Limerick City is situated on the Shannon, ninety-four miles south-west by west of Dublin. The name is a corruption of Luimneach, signifying “barren spot of land.”

King John’s Castle is one of the finest examples of Norman military architecture in the country. It was erected to guard Thomond Bridge, and was the citadel of the English town of Limerick.

The curtain wall by the river is about 200 feet long, and is flanked at both ends by round towers, each having a diameter of 50 feet, and with walls 10 feet thick. A third tower protects the north-east angle, while the corner towards the town had a square platform raised to the level of the battlements and capable of mounting five or six cannon. In the lower part of this structure was the sally port of the fortress.

The modern entrance is in Nicholas Street, but the former gate led into Castle Street, and was protected by a drawbridge. It was exceedingly narrow, and flanked by two massive towers, one circular and the other semicircular. The arms of the city surmount the gate. A wet ditch surrounded the castle, and was supplied with water from the Shannon.

The oldest part of the structure is the tower nearest the bridge, which shows marks of bombardment.

The dilapidations caused by the guns have been

renovated with red brick, which was a happy idea of the contractor so as to preserve the old war marks.

The ancient battlements were not removed until the close of the eighteenth century, up to which time they were a favourite city promenade.

The castle, as its name indicates, was constructed at the command of King John, and the builders were ruthlessly encroaching on church land until the bishop remonstrated with the King, who issued a proclamation in 1207, ordering that the work should cease until his return, which was in 1210. He furnished the stronghold with every requisite of defence, and appointed a constable and chaplain.

There was a long uninterrupted line of constables from 1216, when Godfrey de Rupe, or Roche, was appointed, until the office was prospectively abolished by Act of Parliament in 1809 to cease with the life of the constable of that date, the Right Hon. Colonel Vereker, afterwards Viscount Gort, who died in 1842.

The chaplaincy was also an office of importance.

In 1217 Reginal de Breouse received the custody of the castle and city for a stated period of years, and in 1226 it was the only castle in Ireland which was not fortified against the King, Richard de Burgh holding it for him.

Twenty pounds were granted to Thomas de Winchester in 1326 to repair the walls, which were much decayed; and six years later the followers of the Desmonds, who were prisoners in the fortress, took possession of it, after killing the constable. The citizens soon recovered possession and put all the occupiers to death.

The Earl of Desmond was made constable for life in 1423, with leave to discharge the duty by deputy. He was granted £10 and some fishing dues to repair the building as “the greater part of it had fallen to the ground.”

We learn from the State Papers that, Mr. Zouche having liberated O’Sullivan Beare, who had been captive at Limerick in 1582, the castle no longer required a ward. But the following year it is stated that John Sheriff having let Patrick Fitzmaurice and his brother out of the castle cost the Queen £20,000.

Three years later the fortress was occupied only by a constable and porter, and was in much need of repair and a garrison.

Sir George Carew received an order to repair the building and provide a ward in 1600, so that it would be a fit residence for the President. He reported that unless part of the town were removed it was impossible to make the fortress really strong, and so he was merely able to add some storehouses, which he regretted, “for that this insolent town has need of a straight curb.”

The death of the President prevented the intended repairs being carried out, and two or three hundred pounds were needed shortly after to roof the towers and the Great Hall, which had been begun, so that the assizes might be held in it. The arms were being much injured through the stronghold not being weather-proof.

In 1602 Father Archer informed the Spaniards of a way they could surprise the castle, he having learned it in Limerick during the previous rebellion.

The plan consisted of two or three Irish galleys coming up the river at night with the tide, and carrying about three hundred men, who would at once force the northern gate by breaking the wooden door with a “pittarr,” as no watch was kept there. The castle once in their hands, attacks could be made from all the other sides of the town.

King James I. granted a charter to the city of Limerick in 1609, from which the castle is exempted.

In 1608 it was stated that a cellar existed under the stronghold, which could be entered from the town without observation. The following year great dilapidations are reported by Sir Josias Bodley. He said that the round towers near the river were so undermined by the water that a cart might pass below their foundations. He repaired the walls and towers, and built the square platform for cannon on the town side. He surrounded the whole with a moat and erected the drawbridge. A constable’s house was still needed.

Repairs were again required in 1618 and 1624.

Captain George Courtenay with two hundred men maintained a most gallant siege in 1642. Though short of provisions, and with a garrison who were not all regulars, he managed to keep the Irish forces at bay for a considerable time.

The besiegers threw a great boom across the Shannon, formed of aspen trees fastened together with iron links, so as to prevent Sir Henry Stradling provisioning the castle by the water gate.

A steady fire from the fortress delayed the work for some days, but the boom was eventually fixed and the remains of it could be seen at low water so late as 1787.

The castle was next bombarded from the cathedral, but still the brave defenders held out. Then mines were begun in three places, the roofs being propped with dry timber smeared with tar. When completed this was ignited and the cavern falling made a large breach in the wall of the castle.

Seeing defence was no longer possible Captain Courtenay capitulated on the 21st of June, obtaining honourable terms for himself and the garrison. Lord Muskerry took possession the next day.

The captured cannon were used to reduce the neighbouring castles. It is said that the great gun which was mounted on the platform next the town took 35 yoke of oxen to draw it.

Ireton arrived at Limerick in 1651, and began to bombard the castle from the foot of Thomond Bridge. As soon as a breach was effected twenty dragoons, in complete armour, led by Captain Hackett, rushed in, followed by infantry. The Irish fled across the bridge into the further town, breaking two of the arches to prevent pursuit. Barrels of gunpowder were found in the vaults of the castle with lighted matches ready to ignite them.

It seems from the following inscription which was inserted in the south-west tower near the platform that repairs were carried out after these sieges: “Contrived by Lef. Vanderstam, General of their Majesties’ Ordnance, Anno 1691-2.”

In 1787 infantry barracks for about four hundred men were erected within the old walls.

The castle is now used as a Government ordnance store.