castles historical around central adare rasthkeale

This Castle was built on a sanctuary of the Celtic Goddess of love and poetry, Matres. The square castle was built by the 7th Earl of Desmond in the mid 15th century. It has entered the history books several times. It was the place were Edmund Spenser and Walter Raleigh first met and is said to have inspired ‘The Faerie Queene’.

It was owned by the family of Robet Southwell, the metaphysical poet and is linked to the journey of the two Wesleyite converts who founded the first Methodist c...

Castle: This Norman castle may have been built on an earlier ringfort by the main bridge across the Maigue or it may be contemporary. The square tower is of the castle is surrounded by a rampart with battlements To the south a drawbridge crosses the fort’s ditch. Surrounding this ditch is a further wall. Two gates offered access through it, the obviously more strategic south one protected by two towers.

Franciscan Friary: Now surrounded by the Adare Manor golf course, this friary was...

Askeaton Castle: The Castle was founded around the turn of the 13th century, on an island in the River Deel. Part of the 15th century tower on the site remains, itself a replacement of an older tower. Similarly the mid-15th century banqueting hall just inside of the outer wall on the island was built on the foundations of an earlier hall. This hall has finely carved windows and is one of the finest remaining medieval secular buildings, although there was once a chapel attached. After changing...