Ferns

Ferns was an ancient seat of the kings of Leinster and an important ecclesiastical centre before the Anglo-Normans arrived in Ireland. Diarmait Mac Murchada founded an Augustinian abbey here in 1160; a cathedral and high crosses also marked the religious settlement. The stone castle that dominates the town was built around 1220, when the Marshal family held Ferns.

The castle and cathedral endured the conflicts of later centuries. In 1331 the O'Tooles captured the castle, which was recovered and subsequently held by the bishopric. The cathedral was burned in 1575 during the wars involving Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne and was rebuilt two years later. These buildings embody the overlapping claims of Gaelic rulers, Anglo-Norman lords and the church upon this small but historically important place.