28 Mar Castles In Ireland
Irelands castles were built mostly by the English.
Many survive as the country’s most imposing architectural monuments.
There are some that must be seen on any tours of Ireland.
The first castles were built at the time of the first attacks by the Anglo-Normans.
They rapidly erected fortified strongholds with which to secure their new conquests.
To start with these were usually a wall of earth, flattened at the top, and surrounded by a moat.
This protected their huts and houses.
High wooden towers crowned these fortresses.
Later in around 1200, when half of Ireland was in Anglo-Norman hands, they began replacing these structures with stone castles.
These are the remains that you can visit around Ireland.
A particularly great example is Carrickfergus Castle, on the shore of Belfast Lough.
Carrickfergus Castle was built by John de Courcy in 1177.
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