Desmond Castle is a vast ruin picturesquely drawn out along the banks off the River Maigue. It includes a battlemented rampart with semicircular bastions and a drawbridge. The Castle dates from the 13th century. It belonged to the Earls of Kildare until the rebellion in 1536, when it passed to the Earls of Desmond. The Castle has been undergoing restoration since 1996, and access is by guided tour only. Tours leave from the Adare Heritage Centre in the village.
