Limerick’s dominating Anglo-Norman castle

This site near the mouth of the River Shannon has been fought over for thousands of years. When the Normans arrived King John ordered a castle to be built here in 1200 and it became one of the most formidable in the country. Limerick prospered under Norman control and by the 1550s, it was regarded as the most beautiful town in Ireland. It was divided into two main areas known as ‘English Town’ on King’s Island and ‘Irish Town’ on the south bank. During the 17th the castle was attacked at least 5 times. It was occupied in 1642 by Protestants fleeing the Irish Rebellion and also by Cromwell’s forces and was besieged by an Irish Confederate force under Garret Barry who collapsed the walls. After Ireland gained its freedom in 1921 the new government decided to build council houses within the walls. This small community has lasted for nearly 100 years but the last house has just recently been demolished. St John’s Castle has recently been transformed into a state-of-the-art visitor attraction winning numerous top awards.

Thanks to Shannon Heritage for the excellent video on King John’s Castle

The Rubberbandits are an Irish comedy hip-hop duo from Limerick City who make brilliant music. They consist of Blindboy Boatclub and Mr Chrome. During performances and interviews, they conceal their identities with masks made from plastic shopping bags!