Choosing a favourite castle in Ireland is a bit like choosing a favourite kitten from the window of a pet store. They’re all pretty cute! I can, however say that Clover Cove’s Sleagh Castle is inspired by the tower at Ross Castle in Killarney and also by Malahide Castle in Dublin, which is more like a stately home grown out of a castle – which is something like the history of Sir Charles Balcon’s family seat. The most romantic castle however has to go to Ashford castle on Lough Corrib. It’s magnificent (and huge!), but the romance for me came from the cruise I took on the Lough at sunset with the castle in the background when the whole sky above us bruised purple.