The Black Castle

9.9Lisquillibeen, Co Tipperary, Ireland

Rooms Available

You can book an individual room.

Check Availability

Exclusive Use

You can have the venue to yourself, sleeps 2 guests in 1 room.

Enquire

Weddings

You can get married at this venue.

Enquire

For 20 years, Celtic Castles has been offering accommodation in some of the most luxurious castles in the world. We realise, however, that some people would like to experience a castle without modern comforts, just as it were several centuries ago, so we can now offer this unique rustic experience...

About

The Black Castle is taking bookings for May-August 2025.

Named due to the dark ivy which once covered the building, The Black Castle is a 16th century Gaelic, O'Kennedy tower house located in the townland of Lisquillibeen, Coolbawn, North Tipperary. The castle offers great views, peace and quiet, back to nature, and total privacy, with no passing traffic.

The Great Hall has been deliberately left as a rustic space to enhance the atmosphere and experience of a 16th century castle

There is no electricity or wifi in The Great Hall, but you will be provided with candles and a supply of fuel for the fire. The Hall is furnished with authentic antique pieces and a bespoke oak half-tester king-size bed is dressed with fine white linens and luxurious bedding.

In the kitchenette below the Great Hall, there is electricity, a small fridge/freezer, a sink with hot and cold water, Nespresso machine, electrical kettle, toaster and a 2-ring induction cooking plate. A welcome/breakfast hamper including a sweet treat, breakfast ingredients (eggs, butter, milk, bread, bacon, juice) for you to cook your breakfast is provided. Condiments and a selection of teas, coffee pods, drinking water are also provided.

Phones and personal devices can be charged here too. In a separate room there is a "dry composting toilet" with hand-made soap and hand-towels provided.

Restoration

My name is Sonja, and my husband, Kevin, and I currently live in our restored thatched farmhouse while we restore The Black Castle. I'm originally from East St Kilda in Melbourne, Australia and Kevin is from North County Dublin, Ireland. We absolutely love old buildings and are passionate about their preservation, so we were delighted when our humble thatched farmhouse won Period Living Magazine's Restoration Award, 2011, for the UK and Ireland.

The restoration of our thatched farmhouse fuelled our interest in the vernacular buildings of Ireland and, more recently, the tower houses of the 15th and 16th centuries. Since 2003, our fascination with tower houses led us out on countless journeys in search of these ancient ruins, with the dream of finding the ideal tower house ruin to restore.

Our search, which was assisted by many wonderful like-minded people we'd met along the way, eventually led us to North Tipperary and to an ancient ruin, The Black Castle. After castle-hunting for approximately three years, we purchased The Black Castle in May 2007.

The castle seems to have been constructed around 1550 by the important local chieftains, the Kennedys. In the 1640s, the Kennedys were forced to leave by Oliver Cromwell. The castle is on a 13-acre estate, and surrounded by forests, woodlands and fields.

We had planned to start on the restoration straight away, but the deteriorating Irish economy meant we had to postpone.

Now, ten years later....

Finally, in 2013, after a succession of particularly harsh winters which caused significant damage to some other castle ruins in the area, we knew we must begin work on The Black castle before it became too damaged to save.

First the castle was clad in an exoskeleton of scaffolding, and a new roof was installed, supported by mighty beams. Window elements were carved and re-inserted and, under the watchful eye of our dog, Tilly, Kevin repointed the entire exterior with lime mortar, stone by stone - a job which took him more than six months of painstaking work, but which finally helped render the tower weather-tight for the first time in over 300 years!

Kevin then turned his attention to the interior and starting the restoration of the Great Hall in 2014. Three years later, this imposing second-storey chamber, where the chieftain and his family lived and where guests were entertained, is complete.

The vast room, with its stone-vaulted ceiling, its huge carved fireplace and its opulent, mullioned, leadlight windows, is transformed back to its former glory. There is a real notion of what grand banquets, war councils and lively festivities once took place in this cavernous space.

Photography credits: aclotheshorse, Michael Kaz, Bethany Shaw.

Prices

The Black Castle is taking bookings for May-August 2025.

The castle sleeps 2 adults in 1 king-size double bedroom available from €390 per night. Guests have private use of the castle during their stay.

Select check-in date

Add your dates for exact pricing

July 2025
August 2025
September 2025
October 2025

Location

glorified.arenas.entitlement

This majestic tower stands on a rock outcrop in the middle of woodlands and wetlands, and is bordered by the pretty, crystal-clear Ballycolliton River to the north. It is surrounded by fields, woods and forestry with picturesque Lough Derg about two kilometers away, as the crow flies. From the top floors, the views are magnificent and the ruins of Annagh and Cashlaunteigebocht Castles can be seen, as well as the Devil's Bit Mountain and Silvermine Mountains. Its rock foundations and inhospitable location are believed to be the reasons why it has stood the test of time, considering it hasn't been inhabited (or altered) since around 1640!

Reviews

9.9

Jimmy, IrelandUnforgettable!!! Just amazing!!!
Andrea, United StatesAmazing experience to stay overnight in the Black Castle! It was by far our favorite memory on our Ireland vacation. We booked our overnight 6 months in advance and were blessed to get the booking. So plan ahead! I think the owners make bookings available only on the weekends during the warm months. We stayed one night in June and were plenty warm with a fire going. There’s electric power in the kitchen only where we could charge our phones. Plenty of candles and firewood were provided for light in the great hall. The owners provided a wonderful breakfast to cook in the morning and an espresso machine was available also. We brought a charcuterie meal to eat for dinner (there’s a mini refrigerator to use). The bathroom is by the kitchen and is a composting toilet-all part of the medieval experience. We were impressed by how clean everything was. The bed was comfortable and clean too. The owners met us there for check in and took the time to tell us about the castle renovation and history and show us around. Sonja and Kevin are the best hosts! They truly went above and beyond to welcome us-they even gave us wine, whiskey, and fresh flowers to welcome us! Also, the furniture inside the great all is also ancient! It felt like we were living in a museum that should be roped off, but you’re allowed to touch and use everything. Couple of tips if you stay here: bring headlamps-you’ll be climbing stone spiral stairs a lot in the dark and carrying your food and bags with you. The great hall where the bed and dining table are is one floor higher than the kitchen and bathroom. The great hall is on the third floor. Also bring smaller carrying bags. I don’t recommend bringing large suitcases up the stairs. We transferred our suitcase items into smaller bags with handles. Also bring things to do: games, books, etc. there’s no tv or wifi. Bring sneakers also for walking on the spiral stairs. They are uneven and slightly damp, but safe. We got used to climbing up and down them just fine. Be sure to listen for the barn owls at night too! Head outside the castle at night, on the right side of the door. They live on the top floor of the castle. Don’t worry, they can’t access the living courters where you stay. I truly can’t say enough positive things about our stay. This was a splurge financially for us, but worth it. The payment goes towards the owner’s renovation fund to continue renovating and maintaining this 1500s tower house so others can enjoy this amazing historical experience. Seriously, stay here.
Curtis, United StatesIt was beyond awesome to get the opportunity to stay in this castle can't wait for them to finish it.
David, United StatesWe had an amazing time at the Black Castle. The accommodations were impeccable. The breakfast was delicious. Sonja and Kevin have created a magical place which we will definitely return to. 10 out of 10 experience!

Gallery