One of Ireland’s finest examples of a fortified tower-house

Narrow Water Castle is located just outside the town of Warrenpoint on the banks of Carlingford Lough. It is regarded as one of the best-preserved 16th-century tower houses in Ireland. This was originally the site of a Norman keep built by Hugh de Lacy in 1212 to prevent river-borne attacks on Newry. The tower house and bawn were built by the Magennis family in the 1560s who owned the estate until 1670. It was then sold to the Hall family who owned it until 1956. The Halls were enormously wealthy and owned massive tracts of land all over Northern Ireland. The Halls were also responsible for establishing the nearby port and town of Warrenpoint. Over the years it has been used as a family home, a salt works, and even a dog pound. This important stronghold on the border between Northern Ireland and The Republic has made it a target of attack right up until recent times. In August 1979 the Troubles came to the gates of Narrow Water when 18 British soldiers were killed in two IRA bomb attacks. On the same day, the IRA murdered Lord Mountbatten at Mullaghmore in Co Sligo, along with his 14-year-old grandson.