Although the site dates back to 922 when the Vikings lived on the Island, the castle itself was built on the orders of King John in 1200. One of the best preserved Norman castles in Europe, the walls, towers and fortifications remain today and are visitor attractions. The remains of a Viking settlement were uncovered during archaeological excavations at the site in 1900.

Bunratty (Irish: Bun na Raite, meaning "End of the Raite river") is a civil parish in County Clare, Ireland, and a small village by the same name. The village is located next to a major tourist attraction, Bunratty Castle, on the N18 connecting Limerick to Galway. The Raite river defines the eastern boundary of the parish, and flows into the Shannon Estuary, which defines the southern boundary.