limerick castle cathedral and church

It is a five-sided castle, with one of the sides being lapped by the waves of the Shannon. it was fortified by four stout round towers, one of which was replaced by a bastion in 1611; all of them were lowered at some stage to accommodate artillery. On the north side is the entrance, having a pointed arch with traces of a portcullis above it and flanked by two rounded towers which may be slightly later than the original castle.

The entrance is now approached by a flight of steps in place of the original drawbridge. The castle was taken by the O'Briens and the Macnamaras in 1369, but they were expelled shortly afterwards. The castle was put under the care of the citizens and the Mayor in 1423. In the course of the 17th century it surrendered three times - to the Confederate Catholics in 1641, to the Cromwellian Ireton 10 years later, and to the Williamite forces in 1691. Three centuries later, a brash interpretative centre was erected inside the castle's east wall, its basement displaying structural remains going back to pre-Norman houses of Limerick's Ostman population excavated in 1990. St. Mary's Cathedral: The Cathedral was founded by Domhall Mor O'Brien between 1180 and 1190. Only parts of the Romanesque west doorway, the nave and parts of the aisle and transepts survive from this period. The earliest chancel was built by the first bishop, Donnchadh, who died in 1209, but the present chancel was built in the 15th century. A number of chapels were added to the aisles and one to the south transept in the 15th century.

Most of the windows are in the style of the 15th century. The church contains some fine tombs, including those of donat 'The Great Earl' of Thomond in the wall of the north transept and the Bultingfort-Galway monument in the south transept. Possibly the most unique features of the Cathedral are the black oak misericords or choir stalls which were carved around 1489, and which are the only examples of their kind preserved in Ireland. The show a magnificent collection of figures and animals. It is possible to climb to the belfry where the bells date to 1678. A considerable amount of restoration work has been carried out on the building in the last 150 years. Kilrush Church: The church, near Barrington's Pier, is first mentioned in 1201, but is undoubtedly older, and was incorporated into the north Liberties of the city. It is small and rectangular, with a flat-headed doorway, and round-headed east window. In the south wall is a 15th century window with an obscure inscription of the Quinlinans which was removed from a Franciscan church in St. Mary's lane and preserved for a time by Robert Vere O'Brien before being inserted here probably around 1900.