Castlegarde Castle, near Cappamore in County Limerick, is regarded as Ireland’s oldest continuously inhabited castle. Established by the O’Brien family around 1190, its five-storey medieval tower rises from a limestone outcrop, strengthening its defensive position. Original features include an internal well and a murder hole above the entrance passage. In 1820, Waller O’Grady commissioned architects James and George Pain to add a castellated Gothic extension, harmonised with the ancient keep. A carved head of Brian Boru overlooks the entrance, while three unusual stone figures representing Bacchus, Pallas Athene and Aphrodite survive within the gatehouse. Today, it remains a private residence.
