Desmond Castle
Desmond Castle is a striking medieval ruin and an important example of Norman defensive architecture in Ireland. Built in the early thirteenth century around an earlier ringfort, it remained in the possession of the Earls of Kildare for almost three hundred years. After the rebellion of 1536, the castle passed to the Earls of Desmond. Cromwellian forces dismantled much of the stronghold in 1657, yet substantial remains survive. Its notable features include inner and outer curtain walls, a double moat, a large square keep, and the ruins of a great hall overlooking the nearby river and the surrounding historic landscape.