Family travelers planning a trip to Ireland most likely will have included the typical Irish sites to the list — the Cliffs of Moher, Blarney Castle, Dublin city and Galway center — but there’s another lesser-known spot ideal for families of all ages. The best part? It’s less than a 15-minute drive from Shannon Airport, a popular airport for incoming U.S. travelers! And if you fear you won’t be able to find it on the quiet country roads, have no fear: The castle sits on the edge of the highway, a can’t-miss site.
At Bunratty Castle & Folk Park in County Clare, you’ll find more than an old castle with bare interiors. This 15th-century castle has been beautifully restored and maintained to show what both the outside and inside of the castle would have looked like more than 600 years ago. Considered the most complete and authentic castle in Ireland, within, you’ll enter the great hall where great banquets and feasts were held, step into the grand chambers of noblemen and women and even see the dungeons where lesser-fortunate people sat. Original furniture and paintings adorn each room, immersing you in a different era altogether.
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But that’s not all that awaits visitors to Bunratty. On the grounds of the castle is Bunratty Folk Park. Spanning 26 acres, this folk park features more than 30 buildings in a “living” village and rural setting. Walk among country farmhouses, village shops and streets to see what 19th-century life for rural Ireland was like across different classes. From thatched farmhouses with a single room and turf-burning fireplace to a Georgian residence of wealth and opulence, kids will love exploring the different buildings, streets and shops.
On Village Street, visitors will find brightly colored shops and buildings side by side, including a schoolhouse with a schoolteacher waiting for you to recite your alphabet, a policeman patrolling the streets and a village doctor. Enter the old-fashioned pub, post office, hardware store, grocery and more.
The folk park is also home to an animal farm, where indigenous breeds of sheep, cows, pigs, ponies and chickens roam the land. Have kids keep an eye out for the Irish red deer, too!
One of my personal favorites of the folk park as a kid was the Fairy Trail, a tree-lined trail featuring fairy homes and twinkling lights hidden among the branches, leaves and tree trunks. Just remember to not disturb the fairies or their homes, they work hard to keep their trail magical just for visitors!
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