King John's Castle (Carlingford Castle)
About
The castle on the rock above Carlingford harbour was begun around 1190 by the Norman baron Hugh de Lacy, seized by King John of England during his visit in 1210, which is where the popular name comes from, and returned to de Lacy in 1222. The eastern half was remodelled in the 1260s and living quarters were added to the south-east in the 1400s. By 1549 it was described as being in wretched condition; Nicholas Bagenal repaired it as a stronghold, and after the Battle of the Boyne it is said to have held wounded soldiers waiting for hospital ships. It was abandoned in the 1700s and fell to ruin. It has since had a long conservation programme by the Office of Public Works and is once again open for guided visits in season, run by Carlingford Heritage Centre rather than by the OPW itself, which is why OPW Heritage Cards are not accepted here. The guided tour season runs from March to the end of October and tours go at 2pm, seven days a week. The 2pm time is now settled: the Office of Public Works opening-times panel, the same page's banner line and Carlingford Heritage Centre's own tours page all give 2pm, and the operator's old homepage, which was the only source saying 3pm, no longer exists. The season is the looser of the two facts: the operator's own castle page says March to October, while the OPW opening-times panel says April to October, so ring +353 42 937 3454 before travelling in March or late October. Admission is €8.50 for an adult, €4 for a child and €20 for a family of four, and the tour departs from the tourist office rather than from the castle gate.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓A Norman castle begun around 1190 by Hugh de Lacy, on a rock directly above the harbour
- ✓The eastern range remodelled in the 1260s and 15th-century living quarters to the south-east
- ✓Guided tours daily at 2pm in season, run by Carlingford Heritage Centre rather than by the Office of Public Works
- ✓The best free view of the castle is from the harbour quay, at any time of year
Tips
- →Tours go daily at 2pm and depart from the Visit Carlingford tourist office at Station House, not from the castle gate.
- →The season runs March to the end of October on the operator's own castle page, but the Office of Public Works opening-times panel says April to October, so ring +353 42 937 3454 before travelling in March or late October.
- →OPW Heritage Cards are not accepted here because the visitor service is not OPW-managed.
- →Tickets can also be bought at the Visit Carlingford tourist office at Station House, and groups are advised to book ahead.
- →If you arrive out of season, the walk along the harbour quay under the castle costs nothing and is the shot everyone takes anyway.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
Carlingford Heritage Centre
A heritage centre in the restored medieval Holy Trinity church, and the organisation behind Carlingford's guided town and castle tours.
Taaffe's Castle
An early 16th-century fortified merchant's townhouse on the seaward side of the village, probably built as a trading depot. A National Monument, viewed from the street.
The Mint
A 15th or 16th-century limestone tower house named for a 1467 minting licence, with five carved ogee windows showing a horse, a bust, a bird, a snake and Celtic interlace.