Malahide Castle

Later that week I was able to venture outside of Dublin via public train to see a few of my favorite things: the beach and castles. The little town of Malahide was my first stop and I made a beeline to Malahide Castle, which was within walking distance of the train and dates back to the 12th century. The Castle is seated on extensive grounds which included a sports fields, gardens and a butterfly sanctuary which seemed quite surreal considering the weather. Each room inside the castle was decorated to emulate a different period in which the castle was home to a family who resided there for over 800 years.