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KING JOHN'S CASTLE
King John's Castle towers over the town of Carlingford, on the southern shores
of Carlingford Lough. It was commissioned by the Norman, Hugh de Lacy in the
1180s. Its name relates to King John (brother of Richard the Lionheart) who
visited in 1210.
The original castle consisted of an enclosed courtyard with two rectangular
towers at the entrance and two storey buildings within. The eastern half of the
castle was added in 1261 and included a number of rooms and probably a
great hall. There were a number of alterations made to the castle over the
centuries.
The tower house was constructed in two phases, with the older portion
completed in the early 16th century. The annex was most likely built around 50
years later to provide more living accommodation.
The formidable castle appears to have remained in English hands during the
post-medieval period. Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, tried to take it in a surprise
attack in 1596 and the fortress changed hands several times over the following
centuries. In 1689 it was fired upon by retreating Jacobite forces and later used
as a hospital by General Schomberg during the period leading up to the Battle
of the Boyne.
You currently can't access the interior of this dramatic fortress for safety
reasons. However, the exterior offers stunning views across the Lough towards
the Mourne Mountains.
Its legacy also lives on in our King John's Stout.
Background: Rowan Quinn Photography
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