History, Travel Documentary hosted by Simon Delaney, published by TV3 in 2014 - English narration
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Ireland has survived an 800 year-long bloody history beginning with Viking invaders, Anglo-Norman settlers and later British rulers - but how many know the whole story?
Following the Viking invasion, the Anglo-Normans arrived in 1169 and changed Ireland forever as over 3,000 stone castles permanently re-shaped the Irish landscape. More castles were built in Ireland than the rest of the British Isles combined. From imposing Anglo-Norman strongholds of the 13th and 14th centuries; the more modest tower houses of the 15th and 16th centuries, to the lavish fortified houses of the 17th and 18th centuries, castles provided the backdrop for countless bloody battles, savage sieges, ghostly happenings and lavish lifestyles over the centuries. In effect, they are the history of Ireland. And with Tales of Irish Castles, viewers get a fascinating lesson about the country as told through its castles.
Tales Of Irish Castles explores the great stories, legends and characters associated with the most beautiful, notorious and historical castles across Ireland - where more castles were built than in the rest of the British Isles combined. Presented by award winning actor Simon Delaney, (BBC's The Fall, Sky's Moone Boy and CBS's The Good Wife), the series takes in magnificent stone structures and the stories contained within their walls are brought to life through specially shot re-enactments, archive footage and contributions from Ireland's leading historians, archaeologists, castle owners and inhabitants.
The six shows investigate the key role that Irish castles (mostly financed by the British crown) played across the centuries and with stunning aerial footage, the series takes the audience on an incredible journey throughout the island of Ireland. The series uncovers the political state of Ireland in the 12th Century, leading to the invasion of the Normans in 1169. The Normans introduced the concept of castle building to Ireland and before long castles began to spring up throughout the country, in particular along the more populated east coast.
Other Irish Castles featured throughout the series include Luttrellstown in Dublin, Kilkenny Castle, Dunamaise Castle in Laois, Clonony, Birr, Charleville and Leap Castles in Offaly, Cahir Castle in Tipperary, Dunluce Castle in Antrim, Aughrim Castle in Galway, Tullynally Castle in Westmeath, Castle Leslie in Monaghan, and Blarney Castle in Cork.
Series Director: Sarah Shore ; Sideline Productions for TV3
2) Don't Mess with a Knight
In the 13th and 14th centuries, Norman knights helped alter the landscape of Ireland. Featured locations include Luttrellstown, Kilkenny, Dunamase, and Blarney Castle. The building of Norman castles in Ireland continued throughout the 13th and 14th centuries, and the expansion began soon after the initial invasion of Ireland. London-based King Henry II was constantly concerned about his rule over the country across the Irish Sea, so he built a network of castles that he could control through his knights. These "ultimate fighting machines" began training while barely out of toddler-hood. As adults they conquered and took over local Irish lords' lands in the name of the English crown, and built huge, more complex castles to control what was now their lands. One such knight was William Marshal, described as "the greatest knight that ever lived." He married Isabel de Clare, Strongbow's daughter, and they built Kilkenny Castle. While the Anglo-Normans laid siege across Ireland, the leaders of Irish clans would marry their daughters into the new ruling families to gain more clout, including the Anglo-Norman Luttrell family. Castles featured include Luttrellstown, with exclusive access to the location where David Beckham married Victoria aka Posh Spice... Kilkenny, once capital of Ireland, the majestic ruins of Dunamase and the most famous Irish castle of them all in County Cork where kissing the stone at Blarney Castle can bring you a 'gift of the gab' forever.
Video Codec: x264 CABAC High@L4 Video Bitrate: 3 502 Kbps Video Resolution: 1920x1080 Display Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Frames Per Second: 25.000 fps Audio Codec: E-AC3 Audio Bitrate: 128 kb/s CBR 48000 Hz Audio Streams: 2 Audio Languages: english RunTime Per Part: 41 min 51 s - 45 min 11 s Number Of Parts: 6 Part Size: 1.11 GB Source: WEB DL (Thanks to ExREN) Encoded by: DocFreak08
