CASTLES OF COUNTY LIMERICK
ISBN 0951941593
Paperback. 244 pages. Cover and line drawings by Alan Langford; colour photographs and map. Published October 2005. First Edition.
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This work is a companion to The Castles and Fortified Houses of West Cork and The Castles of the Kingdom of Kerry.
Major historical sources have differed as to the number of castles and fortified houses that existed in County Limerick, with figures ranging from 100 to 400 being given at various times. Taking the period of castle building from around 1200 to 1700 CE, this book mentions over 140 and the author has omitted another 50 or so possible castles where references were misleading or inconclusive. Each entry includes a map reference and a brief description of position and remains, and in many cases the history and traditions surrounding the castle are explored in some depth.
There is a substantial introduction dealing with the history of County Limerick in the medieval period which provides a context for the discussion of the individual castles.
Those interested in the history of County Limerick will discover a substantial amount of information which has not previously been gathered together.