Cahir Castle

Fresh off of my first success, I decided to make an unscheduled stop.  It was just 20 km from where I was and I off I went,  back the way I came, through the double roundabout (I forgot to mention that before) and back on the payway.  Down the road a bit and I see the sign and take the plunge...wait for it... into a town.  Ok, I have to say this so that you don't have any misconceptions.  I was able to drive and enjoy it because I tried very hard to stay away from largely populated areas.   The thought of trying to go through high traffic areas with one ways everywhere scared me to death.  When I did have to go, I stayed to the outskirts and basically followed the car in front of me.   I just didn't think that I would manage very well.  It was very lucky for me that I was able to survive and not make too many mistakes.  I got off the payway and through the double roundabouts, all the while reminding myself to stay of the left side, and I made my way to Cahir Castle.  Lucky for me it was a straight shot because I was so nervous driving through the small village that I almost missed it.

Cahir Castle is one of the largest castles in Ireland and it is sited on an island in the river Suir.  It was built in the 13th century on a site of an earlier native fortification called a cathair (stone fort). In 1375 the castle was granted to James Butler (Earl of Ormond) for his loyalty to Edward III.  In 1599 the castle was captured after a three day siege by the army of the Earl of Essex and Lord Cahir was arrested for treason in 1601 but later pardon.  During the Irish Confederate Wars the castle was besieged twice.  In 1647 the Lord Cahir surrendered to Murrough O'Brien following the victory at the battle of Knocknanauss and in 1650 the castle was surrendered to Oliver Cromwell (without a shot fired) during his conquest of Ireland.  The last Lord Cahir died in 1961 and the castle was reverted to the Irish state at that time.

 

The grounds were really nice and you could go anywhere.  They had also started to furnish some of the rooms with furniture that they would have used during Medieval times.

 

This was a really fun stop on my way to my ultimate destination.