Dunluce Castle, Co Antrim
Perched on top of a high cliff, the majestic ruins of Dunluce Castle are arguably the most picturesque in Northern Ireland.
Although Richard Óg de Burgh, second Earl of Ulster, built a castle on the site in the 13th century, Dunluce Castle as we know it was erected in the 1500s by the Scottish McQuillan clan - hired mercenaries who settled in Ireland in the 13th century.
After the Battle of Orla in 1565, Dunluce was seized by fellow Scottish immigrants the MacDonnell clan, led by famous warrior chieftain, Sorley Boy MacDonnell. During the following 100 years, Dunluce was a place of violence, intrigue and rebellion and the castle was the scene of many battles, mostly due to assaults by the English.