Burnchurch Castle

Burnchurch Castle is a 15th Century Norman tower house that has aged very well.
Built by the Burnchurch branch of the Fitzgerald family, little of the history of the castle is known.  
The castle is six storeys high and was originally connected to a walled courtyard.
The turret like tower to the left of the castle still has part of a wall showing at the base.  

The interior has a vault under the castle with the main chamber built above it.
Access to the upper floors is via a curved staircase, which is built inside the walls.
Also within the walls are a number of passages which include a secret room on the fourth floor.

The castle was occupied until 1817 and came into state care in 1993 and is now listed as a National Monument.

Access - The site although very close to the road is located on a bad bend.
Parking can be found to one side of the entrance (on a working farm), leaving a small walk to the castle.



   

Ferrycarrig Castle

Ferrycarrig Castle has to be one of the most photographed Norman Castle's in Ireland.
This four storey ruin sits high and proud on a rocky outcrop on the north side of the river Slaney.

It would appear that Ferrycarrig had another earlier castle, which was located across the main road around the area where the Heritage park is now.

Ferrycarrig Castle dates back to the 15thCentury and was built by the Roche family.
Built to aid the defence of the river ferry and other traffic on the Slaney.
The ferry was of huge importance to the area as a bridge was not built until 1795.

Across from the castle is a round tower (covered in scaffolding at the moment) this is not an early Christian tower but one that was built in 1858 in memory of the men from Wexford who lost their lives in the Crimean War.

Access - The castle is located right beside the N11 and next door to the hotel of the same name.
The site has it's own car park with lovely kept grounds around the castle, seating and benches are also available beside the ruin. 

Glinsk Castle

Glinsk Castle may have been one of the last castles (or even the very last) built in Ireland.
Built in the 17thCentury it was the main residence of Mac David Burke lord of Clonconway.

The setting for this very striking ruin could not be better.  Built on a rise over looking all around with the river suck providing a loud soundtrack in the background.

The castle is located on the site of an earlier castle, which was thought to be a tower house.

Glinsk is typical of Norman castles built pre the 1641 rebellion. Which incorporates spacious living quarters with the means to defence when needed.

The castle is three stories high and is built over a raised basement.

Gutted by fire not long after being built (date unknown), what remains today is a very striking ruin.
The two large chimney shafts which each have five stacks dominate the castle and give the ruin great presence.

Access - Located at the lower end of Glinsk village, parking can be found as you cross the bridge on your right.
A stile is there to help you climb down into the castles field, but beware cattle may be in that same field.       
     

Parkavonear Castle

Located only a short drive from Killarney town you can find the ruin of Parkavonear Norman Castle.

The Castle is very unusual in that it is round unlike the majority of Norman castles of that time which tended to be rectangular.
Originally the castle would have had a mote around it with the doorway higher that the later one that you can see today
The castle is dated  13th Century and is one of many that came to be built following the 1169 invasion of Ireland by Anglo-Norman forces.

What remains today is pretty basic.
The wall's are 2 meters thick with the interior about 9 meters in diameter.
The castle is two storeys high with a stairway built into the wall of the ruin.
The first storey still has the remains of a fireplace.

Access - The castle is right beside the lower part of Aghadoe Church & Round Tower graveyard.
The lane way that brings you down to the castle is narrow (it runs alongside the lower part of the graveyard)
so park up at the church and walk down to the ruin.

The castle can be found in it's own neat enclosure, the setting for this unique ruin could not be better with one of Killarney's lakes acting as a backdrop.