1185
Notable castle
Ardfinnan Castle (in ruins)
Built in 1185 by Prince John on his first expedition to Ireland, Ardfinnan is one of the earliest Norman castles in the country, later managed by the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller.
Worth the detour
Notable castles to visit
16thc.
Notable castle
Kilcash Castle (in ruins)
A six-storey tower house with distinctive bartizans and tall chimneys, Kilcash was held by the Butlers of Ormond from the Irish Confederate Wars until the family sold it to the Irish State in 1997 for a nominal £500.
13thc.
Notable castle
Cahir Castle
One of Ireland's largest and best-preserved castles, built on a rocky island in the River Suir and granted to the powerful Butler family in the late 14th century.
13thc.
Notable castle
Nenagh Castle
Built by Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler, and completed by his son around 1220, this cylindrical keep — over 30 metres high — was the principal Butler family stronghold before their move to Gowran.
1315
Notable castle
Ormonde Castle (Ormond Castle, Carrick-on-Suir)
Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, added a Tudor manor house to the medieval castle in 1565 in honour of his cousin Queen Elizabeth I — the first unfortified great house of its kind in Ireland.
4thc.
Notable castle
Rock of Cashel
Traditional seat of the kings of Munster from the 4th century, the Rock was gifted to the Church in 1101 and today contains a round tower (c.1100), the Romanesque Cormac's Chapel (1127–1134) and a 13th-century cathedral, making it one of Ireland's most complete medieval ecclesiastical sites.