My name is William Martin and I\’m of Irish lineage. My grandparents came over from Ireland in the early 20th century, but not with each other. My grandmother, Elizabeth Rafferty, was merely 14 years of age when she landed on Ellis Island along with her older sister. My grandfather Joseph Martin had arrived several years earlier in 1890. I grew up in a home very proud of its Irish heritage, regaled with the legends and filled with the Celtic music of Ireland. Like many children of immigrants, I have had a desire to go back to my ancestral soil.

Very little has fascinated me more about Ireland than its history of turmoil and clan rivalries, its religious wars together with the mark they have left on the people along with its landscape. One of the most important marks left on the ground is castles. Ireland is full of castles, old castles, destroyed castles, castles forgotten, and castles remodeled and converted into grand hotels. It\’s no blarney, you will discover hundreds of castles in Ireland therefore we will restrict ourselves to just a few of the more interesting. By the way that is blarney with a small B, Blarney with a big B is, needless to say, a castle in County Cork.

So, why not start with the afore referred to Blarney Castle. Blarney may very well be the most renowned castle in all of Ireland. Countless visitors come each and every year to visit the gardens, castle, and of course, to kiss the renowned Blarney Stone. The original castle dates back to the 13th century however it was destroyed and rebuilt in the 15th century. Blarney was the citadel home of the McCarthy clan and it is from here that Cormac McCarthy sent his evasive answers to Queen Elizabeth\’s calls for submission. Elizabeth is thought to have coined the word blarney to describe all evasive answers and obfuscation.

The ruin of Leep Castle, in County Offally, is the ancestral home of the warlike O\’Carroll sept. The castle safeguards a strategic mountain pass and from here the O\’Carroll\’s were the last holdouts in opposition to English control in the 17th century. Leep Castle is alleged to be haunted. Teige O\’Carroll murdered his brother, a Catholic priest, at the altar of the castle church. Local people say, that after the castle was destroyed by fire in 1922, cartloads of bones were removed from the castle\’s dungeons. Leap castle is off of the beaten path but you can arrange a tour with the owner. A visit to this haunted castle is said to be a once in a lifetime experience.

Kilkenny Castle, also known as Butler Castle, is the ancestral home of the Butler Earls of Ormond. The castle was originally established by William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke, in the late 12th century at a fording spot on the River Nore. It was obtained by the Butler\’s 1n 1391. Kilkenny Castle is one of the most breathtaking in all of Ireland. Currently the castle and grounds belong to the people of Ireland and it is open to the public. Every three years there is a Butler Reunion held at Kilkenny Castle where there is also a Butler genealogy archive. No vacation to Ireland could be complete without a stop at Kilkenny Castle.

I have only highlighted a few of the many castles existing throughout southern Ireland. Other popular castles od County Cork are Ballea Castle, Ballynamona Castle and Desmond Castle to mention a just few more. Plan your Irish vacation to include some or all of these marvelous cultural landmarks and you won\’t get it wrong. Erin go braugh.

Sumary: We\’ve forever been curious about Ireland and its rich history of conflict , conquest and rebellion. This history has left its mark over the landscape in the form of castles. Visit a few of the interesting fortresses of southern Ireland.

This short article was penned by Wm M. Martin, genealogist at Name Game Shop We\’re your provider for coat of arms shirts, mugs, tote bags plus much more.

This short article was penned by Wm M. Martin, genealogist at http://NameGameShop.com We\’re your provider for coat of arms shirts, mugs, tote bags plus much more.

Author Bio: This short article was penned by Wm M. Martin, genealogist at Name Game Shop We\’re your provider for coat of arms shirts, mugs, tote bags plus much more.

Category: Travel
Keywords: Irish coat of arms, Irish family crest, genealogy, Ireland, Irish, family history, Gaelic, Celtic