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Into the west 2: King John’s Castle

View from a distance of the castle by the river with lots of other buildings around it

King John’s Castle in the heart of Limerick City

Limerick is a city dripping in history and no place more so than King John’s Castle.

Nestled in the heart of the city, it has kept an eye on – and often played a major role in – the lives of Limerick’s inhabitants for over 800 years.

The first time I saw it, I thought it was a magnificent sight! As our schoolbus rattled its way through the busy streets and towards Thomond Bridge, suddenly the view changed dramatically to reveal a huge silent watchman casting a wary eye over the banks of the Shannon; the towers of the imposing gatehouse whispering a clear warning: you shall not pass!

Straight away I wondered what lay behind those huge stone walls and now, many, many moons later, I’ve finally found out.

Another attraction run by Shannon Heritage, the castle’s attractions are a mix of technology and archaeology. Initially, visitors pass through an interactive exhibition that plots the city’s path from early Gaelic Ireland to more modern times. The exhibition is a mixture of artefacts (hidden in ‘discovery drawers’), 3D models, movies and CGI animations and draws you into eras when conflict, warfare and siege were the order of the day.

Once you’ve cleared the exhibition, the castle itself takes up the tale. Down around the foundations are signs of life from bygone times, where archaeologists have uncovered evidence of old Viking houses as well as one of the tunnels dug under the walls during a siege. Out in the courtyard, more archaeology – this time the remains of The Great Hall are on display – while a chapel, siege shelter and campaign tent have been erected to give the visitor a sense of what life was like during troubled times.

The towers are also open for exploration and reveal a bit more about castle life, including the mint and the stone mason’s workshop. As expected, the views of the city from the top of that fantastic gatehouse (which was built in 1212) are spectacular. Unfortunately, the heavens decided to open just as we were climbing the winding steps but we had to brave the weather and have a peak!

The tentacles of Irish history are firmly wrapped around King John’s Castle. Inside its walls, the influence of the Normans, the Reformation, the Irish Catholic Confederation, Cromwell and the fallout of the Battle of the Boyne were all felt. The survivor of three bloody and devastating sieges in 1642, 1651 and 1960/1691, the castle continues to take a stand as the jewel in Limerick’s crown.

Two huge, stone towers side by side with a small door at the bottom and a covered walkway at the top

The twin-towered gatehouse from inside the courtyard.

Wooden structure, open to the weather, with a barrel and chest for storing goods

The siege shelter.

The siege shelter

Small, wooden rectangular room with a small altar at the top and two benches to sit on.

The chapel in the courtyard.

Chests and a fire inside a room in one of the round towers, with narrow windows

The castle mint.

The fire, bellows and various tools inside a small, dark workshop.

The blacksmith’s workshop in the courtyard.

View of the wide Shannon River with a stone bridge to the right.

View of the Thomond Bridge.

Sideways view of the tower from another tower to its side.

One of the gatehouse towers.

Courtyard with a large deep hole where the great hall was, a wooden rectangular building of the chapel and a small, white round campaign tent.

The courtyard with the great hall excavation (back, right), siege shelter (back, left), chapel (front, right) and a campaign tent (front, left).

Into the west 1: Knappogue Castle

20 Jun

The front of Knappogue Castle with it's tall central tower surrounded by two-storey extension and courtyard.

The noble and picturesque Knappogue Castle.

It’s not difficult to come over all ‘Game of Thrones’ while visiting Knappogue Castle in Co. Clare.

As you explore the thick-walled central tower, which was built in the 1400s, it’s easy to imagine Robb Stark planning his next battle at one of the large tables, a Lannister scheming away in a dark corner, Robert Baratheon living it up in the Great Hall or even Daenerys Targaryen training her dragons in the courtyard.

Located near the village of Quin and operated by Shannon Heritage, the history of Knappogue follows a similar path to nearby Bunratty in its rise, fall and restoration. Like Bunratty, it too was built by the powerful MacNamara clan, in 1467, and was later confiscated by Cromwell. Having passed through the hands of a number of owners, it began to fall into decay in the 1920s. It was a ruin by the time it was bought by a Mr. and Mrs. Andrews from Texas in 1966. Working alongside Shannon Development, the couple worked to restore the castle and opened its doors to the public in 1969.

The castle itself includes its original 15th century tower surrounded by a later two-storey extension, which was added in the 19th century. Inside, there is a clear distinction between the two as the rooms in the tower are darker and boast those extraordinarily thick stone walls while the newer section is much brighter, more delicately decorated and incredibly grand. A bit modern for ‘Game of Thrones’ perhaps but certainly the type of room which Queen Regent Cersei, Lady Sansa or the other high-born ladies might frequent.

Aside from the castle, Knappogue also has a Victorian-style walled garden and hosts nightly medieval banquets from April to October.

Conveniently located just a stones’ throw from the fantastic Craggaunowen, there are certainly far worse ways to spend the day than a visit to these two fascinating attractions.