Exploring Ireland's Castles

Whether ruined or opulent, castles have the power to fire the imagination. For almost a millennium, they have studded the Irish countryside. The concept of using building methods to protect territory was introduced from overseas in the twelfth century, when the Irish term caisleán began to appear in manuscripts. By the sixteenth century, Ireland had become the most castellated country in Europe.

In this latest book, Tarquin Blake takes us on a breathtaking tour of Anglo-Norman fortresses, me...