Dundrum Castle

Dundrum Castle was built in the thirteenth century and was later to form part of the defensive line bordering the Pale. The castle today illustrates how much development can impact upon the landscape.

The area has seen the development of the M50 motorway and also the Luas. However the Luas development means that the railway line, in operation years before, is back in use again, thereby illustrating how history has a way of 'repeating itself'.

Following excavation by archaeologists, a very interesting model of a moat and drawbridge system was discovered. The Fitzwilliam family came to Dundrum in 1590 and rebuilt the castle. This family owned most of the land in the area for the following 300 years and it was only during the Revolution in 1641, that ownership of the castle passed to Lt. Col. Isaac Dobson.

Oliver Fitzwilliam had been accused of having served with the Irish Army. Dobson did carry out repair work on the castle and surrounding grounds and the Fitzwilliam family did not take the land back after the Restoration. Despite this, the castle did over the years fall into disrepair.