Normans in Ireland

It was the year 1166 when the Normans came to Ireland. They first landed on the coast of Wexford. When they started to build castles they built wooden castles first. They brought in languages like French and English. Many Irish people could not understand the Normans. When the Normans moved into Ireland they built castles to keep control of the area. At first the castles were made of wood but later they were replaced by stone castles. Many of the buildings of the Normans were made of stone and are still standing after hundreds of years. The Normans were famous as builders of castles. But also built many large churches and monasteries.

The Normans brought peasants (Farmers) from England and Wales to Ireland. They gave them there own land. The peasants lived in villages. A village and the land around it was called a Manor. The Manor belonged to the lord. Some lords had castles on their Manor. But many lords could not afford to build a castle. They lived in a house. It is called the Manor-House. Irish towns began in the middle ages. The Vikings started some towns and the Normans started others.