View of the River Shannon from King John’s Castle

Back in the day, King John’s Castle was the most imposing structure here in Limerick. The English managed to make a foothold here in Limerick and built their castle right beside an existing bridge effectively controlling who crosses and thus who enters the city. The castle is King John’s Castle and it still stands today as a reminder of those times. Exploring the castle allows visitors to reach the top of the castle where there were viewing areas. These areas serve as lookout posts for defensive purposes. Being the invaders, the English were understandably paranoid.

From the top of the lookout point, one can see much of the River Shannon. The river was a major artery for commerce so by controlling who goes up and down the river the English controlled commerce. The bridge crossing the river Shannon is also visible here. It is actually a much improved version of the original bridge. It is quite amazing to realize how long this bridge has been in existence. This also allowed them to keep an eye out for potential trouble as the river serves as a natural defensive line. Indeed, this also turned against them as local chieftains managed to trap the English in the castle, without anyway to escape. I thought it was a very interesting story of the struggle. This actually led to an agreement which has ramifications on English and Irish relations up to this day.

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