King John's Castle

About King John's Castle

Perched on King's Island beside the River Shannon, this 13th-century Anglo-Norman castle brings 800 years of Limerick history to life for young visitors. Kids can walk the original castle walls and towers, climb battlements, and explore interactive exhibitions that use touch-screen technology and 3D displays to recreate medieval sieges and daily life. The courtyard hosts hands-on activities like archery, horseshoe throwing and tug of war, letting children test feudal-era skills the way castle inhabitants once did. Costumed guides bring the site's Viking and Norman past alive with storytelling suited to families. Ticket categories cover children aged 4-14 (with under-3s admitted free), students, seniors and several family combinations, so groups of any size are catered for. Between exhibits, the Siege Café offers light bites, coffee and castle views for a mid-visit break. Panoramic views over the Shannon from the towers are a highlight for older kids and parents alike. Open year-round with seasonal extended summer hours and special events like Halloween and Easter workshops, it makes an easy half-day outing that blends real archaeology with playful, active learning about Ireland's medieval past.

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