Fethard Castle
Fethard Castle is situated in the seaside resort of Fethard, the main town on the Hook Head peninsula in County Wexford.
Fethard Castle is a ruined L-shaped fortified house, with a prominent four storey round tower at the outer corner of the "L".
Facilities
The castle grounds are open to the public and can be entered without charge. It is possible to walk around the castle but entry to the ruins is not permitted.
The borough of Fethard was granted to Hervey de Montmorency after the Normans arrived in Ireland in 1169. He gave the land to Christ Church Canterbury who built a castle on the site of motte and bailey construction. The mound of the motte is still visible. The stone castle now on the site was built on the site in the 15th century, probably by the Bishop of Ferns.
Fethard passed to the Loftus family in the 17th century, before the family moved to nearby Loftus Hall. The castle was then occupied by tenants of the Loftus estate, and underwent several modifications before being abandoned in 1922. The castle has since fallen into ruin.