King John I is said to have built an early motte and bailey at this site in 1213 as an outpost during the Norman expansion to southwest in the early 13th century. The earlier castle, built with timber, was re-built in stone in 1281 in order to use it as a safe storage for the silver mined further west at Silvermines.
At the beginning of the 14th century the castle was granted to Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick, by king Edward II and it remained in the Butlers' hands until the end of 17th century.
The castle was the centre for the new growing town of Roscrea.
What we see today is a tall gate tower with a drawbridge, a long curtain wall which encloses a courtyard and two D-shaped towers at the southeast and southwest corner.
The gate tower was also used as the main residence and in its later days it was used as a prison.
Within the curtain walls Damer House was built around 1725. Damer House was built in pre-Palladian style.
When we arrived the castle was closed so we took some photos from outside on the north side of the building.
We came here for the first time on June 12th, 2001, and in that occasion we were able to visit it.
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