castles historical ireland

The old 17th Century O' Toole castle has been modernised and is privately owned.
A British garrison occupied the castle during the 1798 rebellion and there is a memorial to 36 rebels who were executed following the uprising. The Croghan Valley is a very scenic drive which dips into Wexford and runs below Croghan Mountain to Coolgreany while Holt's Way Drive runs through the village....

Located on the banks of the Erne, the Heritage Centre exhibits the collections of the County Museum in award winning displays enhanced by audio visual programmes spanning the history of Fermanagh, its wildlife and landscapes. There's a range of special exhibitions throughout the year.
The Castle Keep houses the Museum of the Royal Inniskilling Fusilers - displays span the history of the Castle and the development of Enniskillen town. The Curved Barracks includes displays on the country...

In 1429 King Henry VI promised a grant of £10 to every one of his subjects who built a castle 20 feet long, 16 feet wide and 40 feet high before 1439 in Counties Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Louth. As this castle roughly conforms to these measurements, it is quite probable that it is one of these '£10 castles'.

There are 3 storeys, of which the ground floor is vaulted. The corners of the castle are rounded, and a projecting tower at the south-western corner contained the spiral stairc...

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...

Derry Island Castle (17th Century) sited on the left bank down river, is visible. It is known locally as 'Ireton's Castle', but without any hard evidence that Cromwell's son-in-law General passed this way.

As you swing left for Birr there's an old windmill prominent on the hill above Bell Isle House....

Originally used as a fort in Early Christian times, this is one of the most superbly and strategically sited castles in the country; it is unfortunate that its state of preservation does not match its siting. On the arrival of the Normans, the site was in the hands of Dermot McMurrough Kavanagh.

Through his marriage with Eva, it fell into the hands of his father-in-law Strongbow, and then through his daughter Isabella to William Marshall. The castle is first mentioned in 1215 when...

A small oblong tower, with two three-quarters round turrets (one a staircase) at diagonally opposite corners, and dating to the late 16th century. It was originally surrounded by a strong wall and traces of the ditch outside this wall still remain. It was taken by Docwra in 1601 but returned to Sir Cahir O'Doherty in 1603. It was besieged again in 1607 but not take by the English until 1608 and was later granted to Sir Arthur Chichester. For a long time it remained an important English garrison....

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....

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)....

Known as the Castle of the Curlews, this castle was built around 1590 to protect the pass over the Curlew Hills. It was garrisoned by a Constable and ten wardens from 1610 to 1626 and, after a stout resistance, had to surrender in 1641 due to lack of water.

The plan of the castle is modelled on those of 13th century castles, with a small central square block dwarfed by four massive towers at the corners which are round outside and square inside....