Gaelic for “green height,” Ardglass is a colorful little town that has a steep history of occupation.  Set on the Irish Sea just two hours north of Dublin, this picturesque little fishing village is known for once being the busiest port in the northern part of Ireland.  Dating from 3,000 - 2,500 B.C., Ardglass has the largest presence of medieval towers in the Emerald Isle.  

Prolific land, abundant seas, craggy rocks and crevasses, made for an ideal area for those first settlers to establish a homestead on the shores of Ardglass.  In addition to seafaring activities and commerce, it is quite possible that these early merchants established fair trade with the Europeans.  But in the 12th century, this little village was invaded by the Anglo-Normans, then by John de Courcy, the knight from Kent, England.  de Courcy would construct a few castles in County Down and County Antrim (both south of the village) before setting sights on the shores of Ardglass, a location that enabled him a more direct route from Dublin to the north. To fortify the inlet and harbor, several castles and other structures were built to surround the village.  The fortress of buildings would give de Courcy enormous strength and power in the area; this would be too much to many people.  Just a few years later, sometime in the early 1200s, King John of England made his way from England to Waterford, up to Ardglass with intentions of creating a strong presence for domination.  For decades, Ardglass was a site for contention and battles.