Breakfast at the Top of a Castle

Tucked away on the River Shannon near Ballylongford, Carrigafoyle Castle is one of Ireland’s best off-the-beaten-path treasures. I first discovered it in 1999, and it’s been a favorite stop ever since. My ritual is simple but unforgettable: take the ferry from Killimer to Tarbert, grab a breakfast roll and coffee from a nearby petrol station, and climb the castle’s narrow stairs to the top. Sitting on centuries-old stone with the Shannon stretching out below, I unwrap my breakfast and enjoy a view that never gets old. Built in the 1400s by the O’Connor Kerry family, Carrigafoyle was once considered nearly impregnable until cannon fire during the Desmond Rebellions brought down its walls. Today, it’s free to enter and open for anyone to explore. Quiet, unpolished, and endlessly welcoming, this castle reminds me why Ireland’s hidden corners often make for the best travel memories.