When visiting Limerick, Ireland, there are two different places that you definitely have to visit: St. Mary’s Cathedral and King John’s Castle. Both St. and King John’s Castle are located on King’s Island, next to the River Shannon. St. Mary’s is a beautiful, 800 year old church with Gothic architecture, stunning stained glass windows, and a long history. King John’s Castle is a very large fort that was built in the middle of King’s Island in the 13th century, and it has a very medieval feel to it.
St. Mary’s Cathedral was founded in 1168, which makes it the oldest building in Limerick that is still in constant, daily use. The Synod of Rathbrassil decided in the year 1111 that St. Mary’s church would become the cathedral church of the Diocese of Limerick. In 1168, the last King of Munster, Donal Mor O’Brien, founded the current church on the site of his palace on King’s Island. The palace itself was built on ‘Thingmote’, or the Viking meeting place, and was once the center of government in this early medieval Viking city.
Parts of the palace were integrated into the present building of the cathedral, the most famous being the West Door, which tradition says was once the main entrance to the palace. The West Door is now only used for special, ceremonial occasions. One of the must-see features of the church are its carved misericords that are found in the choir. They are the only surviving pre-Elizabethan carvings in Ireland. There are 21 carvings, with 16 being different and unique. Some of the carvings include a sphinx, griffin, dragon, angel, swan, antelopes, and even one resembling Henry IV. St. Mary’s Cathedral is open to the public six days a week, and an admission fee of €2 is required, which is used to maintain the building.
King John’s Castle is a 13th-century Anglo-Norman fortress, and it was built between 1200 and 1210. It may have been named for King John, but he actually never once set foot in the fort. The fortress was built in order to guard the bridge over the River Shannon and the town of Limerick. King John’s was severely damaged in the Great Siege of 1642, and it was extensively rebuilt. King John’s Castle is now used as a museum and as an interpretive center. There, you can take part in many different interactive displays in the exhibition, as well as the audio-visual displays that cover the different ages of English and Irish rule and conflicts. There are even kids-only secret passages for your children to play in! You can walk along the top of the castle and take in the beautiful views of Limerick and the River Shannon, and explore the remaining rooms, too. Also, be sure to check out the underground excavations of Viking homes that date back to the 1200’s, which were discovered in an archaeological dig in 1995.
King John’s Castle is open to visitors year-round. Admission fees are €9 for adults, €5.50 for children, €6.65 for students, and €20.60 for a family ticket (2 adults and 2 children). King John’s Castle will close yearly for Christmas on December 23rd, and will re-open on December 27th.
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