Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
5 days ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
5 days ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
6 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
7 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Ireland Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Puck's Castle

Puck's Castle

There might not be much left of these Irish ruins, but their linguistic legacy is still going strong.

Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Ireland

Added By
UrbexJunkie
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Puck’s Castle   Rob Hurson on Flickr
Puck’s Castle   Rob Hurson on Flickr
Puck’s Castle   UrbexJunkie / Atlas Obscura User
Puck’s Castle   Rob Hurson on Flickr
Puck’s Castle   Rob Hurson on Flickr
Rathmichael church ruins   Joe King on Flickr
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Some say that Puck’s Castle, in Rathmichael Co. Dublin, was built from sacred stones culled from the nearby Bearna Dhearg (or “ringfort”), but little is really known for certain about the structure today. Because of the “sacred stones” story, Puck’s – an English derivative of the Gaelic “púca” or “pooka” meaning ghost or spirit – is said to be haunted.

Many languages have similar words to “púca” – in Iceland there is “puki”; “piskey” in Cornish (that’s where we get the word “pixie”); “pwcca” in Welsh (try saying that ten times fast); and “pawkey” in Scottish. It’s where Shakespeare got the name “Puck”, meaning “fairie”, for A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Whether it’s a curse, or a haunting, or just neglect, Puck’s Castle sits today in silent ruins, mostly visited by grazing cattle and the occasional fence-hopper. The castle dates to sometime around 1500, and as a fortified homestead it was part of a number of defensive buildings similarly erected in the area from that period.

Rathmichael, southeast of Dublin, is a suburb in ruins; or rather, a suburb WITH ruins. In addition to the Castle there are also church ruins that are near the ruins of the old ringfort (ringforts are common in Ireland, being medieval circular fortified settlements). The church may (or may not – that’s another mystery) have been built in dedication to a saint named “Mac Táil” (that’s right – “Michael”) so we get the Irish name of “Ráth Mhic Táil,” which would translate to “ringfort of Mac Táil,” or the English variation: Rathmichael. 

There is no way to know for sure about this either, but the castle may also have given James II (who lived from 1633 to 1701) a waystation as he retreated during the Battle of The Boyne in 1690. He eventually retreated all the way back to France, and never came back to Ireland to let us know for sure. 

So while much of the history of the castle is shrouded in mystery, there is also very little of the castle left intact. But inside you can see evidence of the stone stairwell and the fireplace – most everything else is long gone and crumbling. The grounds are usually behind a locked fence, but it’s not far off Puck’s Castle Lane, so you can visit – but may need to sense the Púca’s spirit through some chain link.

Related Tags

Castles Ruins Medieval Churches Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

UrbexJunkie

Published

October 30, 2015

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathmichael
  • http://irelandinruins.blogspot.com/2011/06/pucks-castle-co-dublin.html
  • http://www.britainirelandcastles.com/Ireland/County-Dublin/Pucks-Castle.html
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/events/battle_of_the_boyne
  • http://urbexjunkie.com
Puck's Castle
Puck's Castle Lane
Rathmichael
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown
Ireland
53.226361, -6.157927
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Brennanstown Standing Stone

Cabinteely, Ireland

miles away

Ballyedmonduff Wedge Tomb

Ballyedmonduff, Ireland

miles away

Dalkey Island

Dublin, Ireland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ireland

Ireland

Europe

Places 201
Stories 37

Nearby Places

Brennanstown Standing Stone

Cabinteely, Ireland

miles away

Ballyedmonduff Wedge Tomb

Ballyedmonduff, Ireland

miles away

Dalkey Island

Dublin, Ireland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ireland

Ireland

Europe

Places 201
Stories 37

Related Stories and Lists

A Linguistics Lover's Tour of the World

List

By Meg Neal

Related Places

  • Castillo Torre Salvana

    Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Spain

    Castillo Torre Salvana

    The abandoned ruins of a beautiful medieval castle just outside Barcelona.

  • The entrance and façade of the church

    Torri in Sabina, Italy

    Santa Maria della Lode in Vescovio

    This beautiful Romanesque church preserves stunning medieval frescoes and the excavations of a Roman market town.

  • Lanleff, France

    Temple de Lanleff

    The precise origins of this pink sandstone temple are unknown.

  • Overview / sea view

    Greece

    Castle of Agia Mavra (Santa Maura)

    A seaside castle complex that stood through centuries of conquests.

  • Inside the chapel.

    Oxfordshire, England

    Godstow Abbey Ruins

    These ancient ruins were the final resting place of King Henry II's mistress.

  • Square holes.

    Haddington, Scotland

    St Martin’s Kirk

    These ruins of a medieval church are full of architectural mysteries.

  • Ruins of the priests’ living quarters.

    Seton Mains, Scotland

    Seton Collegiate Church

    The ruins of a 15th-century church once home to priests who prayed for a single family's salvation.

  • The doorway of the old church of San Isidro.

    Oviedo, Spain

    Portada de la Antigua Iglesia de San Isidoro (Arch of the Old Church of San Isidoro)

    The surviving remnants of a destroyed medieval church now stand in a public park.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.