Carlingford, County Louth - September 02, 1999
Taaffe's Castle / Merchant House. A fortified town house that according to local tradition belonged to the rich mercantile Taaffe family who became Earls of Carlingford in 1661.
However, there is no evidence to suggest that it was built or in fact owned by the Taaffes.
Early topographical maps provide evidence that it was in existence before the Taaffe family were provided with their Earl of Carlingford title, The Taaffes mainly resided in Sligo. The castles close proximity to the harbour would suggest a trading depot on the ground floor with the upper floors reserved for residence. The construction suggests two phases—the main tower built in the early 16th century while the extension to the side occurred later.
