Dunamase Castle,

Laois

Documenting our Heritage

Dunamase Castle, originally used as a fort in early Christian times is one of the most strategically sited castles in Ireland. The castle is first mentioned in 1215 when King John ordered Geoffrey Lutterel to hand it over to a William Marshall. Over the centuries it changed hands many times between the English and Irish O’Mores until it was finally seiged and partly destroyed by the Cromwellians.

Sir John Parnell restored part of the castle as his residence in the 17th century, however his son on inheriting the castle let if all into it’s final demise.

Dunamase Castle is an OPW site in state ownership and open to the public.