Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
As European powers raced west to establish profitable colonies in North and South Amer-
ica, Ireland's location on the western edge of Europe took on more strategic importance.
England's naval power grew to threaten Spain's monopoly on New World riches. Mean-
while, Spain viewed Ireland as England's vulnerable back door—the best place to attack.
(Think of how the USSR used Cuba to threaten the US in the early 1960s.) Martin Luth-
er's
Reformation
split the Christian churches into Catholic and Protestant, making Cath-
olic Ireland an even hotter potato for newly Protestant England to handle. Catholic Spain
and, later, France would use their shared Catholicism with Ireland as divine justification
for alliances against heretic England.
Typical Castle Architecture
Castles were fortified residences for medieval nobles. In Ireland, they were intro-
duced by Norman (evolving into English) warlords in the late 1100s. Castles come
in all shapes and sizes, but knowing a few general terms will help you understand
them.
The Keep (or Donjon):
A high, strong stone tower in the center of the castle com-
plex that was the lord's home and refuge of last resort.
Great Hall:
The largest room in the castle, serving as throne room, conference cen-
ter, and dining hall.
The Yard (or Bailey or Ward):
An open courtyard inside the castle walls.
Loopholes:
Narrow slits in the walls (also called embrasures, arrow slits, or arrow
loops) through which soldiers could shoot arrows at the enemy.
Towers:
Tall structures serving as lookouts, chapels, living quarters, or the dun-
geon. Towers could be square or round, with either crenellated tops or conical
roofs.
Turret:
A small lookout tower projecting up from the top of the wall.
Moat:
A ditch encircling the wall, often filled with water.
Wall Walk (or Allure):
A pathway atop the wall where guards could patrol and
where soldiers stood to fire at the enemy.
Parapet:
Outer railing of the wall walk.
Crenellation:
A gap-toothed pattern of stones atop the parapet.
Hoardings (or Gallery or Brattice):
Wooden huts built onto the upper parts of
the stone walls. They served as watch towers, living quarters, and fighting plat-
forms.
