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Malahide Castle and Gardens
Logo for Malahide Castle and Gardens featuring two large, stylized dark green "M"s with a yellow and white decorative element resembling a medieval banner draped across them. The text "Malahide Castle and Gardens" is in dark green to the right of the emblem.
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Logo for Malahide Castle and Gardens featuring two large, stylized dark green "M"s with a yellow and white decorative element resembling a medieval banner draped across them. The text "Malahide Castle and Gardens" is in dark green to the right of the emblem.
Book TicketsMembership
Logo for Malahide Castle and Gardens featuring two large, stylized dark green "M"s with a yellow and white decorative element resembling a medieval banner draped across them. The text "Malahide Castle and Gardens" is in dark green to the right of the emblem.
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The Collections

A Treasure Trove of History.

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Malahide Castle

The Collections

Malahide Castle is not just a building; it’s a living testament to centuries of Irish history.

A sunlit castle room features a vintage four-poster bed draped in floral fabric and green curtains. The aging white bedding adds charm. The room includes a wooden chair, a small table, a stool, and a large window with sheer curtains that flood the space with natural light.

Within its walls and across its expansive gardens, lies a collection of artefacts, art, and natural wonders that offer a unique glimpse into the past.

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A vintage wooden toy carriage with two horse figures is displayed on a carpeted floor, reminiscent of treasures one might find at Malahide Castle. Behind it, a bed with a white and red coverlet is partially visible. Another smaller wooden toy rests in the background.

Malahide Castle is not just a building; it’s a living testament to centuries of Irish history.

Within its walls and across its expansive gardens, lies a collection of artefacts, art, and natural wonders that offer a unique glimpse into the past.

Book Castle Tour
Malahide Castle

The Collection

A vintage-style room featuring a wooden dresser with ornate photo frames, a decorative vase, and a gilded mirror above. An open door reveals a second room with a wooden wardrobe, a hanging coat, and a red patterned rug.
A dimly lit museum exhibit features a wall display with various informational panels about nature and wildlife conservation. Animal horns and skulls are mounted on the adjacent wall, set against a textured light gray background.
An ornate antique desk with a large clock, a quill in an inkwell, decorative books, and vintage items. A warm lamp illuminates the room, with portraits hanging on the peach-colored walls and a white fireplace in the background.
A vintage-style room with a wooden table and chairs. A candelabra sits on the table. The walls are adorned with floral wallpaper and paintings. A tall bookshelf, a patterned rug, and a window with a decorative screen complete the setting.

The Malahide Castle collection was accumulated by the Talbot family over several centuries while in Ireland. The collection of artworks featured many styles from landscapes and seascapes, to genre scenes, and battle scenes. 

Most celebrated was Malahide’s display of portraiture. Depicting monarchs, literary giants, politicians and the Talbot family and their relations. 

The display at Malahide showed the skill of Ireland’s most talented artists of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. 

A vintage-style room featuring a wooden dresser with ornate photo frames, a decorative vase, and a gilded mirror above. An open door reveals a second room with a wooden wardrobe, a hanging coat, and a red patterned rug.
A dimly lit museum exhibit features a wall display with various informational panels about nature and wildlife conservation. Animal horns and skulls are mounted on the adjacent wall, set against a textured light gray background.
An ornate antique desk with a large clock, a quill in an inkwell, decorative books, and vintage items. A warm lamp illuminates the room, with portraits hanging on the peach-colored walls and a white fireplace in the background.
A vintage-style room with a wooden table and chairs. A candelabra sits on the table. The walls are adorned with floral wallpaper and paintings. A tall bookshelf, a patterned rug, and a window with a decorative screen complete the setting.
A wooden bookshelf holds an assortment of vintage books, reminiscent of those found in Malahide Castle. In front, a framed sepia-toned portrait and a pair of cream gloves rest on a wooden desk, alongside a closed, worn book with a butterfly design. The setting is warm and nostalgic.
Malahide Castle

Preserving Ireland's Cultural Heritage

A wooden bookshelf holds an assortment of vintage books, reminiscent of those found in Malahide Castle. In front, a framed sepia-toned portrait and a pair of cream gloves rest on a wooden desk, alongside a closed, worn book with a butterfly design. The setting is warm and nostalgic.

Unfortunately, the Talbot’s collection along with all of the castle’s furniture, silverware, porcelain, household china, textiles and wine was dispersed by auction in three days in May 1976. 

The National Gallery of Ireland intervened and acquired 31 portraits from Malahide, most of which are now on long-term loan back to the castle for display in their original setting. Through other benefactors, including The Friends of the National Collection some important items of furniture were bought and gifted back to Malahide for presentation in the castle.

Malahide Castle & Gardens continue to research the lost Talbot collection and in recent years Fingal County Council have had some success in retrieving original contents to enrich the castle and its history.

‘Vital is the light that this collection throws on the beginnings of easel paintings in Ireland’

– Oliver Millar

Malahide Castle

Collection Highlights

A vintage mantel clock with a wooden case sits on a marble shelf, reminiscent of the elegance found at Malahide Castle. The clock face displays Roman numerals set against a backdrop of floral-patterned wallpaper in soft greens, blues, and pinks.

Across the castle’s rooms, explore a rich display of early Irish portraiture and fine artworks. The castle is also home to a renowned collection of furniture exhibiting some of the finest examples of Irish craftsmanship and reflecting shifting tastes down through the centuries. 

Furthermore, the Talbot family heirlooms preserved at the castle help us to explore the lives of those who once called the castle ‘home’. 

A vintage mantel clock with a wooden case sits on a marble shelf, reminiscent of the elegance found at Malahide Castle. The clock face displays Roman numerals set against a backdrop of floral-patterned wallpaper in soft greens, blues, and pinks.

Art Collection

Immerse yourself in a diverse range of art, from portraits of past generations to pieces that resonate with the castle’s heritage.

Architectural Marvels

Appreciate the castle’s stunning architecture, featuring intricate carvings, leather wall paper, ornate ceilings, and majestic fireplaces.

Botanical Gardens

Discover a world of flora within the castle grounds, including rare plant species and beautifully landscaped gardens.

Historical Artifacts

Uncover the stories of the past through a collection of objects that offer insights into daily life, customs, and events.

Conservation and Preservation

We are committed to preserving our collections for future generations. Learn about our conservation efforts and the meticulous care taken to protect these irreplaceable treasures.

Research and Study

Our collections are available for research and study by scholars and enthusiasts alike. Discover how to access our archives and resources.

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