Ennis to Bunratty Castle by Coach or Minibus
Bunratty lies just off the N18 between Shannon and Limerick, a short hop south of Ennis. Ennis groups come here for two quite different outings: a daytime visit to the tower house and its folk village, or an evening at the medieval banquet. Each needs its own plan.
Journey
- Ennis to Bunratty Castle
- Approximately 20 mins
- Serving Ennis
About Bunratty Castle
- A superbly restored 15th-century tower house with a folk park of period cottages and famous nightly medieval banquets, between Ennis and Shannon.
- Nearest base: Ennis
The road south
Your coach leaves Ennis on the M18 southbound, passes Newmarket-on-Fergus and the junction for Shannon Airport, and carries on along the N18 dual carriageway. Bunratty has its own junction, which the castle gives as exit 6. Nothing on this stretch is tolled. The Limerick Tunnel lies beyond Bunratty and only comes into play if you continue south of the city. Outside the evening rush the 20 minutes in the facts list holds for most of the day.
Daytime visits
Bunratty opens daily from 9am and closes at 5.30pm; check current hours before you fix the return. The castle suggests at least an hour and a half, and many visitors take two to two and a half hours to cover the tower house and the folk park of period cottages and village street. A free car park sits beside the entrance, and coaches park on site. Nineteen timber steps lead up to the castle door and there is no lift inside, though the basement displays are accessible, so plan for anyone in the group who cannot manage stairs.
Banquet evenings
The medieval banquets start at 5.30pm and 8.45pm and last about two and a half hours. A group at the early sitting is back in Ennis soon after eight; the late sitting brings you home shortly before midnight. Banquets run nightly from April to September, while from October to March they depend on demand, so confirm the date before you book transport. The show is not suited to children under four. Tell the operator which sitting you hold so the collection matches the moment the hall empties.
Vehicle and pick-ups
The road is short and good, so vehicle size follows your numbers rather than the route. A 16-seater minibus suits a family or a small party at the banquet; a 49-seater coach suits a wedding group or a conference dinner. Groups spread across Ennis hotels can be collected from each one or from a single meeting point. On a banquet night, when the seating time is fixed, one pick-up point saves time.
Does the driver wait during the banquet?
Whether the vehicle stays on site or returns when the sitting ends depends on the quote. In both cases the collection follows your sitting, so mention its start time when you ask.
Can we combine Bunratty with a Shannon Airport transfer?
Yes. Bunratty is about ten minutes from Shannon Airport, so a group landing in the morning can stop at the castle on the way to Ennis, or call in before a flight home with the luggage stowed in the hold.
Popular Transfers from Ennis
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Send the date, the passenger count and any timed entries you already hold. We come back with a fixed price for Ennis to Bunratty Castle.