Fanning's Castle

Fanning's Castle is a four-story stone tower built from limestone blocks of varying sizes on Mary Street, rising prominently above the surrounding buildings. The structure features small windows and thick walls designed for defense, typical of the tower house style that was common among wealthy merchants in medieval Ireland.

Dominic Fanning, a former Mayor of Limerick, built this fortified tower around 1641 as a sign of the city's growing prosperity. It was constructed during a period when successful merchants sought to demonstrate their wealth and status through private defensive structures.

The architectural features include ogee windows, mullioned openings, and evidence of former external balconies that reflect medieval Irish building techniques.

The tower stands on Mary Street directly opposite the tholsel on King's Island and is easy to reach on foot from the city center. Visitors can view the structure from outside to appreciate its medieval design and stonework without needing to enter nearby buildings.

The tower's upper levels display a striking progression in window designs, changing from flat-headed openings at the lower levels to round-headed designs higher up. This visual evolution demonstrates how builders adapted architectural details as they worked toward the roof, revealing practical building choices from that era.