The Bloody History of the Black Castle

Since its earliest days, Wicklow Town has been no stranger to conflict and bloodshed, and no place better exemplifies this history of war than the ruins of The Black Castle.

 The castle’s construction dates back to the arrival of the Normans in 1169 where land along the East Coast was granted to the Anglo-Norman nobleman Earl Strongbow, who chose Wicklow as his site to build a castle for protection.

 The local Irish would eventually christen it ‘The Black Castle’ for the violent atrocities that would take place from within.

 From its beginning to its very end, The Black Castle would be the constant target of local Chieftains, most notably the O’Byrnes and O’Tooles. And with the body count rising and the threat of attack becoming more imminent, the war between the invaders and the locals continued for hundreds of years with the castle itself being burned to the ground numerous times from 1295 to 1645.

 An attack on the castle in 1641 would be the catalyst for a reprisal attack by British forces where 300 Wicklow locals were slaughtered.

 Though its history may be ravaged by war and death, The Black Castle continues to be a popular attraction for tourists and a popular haunt for Wicklow’s locals.