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 Please click on the
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Ross
Castle is situated on the edge of the Lower Lake of
Killarney. It is a
typical
example of the stronghold of an Irish chieftain
during the Middle Ages.
It was
built by the O’Donoghue clan in the 15th
century, a time of
economic
depression, Black Death and famine. The
castle which was inhabited by the chieftain and his
family is very
simply
decorated. The main function of the castle was to
defend and this is
evident in
the many defensive features including the narrow
windows, strong oak
doors,
spiral staircase and the murder hole! During
the guided tour you will visit the entrance area,
the family bedroom,
the
servant’s room, the justice room and the very
interesting toilet! The
magnificent
banquet hall at the top of the building was the
centre of activity of
the
castle. You will also get to see many beautiful
examples of 16th
and
17th century oak furniture. The extremely
basic and
difficult life
of those who lived in the castle becomes very clear
as you move from
room to
room. The
castle was attacked and taken by Oliver Cromwell’s
army in 1652.
Thankfully it
was magnificently restored in the late 1990’s. After
the tour you can take a 15 minute boat from right
outside the castle to
Innisfallen Island. Here you will see the remains of
a 7th
century
monastery and a 12th century church. The
peaceful 40 minute
walk
around the island takes in breathtaking views and
lush vegetation. The
trip to
the island is a must! (Paula Murphy; March
2010) |