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Welcome to the Irish Walled Towns Network

Working to help make walled towns better places to live, work and visit.

The Irish Walled Towns Network (IWTN) was formed by the Heritage Council in 2005 to help the walled towns of Ireland become better places in which to live, work and visit. The island of Ireland has 56 ‘proven’ walled towns, 30 of which have joined the IWTN.

The role of the network is to unite and co-ordinate the strategic efforts of local authorities involved in the management, conservation and enhancement of historic walled towns in Ireland, both North and South, helping to make Ireland’s walled towns become great places in which to live, work and visit.

Guidance and assistance is provided to member towns by providing grants for town wall conservation and for community festivals and heritage interpretation. Training is delivered to community groups on how best to use their town’s heritage for the benefit of those who live there and we regularly research and publish user-friendly advisory documents.

IWTN Conservation/Capital Grants Scheme 2024: Now Open

The Heritage Council is pleased to announce that the Irish Walled Towns Network Conservation/Capital Projects Grants Scheme 2024 is now open for applications. For 2024 the scheme will continue to emphasise the conservation of town walls (including new and revised town...

IWTN Annual Conference 2023

The Irish Walled Towns Network's annual conference 2023 will take place at The Absolute Hotel in Limerick City on Friday 24th November 2023. Our theme for this year's conference is 'Early Buildings in Our Historic Towns' and we'll be focusing, in particular, on early...

The Walled Town Crier Issue 18

In this issue we're getting to know Fore, Co. Westmeath - the Irish Walled Towns Network's smallest member town. We also have details of our upcoming annual conference, which will take place in Limerick on November 24th. There are plenty of news and updates too -...

Culture Night in Irish Walled Towns

Friday 22nd September 2023 is Culture Night - Oíche Chultúir and in the Irish Walled Towns Network our member towns are playing host to a huge variety of events, from music and poetry to guided tours and open houses. In Fethard, you can experience the medieval walled...

The Walled Town Crier Issue 17

Fethard, Co. Tipperary, is well known to fans of horse racing - home to the world-renowned Coolmore Stud - but did you know that Fethard also boasts Ireland's most complete medieval town wall?  In this issue, we're getting to know the walled town of Fethard, from its...

The Walled Town Crier Issue 16

In this issue we're getting to know the walled city of Dublin, from Viking beginnings to recent conservation works. We also have a report from New Ross, where filming for Small Things Like These took over the historic town in March of this year. There are plenty of...

The Walled Town Crier Issue 15

Issue 15 of the Walled Town Crier is now available! In this issue we're getting to know Drogheda and its walls. We have details of our upcoming Festivals and Events training day and an introduction to the newest member town in the network: Navan, Co. Meath. There are...

Last chance to apply for IWTN Grants 2023

The closing date for applications under two IWTN Grants Schemes for 2023 is this Thursday, 9th March at 5pm. A total fund of €218k is available under the ‘Conservation/Capital Projects’ scheme for conservation works to town walls (Conservation Management Plans must be...

The Walled Town Crier Issue 14

  The February issue of the Walled Town Crier is now available! In this issue we're getting to know Derry-Londonderry and its walls. There's also a report from our AGM in Kilkenny and an introduction to the newest member town in the network: Fore, Co. Westmeath....

The Walled Town Crier Issue 13

The December issue of the Walled Town Crier is now available! In this issue we're getting to know Cork City. There's also a report from last month's annual conference and a round-up of Christmas events in member towns around the network. We have our usual news and...

Where are the IWTN towns?

Featured Towns

Trim

Trim was originally founded in the 12th century by the Anglo-Norman Lord of Meath, Hugh de Lacey and his son Walter de Lacey. They constructed the largest castle in Ireland as their seat of power and a town quickly developed. The town required defences and between 1289-1290 Trim received a murage grant to build stone walls. These walls were needed to protect Trim’s inhabitants from attack, especially when the Lord and his soldiers were absent. When completed, Trim's stone walls enclosed an area of 23 hectares. There were six gates leading into the fortified town, Dublin Gate, Navan Gate, Water Gate, Sheep Gate, Bridge Gate and Athboy Gate. There was a natural fosse (the River Boyne) but not ramparts.

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Limerick

Limerick was founded by the Vikings in the 10th century. They created an early form of walling to protect the town's inhabitants but this was defeated by the Gaelic Dal gCais family of County Clare and then by the Anglo-Normans who took the town in the 12th century. The Anglo-Normans stayed in Limerick for two years, before leaving and then returning again for good in 1195.

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Fethard

Fethard has the most complete medieval town wall in Ireland with over 90% of the original 1,125m stone wall surviving. The town walls date from 1292 when King Edward I of England gave a murage grant towards the enclosure of the town and the protection of its citizens. This was continued by further murage grants in the 14th and 15th centuries.

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