Srushti Dhobley

Restoring the Unseen, Revealing Bunratty Castle’s Layered History Through Virtual Reality

This project explores how virtual reality can help preserve and communicate the hidden histories of The Bunratty Castle. While the castle’s official interpretation presents a clear and valuable account of its past, many of the everyday experiences, cultural meanings and community voices connected to the site remain underrepresented. I became interested in what might be discovered by looking beyond the familiar narrative and asking not only what has been preserved, but also what has been overlooked.

Through site observation, visitor research, interviews and analysis of the official guided tour material, I developed a virtual reality experience that allows visitors to explore the castle’s history through interaction rather than passive viewing. The experience includes two connected interactions: one invites visitors to reassemble the fragmented story of a Sheela na Gig carving, while the other allows them to compare the castle across different historical periods, including its Viking, Norman, Gaelic and restoration era contexts.

The project presents history as layered, evolving and open to interpretation. Instead of treating the castle as a static monument, it encourages visitors to consider the people, beliefs and events that shaped the site over time. Virtual reality also offers a way to experience spaces and histories that may be physically inaccessible or difficult to understand during a conventional visit.

Ultimately, this work asks how immersive technology can support more inclusive approaches to heritage preservation. It aims to preserve not only the material form of a historic place, but also the stories, questions and cultural meanings that give that place significance.