1.Did you know? The Dunluce castle was the Pyke castle, the seat of House Greyjoy in HBO’s epic fantasy series- Game of Thrones.
2. The ruined medieval castle made a famous appearance on the inner cover of Led Zeppelin’s 1973 album ‘Houses of the Holy’.
3. Located in County Antrim, the once majestic fortress is thought to be an inspiration for the fictional castle- Cair Paravel in the Chronicles of Narnia.
4. Gary Moore, a Northern Irish guitarist, singer and songwriter, created an instrumental titled ‘Dunluce’ in his 1989 album - After the War.
5. The castle featured under the name 'Ravens Keep' in Jackie Chan’s 2003 fantasy thriller- The Medallion.
6. The castle was built in the 13th century by the 2nd Earl of Ulster- Richard Óg de Burgh. But, the McQuillans who came from Scotland as hired mercenaries held it later.
7. The McQuillans had to abdicate the castle after loosing two major battles against the MacDonnell’s in the 16th century.
8. In 1584, Sorley Boy MacDonnell captured Glens of Antrim, a region of County Antrim, and swore allegiance to Queen Elizabeth I. His son Randal was later anointed as the first Earl of Antrim.
9. A Spanish ship named Girona crashed on the nearby rocks. Parts of the wrecked ship were sold and the money generated was used in the restoration of the castle.
10. A kitchen boy survived when a part of the kitchen near to the cliff collapsed into the sea. The oven and the fireplace are still intact for you to see.
11. Legend has it, Lord MacQuillan’s daughter Maeve Roe was to be married to Richard Oge, but the lady was in love with Reginald O’Cahan. The lovers eloped on a boat, but the fate was unkind to them. Their boat dashed the cliffs and they drowned to death. It is said that her ghost haunts the prison tower where her father had locked her.
12. An English captain’s ghost is also said to wander in the tower. The MacDonnells had hanged him in one of the towers after they besieged the castle.
13. The castle was also inherited by former British Prime Minister- Winston Churchill.
14. Remains of the lost town of Dunluce were found after an excavation in 2011. The town was destroyed in the Irish Rebellion of 1641.
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15. Fun Fact: The castle has a potato named after it- Dunluce seed potatoes. It were first bred by Jack Clarke in 1976.