castles historical ireland

Parkes Castle on the north-east shore of Lough Gill is a 17th century fortified manor house which houses an interpretative centre with an audio-visual show reflecting the many historic and prehistoric sites in the region. There is a tea-room, and guided tours are conducted during the summer months....

Rathumney is a hall-castle of a type common in the 13th and 14th centuries. The centre of the building was occupied by a hall, two storeys high, off which opened living rooms with fireplaces.

There is a tower at the south-eastern corner of the castle. Practically all the decorated stonework has been removed, but gently rounded arches still span the larger door and window openings. Little is known of the history of the castle other than that it was probably built by the Prendergasts....

Listowel Castle is famous for being the birth place of Earl Kitchener of Khartoum. He is best known for his sombre face, and accusing finger, with the caption "Your Country Needs You," on recruitment posters during World War I.

The monument of a less loyal family are the ruins of Listowel Castle, the last bastion against Queen Elizabeth. It was built in the 15th century by a McGilligan. It was the last fortress of the Desmond's to be subdued. It fell to Sir Charles Wilmo...

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....

Only one ceiling is retained, while there are also some scant remains of the bawn. It was the residence of Sir Thomas Fitzgerald, father of the betrayed Sugan Earl, until his death in 1595.

It was the scene of fighting with the Earl of Essex in 1599. James 1 granted it to Richard Boyle, afterwards Earl of Cork. Captured in 1645 by Lord Castlehaven, it was assaulted but not taken by Cromwell in 1650. It was burned in 1653, killing three daughters of the occupant. Afterwards it passed...

The castle is said to have been built in 1181 by Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, for his brother-in-law, Sir Gilbert de Nugent, who resided in it for some time before building the neighbouring castle of Clonyn. But the castle was probably built in the early 13th century.

It was originally square in plan with four rounded turrets at the corner but only the western half of the castle remains, with two of the rounded turrets. The lower portion is now used as a shop store; the upper portion...

Now in Ruins, this area has views of the harbour....

A fine castellated mansion, built in the 1820's, located 10 km south of Cappoquin....

Opposite the park is Cabra Castle, 19th century seat of the Pratts, and now a hotel.
The original Cabra Castle was an early 18th century Palladian villa and when it was destroyed, Colonel Joseph Pratt bought the adjoining property, Cormey Castle in the early 19th century and established a new seat for his family.

The original house was used as a ballroom until it was destroyed by fire in the 1950's.
The castle grounds accommodate a picturesque 9 hole golf course which is open to...

On one side of the river is a 13th century church incorporating a square belfry at the western end. The remains of three lancet windows can be seen in the east wall. On the other side of the river is a castle which is not in the best of condition but has two corner fireplaces and tall profiled chimney stacks. The castle was built in the 16th century by the Burkes; in 1574 it was in the possession of MacWilliam Eighter' (Sir John fitz Oliver Burke)....