Historic Castles
Irish castles information is provided in our comprehensive and informative Irish castle guide, from the Appletree Press pocket guide to Irish Castles by Terence Reeves-Smyth. Opening times, directions and map references are included.Irish castle watching is a very interesting business. Ireland is a small island of many historic castles, ancient, crumbling ruins, medieval tower houses and façades. The earliest Irish castles were constructed by Anglo-Norman invaders in order to consolidate conquered territories; large constructions, reflecting the enormous wealth and power acquired by certain of the invading barons. However, with the collapse of central authority in the fourteenth century and resurgence of the Gaelic chiefs, castle dimensions diminished, while their numbers increased dramatically. Every landed gentleman needed a stronghouse large enough for his own security. Consequently, one of the most ubiquitous monuments of the Irish countryside today are the various tower houses built by the minor gentry from 1400 until 1640. The widespread use of artillery during the 1641 Rebellion made such fortresses redundant (tower houses and small castles in open countryside could be easily surrounded, and attacked). Counties Cork and Tipperary are two areas in Ireland with particularly fine examples of the Renaissance-era castle.
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