This medieval fortification occupied the site that would later become home to the Queens Hotel, marking a curious transformation from defensive stronghold to Victorian hospitality venue. The castle’s exact origins remain somewhat mysterious, though its imposing presence clearly left enough of an impression on locals to earn it such a dramatic moniker.

By the late 18th century, the castle had already lost its military significance and found new life serving a rather different purpose; it had been converted into a billiard room, where Dublin’s gentry could enjoy their leisure time within ancient walls. This peculiar repurposing speaks to the pragmatic Irish approach to old buildings, finding contemporary uses for structures that had outlived their original function. The transformation from fortress to games room must have created quite the atmospheric setting for evening entertainment.

The Black Castle met its end during the 1840s when demolition crews cleared the site, erasing centuries of history from Dalkey’s landscape. Today, no visible trace remains of either the castle or the Queens Hotel that followed it, leaving only historical records and local memory to mark where this intriguing building once stood. The site serves as a reminder of how Ireland’s built heritage has continuously evolved, with each generation adapting, repurposing, and sometimes removing the structures left by their predecessors.