Carlingford’s foreboding Norman castle

King John’s Castle is located in the pretty village of Carlingford. It was ‘reputedly’ commissioned for King John of England however recent research suggests that it may have been built by the Norman, Hugh de Lacy for himself. The castle commands the entry point into Carlingford Lough and offers stunning views over to the Mourne Mountains. The original castle consisted of an enclosed courtyard with two rectangular towers at the entrance and two-story buildings within. The castle appears to have remained in English hands during the post-medieval period. Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone, tried to take the castle in a surprise attack in 1596 and the fortress changed hands several times over the following centuries. It also functioned as a hospital during the period leading up to the Battle of the Boyne.