Is it worth booking Trim Castle in advance?

Walk-up entry is usually possible, but booking in advance secures your preferred time slot and avoids queues in peak season (June–August).

How much does it cost to visit Trim Castle?

Standard adult admission is €5. Guided experiences start from €5 per person.

How long does a visit to Trim Castle take?

Allow 1.5–2 hours for a comfortable visit. Arriving early in the morning or late afternoon helps avoid the busiest periods in summer.

When is Trim Castle open?

Daily 10:00–18:00 (Apr–Oct); 09:00–17:00 (Nov–Mar)

How do I get to Trim Castle?

The nearest major airport is Dublin (DUB), approximately 50 min by car. Trim Castle is best reached by car — this is a self-drive destination.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

All Attractions

Heritage

Trim Castle

Co. Meath · 1.5–2 hours

Trim Castle is the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, built by Hugh de Lacy from 1173 on a bend in the River Boyne in County Meath. The massive stone keep — a 20-sided tower rising 25 metres — is the centrepiece, surrounded by a two-hectare enclosure with a curtain wall, towers and a great ditch. Construction continued under his son Walter de Lacy and was substantially complete by 1220. The castle controlled a major river crossing and the rich agricultural lands of the Boyne Valley.

Trim was a significant administrative centre of the medieval Lordship of Ireland. Edward Bruce laid siege to it in 1315 during the Scottish invasion of Ireland. Young Prince Hal — the future Henry V of England — was imprisoned here briefly in 1399. The town of Trim grew around the castle and retains its medieval street plan.

The castle was used as a primary filming location for the 1995 film Braveheart (Director Mel Gibson). The river and walls appear in many of the film's battle and castle sequences — though it represents a Scottish castle rather than an Irish one. The OPW restored and opened the castle to visitors in 2000; guided tours of the keep interior run on the hour.

Highlights

Ireland's largest Anglo-Norman keep — a 20-sided tower of 25 m on the River Boyne, built 1173–1220
Curtain wall and towers enclosing a 2-hectare enclosure — the scale of the medieval military complex is striking
Filming location for Braveheart (1995) — the river and walls appear throughout the film
The Yellow Steeple (free to view) — the ruins of a 14th-century Augustinian abbey across the river from the castle
Trim town itself — a well-preserved medieval street plan with several other Norman ruins within walking distance

Good to know

→Guided tours of the keep interior run on the hour and are the only way to access the upper floors — worth doing.
→The castle grounds are accessible outside guided tour hours for a lower entry fee.
→Combine with the Hill of Tara (30 min drive) and Newgrange (45 min drive) for a full Meath heritage day.
→The town of Trim has good cafés and a pleasant riverside walk if you want to extend the visit.
→Free parking adjacent to the castle — a rare luxury for an OPW site.

Best Time to Visit

Apr–Oct for guided interior access; the exterior grounds are accessible year-round. Jun–Aug tours depart hourly — arrive 15 minutes before the hour on busy summer days. The view from the top of the keep over the Boyne Valley is the reward.

Getting There

DUBDublin

50 min drive

Common questions

How much does Trim Castle cost?

Guided tours of the castle interior cost around €7 adults (2025), operated by the OPW. Entry is by guided tour only — self-guided access to the keep interior is not available. The castle grounds and exterior are freely accessible. The OPW Heritage Card covers entry.

Is Trim Castle accessible without a guided tour?

The castle exterior, grounds and surrounding wall circuit can be walked for free. The 25-metre keep interior is only accessible on a guided tour (runs several times daily). The tour climbs the tower and covers the castle's 12th–15th century history in detail. Allow 45 minutes for the tour plus time to walk the full enclosure.

What else is in Trim town?

Trim has one of the best concentrations of medieval monuments outside Dublin: the Yellow Steeple (ruins of a 14th-century Augustinian tower), the Sheep Gate (the only surviving town gate), and the ruins of the Augustinian priory. The town also has good independent restaurants and cafés. The River Boyne walk from the castle to the Yellow Steeple takes 20 minutes.

How far is Trim from Dublin?

Trim is 50km northwest of Dublin — about 50 minutes by car via the M3. Bus Éireann runs regular services from Dublin Busáras to Trim (about 1.5 hours). Trim is a good base for the Boyne Valley heritage sites — Newgrange and Hill of Tara are both within 30–40 minutes.