The Tour

Duncannon Fort is an impressive presentation of a bastioned fortress perched on the side of the stunning Hook Peninsula, County Wexford, part of Ireland’s Ancient East. This historic structure has gathered countless intriguing and awe inspiring stories over its 450 year history and holds one of the best vantage points to take in the beautiful Waterford Estuary from. Share in these tales and striking views on our guided tour.

Tours can be booked in advance on this website or you can book on the day. Please arrive 10 mins in advance of your preferred tour time.  The tour lasts approximately 1 hour.

If purchased online, please have your ticket QR code ready for verification by your tour guide on arrival.

Tickets:

Adults – €10

Family (2 Adults, 2 Children between 6 and 16) – €20 (Only one family ticket per transaction)

Senior (Over 65) – €7

Student (With Valid ID) – €7

Children (6  to 16 years) – €4

Children (under 6) – Free

For large groups contact the office directly. See contact details at the bottom of the page.

 

As well as online, Tickets can also be purchased through the Tourist Offices.

 

*Hook Tourism is a not for profit organisation. All funds raised contribute to providing these guided tours and to the development of tourism on the Hook Peninsula.

Purchase Tickets

For your safety when visiting Duncannon Fort please read and take careful note of the following information and safety warning.

Duncannon Fort contains barrack buildings, raised ramparts and walls, underground passageways, a deep moat and other structures constructed from the sixteenth century onwards. As such the Fort was not built in accordance with modern health and safety standards or building regulations and the buildings and other structures have deteriorated with age. As a consequence, you must take care for your own safety, and that of others for whom you are responsible, when visiting the Fort.

Many of the surfaces on this tour are uneven. The tour route includes walking across grassy areas, cobbled stones/loose gravel, and descending and ascending on steep stone steps, all of which can be slippy, particularly when wet. We would ask you to plan for this by wearing appropriate footwear.

Some of the doorways and walkways are at a low level, you need to be mindful of this when walking through or under. The route also involves accessing some confined spaces, please ask the guide if this is a concern for you.

The tour route is not recommended for anyone with mobility issues, but if you contact the Tourist Office we can arrange a viewing of the more accessible areas of the Fort.

The tour route is not suitable for pushchairs or prams. Guardians of children should be mindful of their safety and ensure they observe all the safety instructions given by your guide.

It is strictly forbidden to climb onto or lean over any walls or parapets of the Fort, or to climb onto the cannon situated within the grounds, whether to take selfies or otherwise. Smoking is also strictly forbidden in the grounds of Duncannon Fort.

A minimum of two persons is required for each tour for health and safety reasons. Nobody can be admitted to the Fort once the tour has started.

By purchasing your ticket you acknowledge that you and anyone for whom you are purchasing tickets, have read and understand the information/warnings set out above, that you will take care for your own safety and that of any others for whom you are responsible, will comply with any directions given to you by the tour guide and accept the risks inherent to visiting a historic structure of this age and condition.

From time to time Hook Tourism runs tours to areas of the Fort that do not form part of our normal tour route. In return for being allowed access to these areas, we are required by the owners/occupiers of the Fort to ask visitors to sign a legal release of all potential claims against Hook Tourism or the owners/occupiers in the event of any accident or mishap occurring during the tour. If you are purchasing a ticket for a special access tour, you should first read and confirm that you are happy to sign this legal release which can be found here.

 

*If tickets are sold out on the website, do call into the tourist office as there maybe some availability remaining.

Regular tours for 2024 have finished.

Tours can be accommodated by appointment subject to availability and conditions, minimum one weeks notice required.

Contact the office to book.

About

“Duncannon Fort is an important sixteenth century coastal bastioned fort situated on a rocky promontory which contains earlier archaeological remains in the form of a fifteenth century castle with associated curtain wall and towers and, probably, an earlier prehistoric promontory fort. The fort is one of only three bastioned forts built in County Wexford and the only one which is accessible to the public. It is in the ownership of both the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Wexford County Council.”  Duncannon Fort Conservation Plan 2016 – Stafford McLoughlin Archaeology

Guided tours are offered under licence by Hook Rural Tourism, a community organisation working to promote the Hook Peninsula since 1966.

Duncannon Fort Masterplan created by USI and NRMD in 2023 can be found here.

Visit/Contact

Duncannon Fort is situated in the village of Duncannon on the Hook Peninsula, County Wexford. The village is accessible by car on the R733 from New Ross or Wexford or via the Passage East Car Ferry from Ballyhack.

For further information on visiting the area please check out www.hookpeninsula.com

For all other queries please contact Hook Tourism directly on:

Email: info@hooktourism.com
Phone: +353 51 389 496
Address: Hook Tourism, Duncannon, New Ross, Co. Wexford.

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