 TikTok posts, highlighting its continued appeal to visitors.
The iconic Mayo castle was the highest-ranked attraction in the West of Ireland, finishing ahead of landmarks including Dunluce Castle in Antrim, Bunratty Castle in Clare, Ross Castle in Killarney and Trim Castle in Meath.
Dublin Castle topped the rankings, followed by Malahide Castle and Blarney Castle, with Kilkenny Castle and the Rock of Cashel completing the top five.
Internationally, Edinburgh Castle secured the top spot, followed by Windsor Castle, Prague Castle and the Palace of Versailles. Unfortunately, no Irish castle made it into Europe’s top 10 most popular castles.
The findings come as interest in Ireland’s historic castles continues to grow, with searches for “castle tours Ireland” reportedly increasing by 80% over the past three months.
Ashford Castle, located near Cong on the Mayo-Galway border, has long been recognised as one of Ireland’s premier castle destinations. Originally dating back to the 13th century, the estate is internationally renowned for its luxury accommodation, historic architecture and extensive grounds overlooking Lough Corrib.
The latest rankings underline Ashford Castle’s enduring status as one of Mayo’s flagship tourism attractions and a major draw for visitors exploring the Wild Atlantic Way.