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Narrow Water Castle lies on the Co. Down bank of the Newry River, which enters Carlingford Lough a mile to the south.
There has been a keep on this site since 1212. It was originally built by Hugh deLacy, Earl of Ulster, as part of the Norman fortifications built in the area, to prevent attacks on Newry via the river. The original building was destroyed in the 1641 Rebellion.
Although apparently built for military purposes, Narrow Water Castle is a typical example of the tower houses found throughout Ireland from the 15th until the earlier 17th century. This form of building, normally rectangular in plan and three or more storeys high, comprised a series of superimposed chambers, with stairs, closets and latrines skilfully contrived within the walls or sometimes contained in projecting angle turrets.
The tower house was given into state care in 1956 and is one of the finest 16th century buildings in Ireland.
Narrow Water Massacre
The deaths of 18 soldiers at Narrow Water Castle on August 27, 1979, represents the British Army's greatest loss of life in a single incident In the history of the Troubles. A 500kg IRA bomb hidden in a lorry loaded with hay, parked close to the castle, was detonated as an army convoy drove past. The explosion killed six members of the Parachute Regiment.
Twenty minutes later a second device exploded close to the gate lodge on the opposite side of the road. The explosion killed 12 soldiers from the Queen's Own Highlanders who had been airlifted in to the area following the first bomb detonating. Following the explosions a gun battle broke out between soldiers and the bombers firing from their position inside the border with the Republic. An Innocent civilian was killed In the exchange of fire.
The ambush is often referred to as the "Warrenpoint massacre". [1] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/27/newsid_3891000/3891055.stm).
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