The largest Norman castle in Ireland

Soon after the Norman Invasion of Ireland, Hugh De Lacy was granted vast tracts of land in Meath by King Henry II. This was to curb and create a counterbalance of Strongbow’s power in Ireland. The construction of Trim Castle began in 1171 by Hugh De Lacy and was completed by his son Walter 30 years later. This was Ireland’s introduction to stone castles built on a grand scale. The castle’s massive keep is built in a cruciform shape with 20 faces and is protected by curtain walls, a moat, a ditch, and the River Boyne. De Lacy soon became so powerful that King Henry was afraid that he would declare himself King of Ireland. Trim later developed to be such an important location that The Irish Parliament met here 7 times during the 1400s, and a mint operated within its walls. Some of the most powerful families in Irish History have lived here including The Mortimers, The Wellesleys, and The Dunsany Plunketts. Sections of the movie ‘Braveheart’ were also filmed here.