Shane’s Castle

I was amazed that a relatively unknown town which I bypass every now and then in Randalstown would be home to an impressive piece of architecture. The Randalstown railway viaduct is probably one of the most recognizable landmarks in town. The town officials have enhanced the bridge area such that there is a nice little walking path along the river where visitors can have a slightly better look at the bridge. It isn’t really a huge improvement. I think the view from behind is much better than the one currently provided. I took my photos and continued on. However, there is more than the bridge here in Randalstown.

There is an old castle here, now called Shane’s Castle. It was built in the 14th century but it is now in ruins. It was owned by one of the most powerful clans back then, the O’Neills which basically ruled all of Ulster which covers Northern Ireland and county Donegal. Such a powerful family must probably have had an impressive castle. I would have wanted to see it but apart from the gate which is visible from the road, I couldn’t see anything else. It didn’t seem to be open at the time though it was difficult to tell. The gate still had a wall connected to it and it reaches almost to the modern day railway viaduct. Another claim to fame is that this castle is often used in the filming of the Game of Thrones.

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