castles historical ireland

A distinctive 16th century fortified tower house built originally for a branch of the O'Brien's before coming into the possession of the powerful local family of the O'Loghlens. The first three floors exhibit many defensive features such as narrow slit windows, gun loops and murder holes. The main floor presents a visual record of the castle restoration. The second floor is now called the Scriptorium. There are guided tours of the photographic exhibitions of the restoration.

Walking...

The original tower house of Knappogue Castle was built by Sean Mac-Con MacNamara in 1467. During the 1641 rebellion the castle was occupied by Cronwellian forces. In the 18th and 19th centuries further additions were made to the original structure. The castle was abandoned in the 1920's and was restored by the Hon. Mark Edwin Andrews and his wife Lavonne in 1966.

Today world famous Medieval Banquets are held at the castle. The Castle is also a popular location for wedding receptions a...

Domestic quarters were added on over the following centuries, giving us today a Most attractive architectural composition. Now lovingly restored in a superb parkland setting, its owners delight in sharing their private home with visitors....

Ormond Castle is situated at a strategic point on the river Suir, commanding access to Clonmel to the west and the busy port of Waterford to the south east. An Elizabethan manor house built by Black Tom, 10th Earl of Ormonde. Next to a 15th century fortified dwelling. Ormond Castle is renowned for the quality of its stucco work, the best example of 16th century plaster work in Ireland.

It is also significant as Ireland's only major example of a completely unfortified dwelling dati...

King John's Castle: Allegedly founded by King John who stayed here for three days in 1210, the castle may have been begun some years previously by Hugh de Lacy. The semicircular western half of the castle was probably built before King John's visit. This curving wall, which enclosed an open courtyard, had two-storey buildings leaning against its inner face; the entrance, on the west side, was flanked by two rectangular towers (only parts of the northern tower remain) and at the south-wester...

Dunseverick Castle is now only one massive wall on the very edge of a cliff. Dunserverick was the north end of the oldest road in Ireland, where the Celts in prehistoric times crossed to and from Scotland....

This is a well-preserved four-storey tower with good fireplaces on the three upper floors. The two-and-three-mullioned windows, and the oval hole at the bottom of the stairs, were probably copied from Portumna Castle nearby, which had only recently been built.

The tower forms part of an L-shaped bawn with rounded turrets at opposite corners. On the corbels of the turret at the north-eastern corner of the tower is the inscription 'D': OM ME: FIERI: FECIT: 1643' which states that a man...

The castle was probably built by Theobald Walter Butler some time early in the 13th century, and the Butlers still owned it in 1640. the castle is square in plan with rounded turrets at the corner, but only one storey of the original three or four remain. The tower on the north-east is only enterable by steps up from the outside. The interior of the castle was divided into two apartments by dividing wall. Access to the castle is by foot only, as it's located on private land.

In t...

Shortly after the Norman invasion, Ballintober became the chief seat of the O'Conors of Connacht, but the castle was probably not built till around 1300. The castle is nearly square in plan, with an open courtyard in the centre and a strong polygonal tower at each corner. In the east wall there are two projecting turrets which guarded the entrance.

The whole castle was surrounded by a water-filled moat. The castle was taken by another branch of the O'Conors in 1315, and was besieged...

The family home of the Earls of Belmore, Castle Coole is one of the treasures of the National Trust. A magnificent neo-classical house designed by James Wyatt, has remarkably fine interiors and exquisite furniture and furnishing from before 1830. A lavish Regency Saloon with gilded mirrors and marvellous inlaid woodwork is rivalled by a lavish state bedroom, hung with crimson silk, said to have been prepared for George IV.

Impressive halls, staircase, a dining room of splendour an...