The ruins of the 12th century Black Castle, Wicklow town
are dark & grim, and the lump they sit on is not pretty… even on a sunny day
after many years I realised the beach here is called TRAVELAHAWK
but I can’t find the origin of this word anywhere
rain seems to be always a few minutes away and conditions can be rough
but it’s definitely an intriguing swim spot in the shadow of the old castle; recommended
Cold water coast 
Wow, incredible photos. What’s the story around the Black Castle?
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Hi Craic, thanks for your question. It’s something to do with Earl Strongbow who arrived in the 1100s and invented cider. Castles were built along the east coast to protect his empire… Jealous local chieftains constantly attacked the Black Castle before destroying it in 1300s – it’s been in ruins ever since… There’s a good bit of Norman stuff in Wicklow & Wexford…
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