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Medieval Irish Castles: Page 2The term "keep" refers to a massive square or rectangular tower (a few castles, such as that at Nenagh have circular keeps), either isolated within the bailey or built into the curtain wall, which contained the essential rooms of the castle and provided a final defense for the inhabitants if the stronghold were under siege and the outer defenses breached. If, however, the tower was primarily a residence, it was properly called a donjon instead of a keep. Some castles had no keep to retreat to and relied upon the thick enclosing walls, wide moats, and strong gateways protected by a portcullis and a drawbridge. At some castles such as Trim, a barbican and murder hole at both gateways gave added protection. Some castles such as Dunamase had no tower but a single-story long hall with a two-story solar at one end. It is actually a hall keep and is one of the reasons it is difficult to classify certain ruins. Often a tower lacked a great hall but one was built later, somewhat apart from the donjon. Examples of hall keeps may be found at Athenry, Co. Galway; Maynooth, Co. Kildare; Trim, Co. Meath; Castlegrace, Co. Tipperary; and Glanworth Castle, Boherash, Co. Cork. Excavation at Glanworth shows construction occurring from the thirteenth through the seventeenth centuries. Natural Fortification In addition to manmade mottes, gateways, drawbridges, portcullises, and moats, there were natural fortifications. Position was of great importance to the lord of the castle. Fortresses often controlled river traffic, secured border areas or were built on cliffs or outcroppings as a natural defense. Carrickfergus and Dunamase are excellent examples. As well as the early earthwork and timber castles and the stone fortresses, there were also hall-houses, two-story rectangular buildings from the early thirteenth century. Many are isolated, but some are associated with earthworks. Shrule, Co. Mayo and Ballycarbery Castle, on the Iveragh Peninsula in Co. Kerry are fine examples, although both had extensive later additions to the original construction. Templehouse, Co. Sligo has a bellcote and a divided ground floor, both late medieval additions. Most hall houses lacked garderobes (lavatories) and fireplaces. Coolhull, in Co. Wexford is another type of "hall-house" castle with a service tower and dates to the sixteenth century. There are four late medieval stone fortresses in the northern half of Ireland that do not have a great tower. Three, Ballymote, Co. Sligo; Ballintober, Co. Roscommon; and Greencastle, Co. Down, were built by Richard de Burgh. The fourth, Roscommon Castle, was built by Edward I. All are built along similar patterns and are like the Edward I castles in Wales with twin-towered gateways and angle towers enclosing a large open area. One of the most impressive late medieval castles is that of Cahir in Co. Tipperary. The structure is very well preserved, due in part to nineteenth-century restoration. The keep is built on a limestone outcrop in the middle of the River Suir. The core of the castle is thirteenth century, but much of the structure dates from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The castle is open to tours. Tower Houses
A feature on castles would not be complete without a look at Ireland's tower houses, of which there are more than four hundred. The two best known are Blarney and Bunratty. They are almost without exception no older than fifteenth century and built primarily because the Crown became alarmed by the forays of the Irish into the area known as the Pale. A 1429 statute by Henry VI granted to every (loyal English) man living within the Pale who wished to build a castle (to be completed within a ten-year period) Go to page three to learn about fortified houses, read a bibliography, and find links to several fascinating castles. Back to page one
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Suzanne Barrett's
