21 . Dromore Motte and Bailey

Banbridge

The town of Dromore derives its name from the Irish Droim Mhór meaning 'Big Ridge' or 'Big Mound'. The name refers to the Anglo-Norman motte and bailey just north of the town, the finest of its kind in Ulster. It was built by John de Courcy, who invaded Ulster in 1177 ad, and was part of a chain of defences, which included Carrickfergus Castle, Co. Antrim and Dundrum Castle, Co. Down. It consists of a central mound, which rises to 12m in height, and a roughly square bailey.

It is thought that an archery tower was built on top of the mound to provide clear views of the town and the Upper Lagan Valley. The lower courtyard was protected by a wooden fence, or palisade. Dromore remained under Anglo-Norman control until it was captured and destroyed by Edward Bruce in 1315 ad.

It is believed that the town of Dromore developed around a monastery founded by St. Coleman in 512 ad. Dromore High Cross is one of the few remains of the monastery. The granite 9th or 10th century cross was reconstructed and re-erected on the Cathedral grounds in 1887.

22 . Clones Motte and Bailey

Monaghan

Clones, or Cluain Eois, the meadow of Eois, is one of the oldest continuous settlements in County Monaghan. It developed around a monastery founded by St. Tighearnach in the 6th century, and the town boasts a rich historic fabric which illustrates the towns' evolution.

Clones Motte and Bailey was constructed in 1212 ad. The site comprises a conical mound with a series of terraces and is surrounded by a ditch as the base. These mounds were used because they afforded security from enemies, or wild animals, and also because lowlands were subject to flooding. It is likely that a wooden tower once stood on top of the mound. At ground level, below the motte, was an enclosed space, called a bailey. The bailey is sub-rectangular and is surrounded by an earthen bank. There is evidence that it was linked to the motte by a causeway.

The Normans built the Motte & Bailey fort here with the intention of establishing a garrison both in Clones and at the far end of the Erne at Belleek in order to curtail the activities of the Ulster clans. However, the structure was attacked by the Irish chieftains after only one year and burned down.

There are a number of other interesting archaeological sites in the town

23 . Greencastle

Newry & Mourne

Greencastle Castle was built at the mouth of Carlingford Lough in the mid-13th century by Hugh de Lacy, the 1st Earl of Ulster. The location of the castle adds much to its appeal offering stunning views of the lough, the surrounding landscape and the towering mountains beyond. Together with King John's Castle on the opposite shore, it controlled the narrow entrance to the lough.

The castle consisted of a rectangular two-story tower and a strong curtain wall with corner towers. The castle was stormed by the Irish in 1260 ad and 1375 ad and sacked by Edward Bruce in 1316 ad. It was altered and improved in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1552 ad, the castle was granted to Nicholas Bagenall (whose daughter, Mabel, would later marry Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone). Greencastle was bombarded and destroyed by Parliamentary forces in 1652 ad.

24 . Castle Roche

Louth

Castle Roche is one of the most striking Anglo- Norman castles in Ireland and can be viewed for miles around. Located on a rocky hilltop, it commands wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. Lady Rohesia de Verdun built the castle in 1236 ad. Legend has it that Lady Rohesia promised her hand in marriage to the architect if he completed the castle to her satisfaction. When he went to claim her hand, she had him thrown from one of the windows, which to this day is known as the 'murder window'.

The site of the castle marked the boundary between the Gaelic province of Ulster and the Anglo-Norman 'Pale' and overlooked an ancient route into what is now south Armagh.

The castle itself comprised a great hall, which may have been up to three storeys high. Access was gained through a gatehouse with two towers. A ditch encloses this side of the castle and there may have been a drawbridge in front of the gatehouse. A meeting of all the English forces in Ireland took place here in 1561 ad.

25 . Carlingford

Louth

Carlingford, or King John's, Castle is located on the southern shores of Carlingford Lough. The lough was named by the Vikings and means 'bay of the hag'. Built by Hugh de Lacy, this dramatic fortress offers stunning views across the lough towards the Mourne Mountains. Legend has it that King John stayed here for three days in 1210 ad.

The original castle consisted of an enclosed courtyard with two rectangular towers at the entrance and two-storey buildings within. The eastern half of the castle was added in 1261 ad and included a number of rooms and probably a great hall. There were a number of alterations made to the castle over the centuries.

Carlingford Castle appears to have remained in English hands during the post-mediaeval period. Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, tried to take the castle in a surprise attack in 1596.

The castle changed hands several times over the following centuries and was fired upon by retreating Jacobite forces in 1689. It also functioned as a hospital during the period leading up to the Battle of the Boyne.

26 . The Franciscan Friary

Armagh

The Franciscan Friary was founded by Archbishop Patrick Ó Scannail in 1263-64. The ruins of the friary are located at the gates of the former palace of the Protestant Archbishops of Armagh.

Following the dissolution of the friary in 1542, the doors and windows were blocked up and soldiers took over from the friars. Shane O'Neill burned the buildings in 1561, Hugh O'Neill repeated the act in 1593 and the friary was in ruins by 1600. In 1765, stone from the friary walls was removed for building material.

A number of notable persons are buried in the friary church, including Gormlaith O'Donnell, wife of Domhnail O'Neill, buried here in 1353.

Visitors can see the surviving walls of the long nave-and-chancel church, 15th century tower and a rare extant example of a mediaeval altar. It is the longest monastery in Ireland.

27 . Mellifont

Louth

Mellifont Abbey is situated in the tranquil valley of the Mattock River. The abbey was founded in 1142 ad by St. Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, on lands granted by Donogh O'Carroll, King of Oriel.

It was consecrated in 1157 ad amidst great ceremony at a national synod, which was attended by the leading clergy of the time and Murtaugh MacLochlainn, the High King of Ireland. It was the first Cistercian monastery to be established in Ireland; over 40 other Cistercian monasteries were founded following the success of Mellifont.

A year after the major Irish defeat at the Battle of Kinsale, Hugh O' Neill, the Earl of Tyrone, formally submitted to Lord Mountjoy at Mellifont Abbey in 1603 ad and signed the Treaty of Mellifont. This sounded the deathknell for Gaelic civilisation in Ireland.

Mellifont derives its name from the Latin Font Mellis meaning 'fountain of honey'. Many mediaeval monasteries founded by continental orders bore Latin names. Mellifont is the only one that survives as a placename in current use.

28 . Castletown Motte

Louth

The De Verdons built Castletown Motte and Bailey in the late 12th century. The motte comprises a large circular mound which rises to some 20m and is enclosed by a ditch with an external bank. Adjoining the motte at the northwest is a small bailey; a larger bailey, which has now been destroyed, existed in the east. On the east side of the mound there is a causeway across the ditch, the date of which is unknown. There is also evidence of a souterrain to the south of the motte.

The ruin of a late 18th century castellated house known as 'Byrne's Folly' stands on top of the mound. It was built by Patrick Byrne, a well-known pirate, in 1780 ad.

The motte is built on the site of a pre-Christian fort called Dún Dealgan, meaning 'The Fort of Dealga'. This site is important in Irish mythology as it is said to be the birthplace of the legendary warrior - Cúchulainn.

29 . Drogheda Walls

Louth

Drogheda's name derives from the Irish Droichead Átha meaning 'bridge of the ford' which refers to the River Boyne on which it stands. Drogheda was granted its charter in 1194 by Hugh de Lacy (after whom the de Lacy bridge in Drogheda is named).

The Anglo-Normans made Drogheda one of their primary strongholds, completing the town walls in 1334 ad. The walled area of the mediaeval Drogheda enclosed 113 acres, making it one of the largest walled towns of the time.

St. Laurence's Gate, which led to the Friary of St Laurence, is widely regarded as one of the finest of its kind in Europe. It consists of two lofty circular towers, connected together by a wall, in which there is an archway. Visitors can appreciate the spectacular dimensions of the mediaeval walls south of the gate at Featherbed Lane.

Twice the walls and gates of Drogheda held strong against invasion, firstly when Edward Bruce attacked the town in 1317 ad and again in 1642 ad when Sir Phelim O'Neill attempted to take Drogheda.

In 1649 ad, Cromwell breached the walls and sacked the town, massacring 2,000 Royalist sympathisers and deporting captives as slaves to Barbados. Drogheda surrendered to King William after the Battle of the Boyne.

30 . Mannan Castle

Monaghan

The site is reputed to have been the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Oirghialla (Oriel) and it commands a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. Oriel was established after the breakup of the kingdom of Uladh which was ruled from Eamhain Macha or Navan Fort in Armagh.

This anglo-norman motte and bailey earthwork castle, Mannan Castle or Caisslen Domnaigh Maighen (as described in the Annals of Loch Cé) was constructed in 1193 by the Pipard family, who were seeking to consolidate their position in Donaghmoyne. It comprises a motte and inner bailey connected by a causeway with an accompanying bank/ditch formation and an outer bailey without any bank/ditch. The motte rises to 12.5 metres. The stone ruins of a castle, dating from 1244 are on top of the motte, inner bailey and causeway. The original buildings would have been constructed from wood.

The earliest archaeological survey of the site was carried out in 1910 by Henry Morris.