The story of Irish castles starts with the Normans. Before the
arrival of the Normans in Ireland, the prevailing style of
building fortifications was the building of different types of
forts, such as the gigantic stone forts on the Aran Islands, or
ring forts forts made by piling up earth. Gealic clans used to
live in wooden or wattle and daub housing inside the protection
of these forts, and there was enough space for cattle as well.
Why did they need fortified residences in the first place you
might ask. Well, in those days there was a lot of conflict
between neighbouring families or tribes. You could never be sure
to be safe. When the Vikings started to settle in Ireland in the
mid-eighthundreds, they, too started building wooden
fortifications, so called longphorts. At the Viking settlement
in Dublin they built a wooden fortification on the site of what
today is Dublin Castle. Parke's Castle in County Leitrim is
beautifully restored and a great example of a late medieval
castle worth the 25 minute trip fr