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The Irish Castle - historical guide
Irish castle watching is a very interesting business. Each castle has its own version of a turbulent past, testimony to the island's history. Ireland is a small island of many historic castles. Ancient, crumbling ruins, medieval tower houses and façades are located throughout the country. The earliest castle built by the Anglo-Normans was to consolidate conquered territories; many were 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 types of tower houses that the minor gentry built for themselves from 1400 until 1640. The widespread use of artillery during the 1641 Rebellion made such fortresses redundant (tower houses 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.Castle information is provided in our comprehensive and informative Irish castle guide. Each castle is listed alphabetically on an all-lreland county basis. Opening times and directions are given for each entry, as well as map references.
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