Cahir Castle

We decided to stop for tea/coffee and stumbled across the Cahir Castle. Such a fortuitous find. Come to learn it was another Butler castle.  Belonging to a cousin of the Butlers of Kilkenny.  Actually, it began as an O’Brien family castle in the mid 1100’s but was granted to the Butlers in the last 14th century.  They enlarged and remodeled it over the next few centuries. After Cromwell’s invasion of Ireland, mid-1600, the castle fell into ruin and was partially restored in the 1840's by Lord Cahir.  After Lord Cahir died in 1961 and the castle was returned to Irish state.   

I suppose due of the transfer of power and ownership over the centuries, the castle took on a medley of structural ideas. We opted out of the tour, but I did hear the guide mention that it was the ladies of the house that always wanted improvements made. 😉

It’s a very grand castle, comfortable courtyards and delightful surrounding landscape, with a hodgepodge of buildings.  Although not as grand as the Butler castle in Kilkenny, it was very unique with it's own personality.

PHOTO ALBUM