Summary
Castles have been permanent fixtures embedded in the Irish landscape
since the early 12th century. They vary in size, style, building
materials, function, and defensive features. The term ‘castle’ includes
structures built of earth, timber, and stone, which can be found in all
corners of the island. The scope of this paper is not large enough
to provide a comprehensive description of all the major types in detail;
rather, this is an overview of earthenwork and timber structures, great
stone castles, tower-houses, and fortified houses.
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