Driving through the gate of Dromoland Castle onto the lovely grounds was like entering a paradise with the castle as the primary attraction. The lovely lake, the shaded drive, and beautiful gardens were not enough to keep our eyes from the beautiful castle.

The castle, built in the sixteenth century, was once the royal seat of the O'Brien clan, direct descendants of Irish King Brian Boru, the last High King of Ireland. There were difficult times for the O'Briens because the property went in and out of their hands several times over the years, however even so, it was inhabited by eight generations of the O'Brien family. Donough O'Brien finally sold the castle and lands in 1962.

At various times additions were added to the castle buildings. There was a massive rebuilding of the castle in 1835 and it has been preserved with little change since that time. The mansion is in "baronial" or "gothic revival" style. It is built entirely of dark blue limestone and it was one of the most beautiful and desirable residences in Ireland.

Dromoland Castle was eventually purchased by a U.S. citizen and is now a luxury hotel.