King John's Castle

This was a very unique and informative tour. You start by going through a museum that explains the history of the area and how the castle came to be. It was extremely informative. After the museum portion you actually go under the castle walls to see more about the history. The castle is well preserved and has a lot of areas to explore. Very beautiful area and well worth the entry fee. There is a free parking area for those visiting the castle.

King John’s Castle is one of the main attractions in Limerick. I enjoyed all the fun facts throughout the castle, and the self tour didn’t take too long, making it easy to fit into a day’s itinerary. If you’re visiting during the busy season, I’d recommend purchasing tickets online. There are interactive activities to keep kids entertained, plus beautiful views from the castle. The gift shop offers a wide variety of souvenirs, and conveniently, there’s a cozy coffee shop connected to it.

I really enjoyed this castle. The layout and the stories relayed in the first bit are done really well and are very interesting. The castle is in decent shape with some activities for kids. There is a parking lot for the castle just a few minutes walk away. Worth the stop

There’s lots to see in the museum part of the castle where history is told with photos and videos. This castle has a very large courtyard with sections showing a blacksmith shop and others. And you can pose with your head in a photograph with an executioner. There are spiral staircases leading to several rooms in the castle and you can climb to the top of two towers for fantastic views of the whole area. There is a large gift shop in the large glass building with a café. The entrance to the castle and displays is in the brick building, beside the glass building.

The exhibits are masterfully done and are very engaging. We enjoyed learning about the lives of Irish people in the 13-15th centuries. We also had fun with the crafts and activities laid out in the castle courtyard. The views from the top of the battlements were spectacular.

Great place to see and fun for all. There are lots of touch and feel interactive drawers. There is a dress up spot to dress as they did era appropriate clothing. There is a cannon target area. Loads of places to see, touch, be a part. There are samples of games in the courtyard. The tug-o-war was great. My husband pulled all three of us. It was great with a haunted room. So much to see and do. Rich with history. A definite must see.

Great museum tells the story of Limerick as well as Ireland from the Vikings thro to Elizabeth I. 15 euros or 10.50 for seniors. Good views from the towers as well as videos on the history.

The castle is a bit more expensive to visit compared to other attractions. The exhibitions are super interesting mainly because they can convey information through different means, large multimedia part. The cannon for kids to play was not working and it is disappointing since it was part of the presentation movie at the entrance. There is some renovation required and toilets were stinky and dirty.

Amazing historical site filled with information about Limerick's beginnings as a viking raiders village to it's becoming a powerful center of Ireland

What a great find in Limerick. We had no idea where we're gonna be able to run wild in an old Irish castle! We were able to go up into all the towers and look down from the murder room. We learned a lot, and we loved every minute of this impromptu visit While we were in Limerick for just one night after visiting the cliffs of Mohre

The first castle I've ever toured! We paid €10.50 (student pricing) to get in. We gave ourselves about an hour but I definitely wish we came earlier for more time. There is so much to learn, watch, and interact with in the castle. It was super neat learning the history & even neater taking in the views. I could have easily spent 2+ hours just exploring every nook and cranny. There is a car park across the street that is free if you are going to the castle. The only downside is that the castle does close quite early, but I noticed everything in the city does. The hours for when we were there on a Saturday was 0930-1700. The car park closes when the castle closes. If you're into history & castles, I'd definitely recommend at least 2 hours to give a good visit here.

The castle that King John never visited! Beautiful history museum and castle to visit if you're in town. Entrance fee is about 13 per adult but cheaper if purchased online. You first get to go through the history museum and then out into the court yard outside the castle. You can then head to the top of the castle and through the nook and crannies of the building. You can see the river and town from the top. Great view! Lots of Ireland history and beautiful architecture. There's a little Cafe and gift shop towards the end. Must visit!

Had a lovely time here! We expected to only spend maybe an hour here but it turned into 3-4 hours of historic learning and fun. The museum is very well done and kid friendly with cute little hands of things for young and young at heart. Mostly ADA friendly, but the climb up the towers definitely is not and has a very narrow and steep spiral staircase so use caution. But the views of Limerick from the top are unbeaten. Loved our visit!

Again, in Ireland, if you book tickets online in advance, you actually get a discount! King John's offered a 10% discount for a total of €11.70 per adult. Why, oh why do we get charged EXTRA for booking tickets online in America??? So, the visit starts with a walk through a museum with a lot of exhibits and reading - great for the history buffs out there. You can probably spend 30 minutes in there reading about the history of the castle, which I thought was really cool. Then, you walk out into a huge open courtyard, and you can freely roam the grounds. You are able to climb up the narrow, winding staircases in the castle towers, and even go all the way up to the rooftop for SPECTACULAR views of the Irish countryside and the River Shannon. You get to visit several rooms within the castle, and there are live action video exhibits featuring actors explaining what the rooms were used for. This wasn't really my cup of tea per se, but it was interesting to listen to for a little while. I'd just rather read about it than watch a corny actor dressed in the garb of the day describing how rough it was for them back in the day. The castle is in pretty good shape, and you can spend a lot of time touring the different rooms, and walking up to the rooftop. It wasn't the best castle I toured, but it certainly wasn't the worst either.

This was an amazing place to spend a good few hours! The views from the top of the towers were incredible. Relatively cheap entry fee and towns of little things to see and learn about! I HIGHLY recommend takin a look to see for yourself!

We were able to visit King John's Castle during the holiday season when many attractions are closed, which was nice. The castle itself is an old archaeological site that was recovered, refurbished and opened to the public. As many people had mentioned before, it's a self guided tour with a lot of historical exhibits to learn about the history of the castle and the town of Limerick. Apparently King John is otherwise known as the same Prince John in the stories of Robin Hood! The exhibits were a bit hokey, since they seem to be aimed at children (being able to try on traditional/historical garbs, interactive displays with cartoon animations, role playing actors, etc.) But much of the information/content of the exhibits had adult themes, or used complex language/vocabulary that children wouldn't be able to comprehend very well. I personally learned a lot from the exhibits! Overall, it was educational and interesting, and a lovely way to learn about the history of not only the castle but the county, and even the country!

King John's Castle provides a deep look into Ireland's rich history, long before the castle was built in the early 13th century. A detailed exhibit on early Gaelic society (6th century) includes an overview of the legal system known as the Brehon Laws. The key takeaway for me was the fact that women were treated as equals. What a concept! The castle endured a number of sieges in the 17th century. In one of my photos, you'll see a large sand courtyard. Look carefully at the center where you can make out rectangular shapes in the ground. It wasn't until the 1990's that archaeologists came in and realized that bodies were buried there. They were victims of a siege and were interred in a mass grave. That part of the castle, it turns out, provided the best shelter from the attacks. It's believed there are/were more burial pits, but they may have been destroyed by construction over the centuries. The castle's dark history continued into the 20th century, when it was under siege again in the Irish Civil War of 1922. Let's hope those troubled days are over, and that the castle will remain just a tourist attraction.

It starts with lots and lots and lots and lots and then some more lots of information and history about the castle. But its good stuff! Afterwards you get to explore the actual castle's rooms and towers...its awesome! This is the kind of castle I would have built with Legos as a kid. 10euro, worth every penny.

Lucky us -- our traveling group of 7 made a lunch stop in lovely Limerick, and King Johns Castle was just across the river. A phenomenally well done historic castle with excellent exhibits for all ages, sweeping views of the city from the upper levels, rich in education and pleasing to walk through. The staff were very nice and well informed, the loos clean and abundant, there's a pleasant cafe and gift shop at the end, and the interactive activities within the courtyard are fun for everyone (archery, storytelling, et al). Have just a few hours in Limerick? 1. Lunch at Curragower. 2. A stop in to King Johns Castle. We hadn't even planned this little jaunt (just needed to pop in somewhere on our long drive for a rest and some food) and it ended up being a highlight of the trip. Highly recommended! *Small entry fee definitely worth it. Children under 5 are free.

First off, thanks for being open in December (most castles are closed in the off season due to low tourism). This is a self-guided tour, good history displays, videos, plaques, slightly interactive actors on video playing a role explaining the history. After the displays and films, you can walk through this military castle thru the towers, and see the several professions such as the chancery, monetary, soldiers room. The views from the ramparts & towers of the city & river is nice. The stairs to the towers are very narrow and only slow traffic one-way at a time. I enjoyed it and was an interesting glimpse in the history of Limerick.

Came here for the short version of the tour as it was a work party. They also provided us with some team-building activities on the roof such as archery and sword-fighting, which was fun if very cheesy. The food we were provided with was just alright, the area being a bit unfit for a large group to have a buffet, and ended up with queues and literally tables behind walls so it wasn't the most conducive for conversation and mingling within the office. The view, however, from the top of the castle, make it all worth it. It's something else, and we caught it just as the sun was going down.

Fantastic place to visit! This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip! Limerick itself is a "Must Visit" for anyone going to Ireland. The views are amazing and the town is so laid back. I can't wait to go back!!

Another one of the firsts we saw while in Ireland. Definitely a place to see while in Limerick. The castle is an imposing structure with loads of history and beautiful views!!

This Castle built on the orders of King John in the early 13th C. occupies a commanding position on the southern bank of the River Shannon, here in Limerick, on what was the site of an earlier Viking settlement. Limerick, (Luimneach), now the third largest city in Ireland, prospered as a port and trading centre under Norman rule, and the city was divided into two areas: "English Town" on the north side of the Shannon, while here on the south side another settlement, named "Irish Town" grew up. A mint was established a mint in the north west tower of the castle. Today slightly comical wax figures are shown making coins stamped with Kings John's head. And in another part of the castle you can even see King John himself scowling on his throne, though he never actually came here. This was a five-sided castle, with high curtain walls surrounding a rectangular yard, it has been repaired and rebuilt many times over the years, particularly after being severely damaged in the Siege of Limerick 1642. Later In the 18th C, a military barracks was built within the castle. Today the southside is entirely occupied by a not terribly attractive modern building, through which you enter, though inside it's great, containing a very good museum/exhibition, with excellent audio/visual displays & a gift shop, beneath which are visable archaeological excavations from the Pre-Norman settlement. It's a fun castle lots of space, you can climb up the winding stone steps to one of the towers, disappointingly if you're as much of a kid as I am, you can't go along all of the battlements & towers, although it looks like you should be able to. It's all very well maintained, and imaginatively they have gone some way to recreating the medieval atmosphere in the spacious courtyard, there's even a gallows!

Disappointed. We drove far to find out they closed early for a concert. I'd suggest posting this in the future

They have upgraded the place and they have a first class presentation of the history of Ireland. The "castle" is really a military fortification, so it is nothing to write home about, but the history part is worth the price.

The main reason we stopped at King John's Castle is that one of the people in our group was John, and how could we skip it when we were so close. How lucky we were! The exhibit was easy very informative and well presented. Our group was all adults, but we noticed that everything was presented in a way that it would be interesting to adults and kids. Once through the exhibit area, we arrived in the castle courtyard and we were able to explore different areas of the castle. I believe in busier times (there were just a handful of visitors when we were there), there are people reenacting castle life. There are further displays in the different rooms of the castle, all very well presented. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.

Not much of a history buff so I was hesitant to pay the admission fee. However it was one of the best tours I'd been on, with a combination of plenty of things to read and things to see. The view on top is unparalleled.

The tour begins with an interesting interactive walkthrough. It was very informative. I really liked how they make sure visitors understand the significance of the history behind the castle before exploring the castle itself. After the walkthrough, visitors get to explore the castle and different rooms - this is all self-guided. The tour ends at the gift shop/cafe. Overall, a very cool tour!

In the last 30 years, King John's Castle has moved from a state of relative neglect to a a state of relative grooviness. On my first visit, aged about seven, my Dad had to hold me by the scruff of my collar to prevent me from falling and hurting myself on the uneven old flagstones. This was of course before health and safety regulations were invented in Ireland. I distinctly remember weeds growing on the walls of the castle itself, making it look sad and decrepit. The sprucing up for the 1991 Treaty 300 celebrations were an improvement, but the current exhibits and interactive displays are really cool. Apparently one of the people behind the Titanic experience in Belfast worked on the new interactive displays, and combining these with access to the layers of archaeological remains makes for a really great experience. There's quite a lot of the castle to just walk around, and some great views of the Shannon estuary and of the city from the ramparts and the courtyard. A great way to spend a couple of hours.

King John's (built in the early 1200s) is a big castle with a big history. It's had big money spent on it too - the flashy main entrance leads to a multi-level interpretive centre that recounts the turbulent history of the castle and the area. You can still access the walls and towers, and view things like the early sallyport, armoury, and some pre-Norman (maybe Viking) foundations. It's a bit cheerless and empty on the inside, but the views of the Shannon are pretty, and if (like me) you're a castle nut you'll appreciate the interesting fortifications that were ground-breaking for the times.

Highlight of any visit to the area. So much history, background information about how Ireland came to be. Fantastic views from the top.

Wonderful presentation of such a historic castle! We easily spent several hours visiting. The presentation of the history information leading up to the castle being built and the culture of the castle life was well done and easily to follow through. Make sure you go to the top for breathtaking views of the city! It's an easy walk from the downtown area and worth every penny for the admission fee!

A great spot to visit while in town. There is a great museum entrance with exhibits and information along the way to the castle itself. Once though the exhibit section you'll be in the courtyard of the castle and be able to explore different portions of the building. All along the way you'll see interesting historical facts. Once you reach the upper towers and roof too you'll have an amazing panoramic view of Limerick. Well worth the stop and time spent here!

The castle was built between 1200 and 1210 and repaired and extended many times in the following centuries. The castle has an interpretive centre and a historical exhibition. The courtyard and the castle display some of the trades and traditions of the 16th century with costumed characters. A great place to visit when in Limerick.

Best visit. We should've skipped other things to spend more time here. So interesting and entertaining. All five in our family thoroughly enjoyed. Only had an hour and wished we had had spent three. Complete castle experience. Very educational and physically we got to walk the whole castle.

Excellent Preservation and Presentation The presentation leading into the castle provided an an in-depth and interesting overview of the castle and the times in which it has existed. Once inside the castle, wandering the grounds provided many opportunities to enjoy all of the features. All of it can be enjoyed in about three hours time without feeling rushed. The only small quibble is that there were very few actors about. We found only two, one of whom was playing a harp beautifully while the other was watching him.

Really great experience. Wonderful museum and grounds. The castle had many interactive stops that helped describe the history of the castle. Also, the view was to die for.

Fantastic castle very educational I'd highly recommend great for a family day out or a solo visit as suits all

Museum is informative. It is self guided tour. Many of the items that were intended to make it more fun do not work (cannon, dress up, bow and arrow). Nice view of the city, but the castle is small and in 30 min, you have it all.

King John's Castle has a great self guided tour with a tremendous amount of history. I chose to read all of the signs and explore all of the different media's they have to get the most from what they have to offer. I learned a tremendous amount about Ireland that I never knew. Being able to stand atop the lookouts and think about how old the castle is really is an amazing thing. I also took the time to enjoy a cup of coffee in the gift shop after I took the tour which offers a great view of the court yard and castle. Worth every thing I spent while I was there.

Visiting the castle was a fun experience. Book online 24 hours in advance to save yourself money on the tickets or bring your student ID. Beautiful views of the city from the top.

King Johns Castle was nice local spot to visit - great views of the city. Would be nice to see a better more realistic use of the courtyard

My history loving 12 year old devoured every offering at the visitor center, before exploring the castle to his heart'a delight. Very satisfying experience!

Definitely a must-do while in Limmerick. The best part is at the beginning where you go through a museum explaining the history of the castle and the various political and military struggles that went on in Ireland. When you get out, the castle provides spectacular views and there are plenty of places to go and explore. The castle itself is mostly void of useful information to read or study beyond a few placards and some simple displays of old weaponry so soak up all the information in the museum before moving on to the castle!

It was actually so much better than I was expecting. Recently went there with some friends not from Limerick and we were all pleasantly surprised at how well laid out it all was would definitely recommend

Loved it. One if the best historical venues iv been to. And affordable and interactive too!

Very interesting and informative, but stay away from the cafe, the coffee was terrible

King John's castle overlooks the river Shannon in limerick city. The exhibition is very interesting and provides quite a detailed history of the castle and limerick. Maybe that's why I only gave four stars, because the exhibition was better than the castle itself. Their are fake soldiers and Smiths etc set up around the castle, but they are very old and worn. A lot of potential here. Still worth a visit, I did enjoy myself.

If you're a child at heart like me and enjoy exploring castles, this is a good place to go. You get to go through most of what's left of the castle, but you can't climb to the very top :/ liabilities and whatnot. There's a lot of history too, if you feel like taking the time to read it. That's optinal of course.

Visited with a group of friends this afternoon. Staff are really warm and friendly, which was great because it was a really cold and wet afternoon. They've done a really good job restoring this castle. Exhibition is really informative and there's a great view of the city from the bastions. Would recommend a visit to this place.

The castle is worth a stop. The beginning of the tour is a modern interactive display that is very thorough. Then you get to tour through the castle. There are also displays set up in some of the rooms of the castle.

Really cool...If you're 10....The actual exhibit itself was cool but talk about sensory overload. From the beginning you're hearing everything from the beginning of it to the end, counters counting, beeps...way to much noise...they also forgot to give us the audio piece at the beginning of the self tour...I would recommend it if you have kids, if not ..Take a pass.