Listowel Castle, located near the town of

Listowel Listowel ( ; , ) is a heritage market town in County Kerry, Ireland. It is on the River Feale, from the county town, Tralee. The town of Listowel had a population of 4,794 according to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, the third large ...

County Kerry County Kerry () is a Counties of Ireland, county on the southwest coast of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is bordered by two other countie ...

in Ireland, was built in the 15th century. The castle is a noted example of Anglo-Norman architecture in County Kerry, and has been the subject of several restoration projects. It is now protected as a

national monument A national monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of importance to national heritage, such as a country's founding, independence, war, or the life and death of a historical figure. The term may also refer to a sp ...

, and is open to the public for tours on a daily basis.

History

Built in the 15th century, Listowel Castle was the last bastion against

Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

in the First Desmond Rebellion, and was the last fortress of the Geraldines to be subdued. It fell, after 28 days siege, to Sir Charles Wilmot on 5 November 1568; he had the castle's garrison executed in the following days. Another Anglo-Norman castle at Woodford, Listowel, was built in the post-1600 period by the Knight of Kerry. The castle became the property of the Hare family, the holders of the title of

Earl of Listowel Earl of Listowel (pronounced "Lish-''toe''-ell") is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1822 for William Hare, 1st Viscount Ennismore and Listowel, who had earlier represented Cork City and Athy in the Irish House of Commons. ...

, after reverting away from the Fitzmaurices, Knights of Kerry. In 2005, restoration works were commenced by the

Office of Public Works The Office of Public Works (OPW) (; legally the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland) is a major Government of Ireland, Irish Government agency, which manages most of the Irish State's property portfolio, including hundreds of owned and ren ...

. The stonework has been cleaned by a team of craftsmen, while the upper section, which had become particularly distressed with the passing of time, was restored and rendered waterproof. An external staircase, in keeping with the architecture of the structure, was erected to enable the public to access the upper stories.

Structure

The remaining remnants of the castle include two of its original four towers, which are joined by a heavy curtain wall, and the unusual feature of an arch below the battlements. Archaeological excavations and records of the castle reveal that it was originally of similar form to Bunratty Castle,

County Clare County Clare () is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster in the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern part of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Clare County Council ...

. The Seanchaí Literary Centre, which is adjacently located in a Georgian town house, includes displays on the castle's history.

References

Sources

Heritage Ireland: Listowel Castle
{{coord, 52, 26, 43, N, 9, 29, 09, W, region:IE_type:landmark_source:kolossus-frwiki, display=title Castles in County Kerry Listowel National monuments in County Kerry Ruins in the Republic of Ireland