Foulksrath Castle, Anglo-Norman tower house in Jenkinstown, Ireland
Foulksrath Castle is a four-storey stone tower in Jenkinstown, Ireland, with a crenellated roofline and a central spiral staircase connecting all floors. It still sits within its original moat and is flanked by old outbuildings and perimeter walls.
The tower was built around 1350 by the De Frene family and passed to the Purcells in the early 15th century. It changed hands several times over the following centuries before eventually becoming a hostel.
The castle is now run by An Óige, the Irish Youth Hostel Association, and operates as a hostel open to travelers. Staying there means sleeping inside a medieval tower, with stone walls and a moat still surrounding the building.
The castle is located near Jenkinstown and is easiest to reach by car from Kilkenny. Visiting in warmer months allows for a fuller look at the exterior, the moat, and the grounds around the tower.
The tower is not a museum but a working hostel, meaning visitors can actually spend the night inside the medieval structure. Guests sleep in the upper floors and wake up looking out over the moat that has surrounded the building for centuries.
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