Kilkenny Castle, built in 1195 by Norman occupiers to control a strategic River Nore fording point, is famous as the principal seat of the powerful Butler family for over 600 years. It is renowned for its iconic 13th-century defensive, 19th-century Victorian design, 50 acres of parkland, and its role in Irish history.
Few buildings in Ireland can boast a longer history of continuous occupation than Kilkenny Castle. Founded soon after the Norman conquest of Ireland, the Castle has been rebuilt, extended and adapted to suit changing circumstances and uses over a period of 800 years.
Today the south side of the Castle is missing its wall, gatehouse, moat, and tower. The most given explanation for the missing features is Cromwell's attack on Kilkenny Castle in 1650 and his use of cannon on the building.
What is Kilkenny known for? Kilkenny is best known as Ireland's medieval capital. It is also home to one of the oldest castles in Ireland as well as producing some of Irelands finest beers. Smithwicks Red Ale was one of my favs!
Circle of Friends was primarily filmed throughout many locations in County Kilkenny with Inistioge, Kells Priory, Callan, Ballyduff House and Kilkenny Castle having been used for various scenes.
Homosexuality was actually provided for under the ancient Irish Brehon Laws. Criminalisation was only achieved in the early 16th century when Henry the VIII grabbed the monasteries and coincidentally took over control of the church courts. Until then homosexual behaviour had been a sin but not a crime.
Dunguaire Castle comprises a 75 foot tower and defensive wall against the stunning backdrop of Galway Bay making this castle the most photographed castle in Ireland! A visit to Ireland can just not be complete without a visit to one of its many historic castles.
Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England. Originally built for William the Conqueror in 1066, Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.
What is the most photographed castle in the world?
Eilean Donan Castle is a stunning and iconic landmark in Scotland, sitting on a small island where three lochs meet. Its majestic stone walls and breathtaking surroundings make it one of the most photographed castles in the world.
The #1 thing to see in Ireland is subjective, but the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin is often cited as the top attraction by visitor numbers, offering a multimedia experience about the famous stout ending with a pint in the Gravity Bar, while the Cliffs of Moher are considered the most iconic natural wonder, providing breathtaking coastal views that epitomize Ireland's wild beauty, making them a strong contender for a must-see experience.
The castle and grounds are magnificent and definitely worth a visit on their own merits, but it was our guide, Peadar, who really brought the place to life.
The well-known couplet holds the names of these ten fam ilies: Archdekin, Archer, Cowley, Langton, Ley, Knaresborough, Lawless, Ragget, Rothe and Shee.
There's no single "most" magical place in Ireland, as it depends on what resonates with you, but top contenders include the ancient mystery of Newgrange, the dramatic beauty of the Cliffs of Moher, the monastic serenity of Glendalough, the mythical power of the Hill of Tara, and the otherworldly basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway, each offering unique blends of history, myth, and stunning scenery.
Trim Castle (Irish: Caisleán Bhaile Átha Troim) is a castle on the south bank of the River Boyne in Trim, County Meath, Ireland, with an area of 30,000 m2. Over a period of 30 years, it was built by Hugh de Lacy and his son Walter as the caput of the Lordship of Meath.
Evidence of same-sex sexual behavior dates back to the oldest written texts, first noted in Egypt 4,400 years ago, and subsequently found in ancient Greece, Rome, and China. Additionally, same-sex mating behavior has been documented in a broad range of animal species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects.
In ancient Rome, same-sex relations were viewed through a lens of power, status, and gender roles, not sexual orientation; it was acceptable for a freeborn man to be sexually active (penetrative) with lower-status partners like slaves, prostitutes, or young boys, but being the passive partner (penetrated) by another freeborn man was considered scandalous and unmanly, damaging a citizen's honor, while same-sex relationships between soldiers were condemned for undermining military masculinity, though emperors like Hadrian famously had male lovers, and some aristocratic men engaged in relationships with younger males, viewing them as acceptable partners for sexual expression outside marriage.
What was the punishment for homosexuality in Ireland?
Male homosexual relations were decriminalised under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993, when the Minister for Justice, Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, in the 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil—Labour coalition government included decriminalisation with an equal age of consent (an equal age of consent was not required by the ECHR ...
The oldest recorded Irish surname is widely considered to be O'Clery (Ó Cléirigh), appearing in historical records around 916-920 AD with the death of Tigherneach Ua Cleirigh in County Galway, making it one of the earliest fixed hereditary surnames in Europe. Before this, names were typically patronymic (like "son of"), but the O'Clery name marks an early shift to fixed, hereditary family names in Ireland, along with other early "Ó" (descendant of) and "Mac" (son of) names like O'Neill.
Give baby a bold and courageous spirit by naming them Finney. Beautifully suited to both boys and girls, Finney has a cool and unassuming energy. Tracing back to Irish roots, Finney means “soldier,” as it's linked to the surname O'Fiannaidh.
The Conamara Gaeltacht remains the strongest Irish speaking area in Ireland, where 39% of the population speak Gaeilge daily outside of the education system. An Cheathrú Rua is the capital of Galway's Gaeltacht where there are 520 Irish speakers, including 358 (69%) who speak the language daily.
