Famous Irish Castles

While Ireland is associated with some very famous castles, Blarney Castle specifically. It is not as well known as England or Wales or Germany for its fortified structures. This is a result of out troubled history, with most castles and fortified homes being destroyed in the 1600′s during the final conquest of Ireland. Thankfully some have survived and theses are the most worthwhile visiting.
  • Trim Castle (County Meath): Trim, also called King John’s Castle, restored as aTrim Castle - Castles of Ireland, Irish Castles “preserved ruin,” is a massive Anglo-Norman structure. It was all but impregnable for 4 centuries (late 12th to mid-17th c.). Until it was abandoned and collapsed in the 17th century, it never underwent any significant alteration. Foranyone with imagination, Trim is a visual gateway into medieval Ireland.

 

 

  • Cahir Castle, Castles of Ireland, Irish Castles Cahir Castle – Castles of Ireland

    Cahir Castle (County Tipperary): One of the largest of Ireland’s medieval fortresses, this castle is in an extraordinary state of preservation. Tours explain some fascinating features of the military architecture, and then you’re free to roam through a maze of tiny chambers, spiral staircases, and dizzying battlements.

     

  • Kilkenny Castle (County Kilkenny): Although parts of the castle date from the13th century, the existing structure has the feel of an 18th-century palace. There have been many modifications since medieval times, including the addition of colorful landscaping, and the old stables now hold numerous art galleries and shops.

 

  • Blarney Castle (County Cork): Despite the mobs of tourists who besiege it daily, this majestic tower house is worth a visit. While you’re there, check out the Badger Cave and dungeons at the tower’s base, as well as the serpentine paths that wind through the castle gardens. Need we mention the Blarney Stone? You sidle in under the upper wall with your head hanging over a 10-story drop. You kiss it. It’s a thing people do.

    Blarney Castle, Irish Castles, Castles of Ireland Blarney Castle – Castles of Ireland

  • Bunratty Castle and Folk Park (County Clare): This grand old castle has been well restored and filled with a curious assortment of medieval furnishings, offering a glimpse into the life of its past inhabitants. This is the first stop for many arrivals from Shannon, so expect crowds.
  • Doe Castle (County Donegal): This picturesque tower house is surrounded on three sides by the waters of Sheep Haven Bay and on the fourth by a moat carved into the bedrock that forms its foundation. It has a remote waterfront setting and sweeping views of the nearby hills.
  • Carrickfergus Castle (County Antrim): This well-preserved Norman fortress on the bank of Belfast Lough is huge and impressive, with an imposing tower house and a high wall punctuated by corner towers.
  • Dunluce Castle (County Antrim): These castle ruins surmount a razor-sharp promontory jutting into the sea. This was a highly defensible setting, and the castle wasn’t abandoned until a large section collapsed in to the sea. Dunluce Castle, Castles of Ireland, Irish Castles Dunluce Castle, Castles of Ireland

     

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Posted by on Jun 21 2011. Filed under Irish Castles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

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