What remains of this castle sits on the mouth of Dungarvan harbor. The first stone castle was built on this site during 1204 and 1210. King John may have seen the construction work in progress when he visited Ireland in 1210. A first reference to the castle occurred in September 1209 when there was a record that the Bishop of Waterford ordered that the captured Bishop of Lismore be thrown into the Dungeon in irons.

The castle has a turbulent history and there are records that it was in decay and ruin many times throughout the years. It was often repaired and it played an important part in battles during the Confederate Wars in the mid-seventeenth century and during the Civil War in 1922.

There have been annual excavation digs since 1995. The digs have revealed layer upon layer of history, with parts dating from nearly every century. There has been a discovery of the original drawbridge opening to the keep.

It is evident in our pictures that renovation efforts were still happening when we visited the castle in early September 2001. However, the castle is open for guided tours at scheduled times.