The Knights Templar were in Ireland not long after their formation in the twelfth century. However, they were resented by the local people who saw them as part of the Norman colonising of their lands, while the Anglo-Norman aristocracy saw them as competition for Ireland’s wealth.
It’s believed the Templars began arriving in Ireland between 1172 and 1177. By 1181, they had built a castle in the north-west of the country, county Sligo, with lands granted to them by King John of England. The castle lies in ruins today with much of its stonework incorporated into an eighteenth century mansion nearby.
At the same time that the Templars arrived in Ireland – so did the Knights Hospitaller. They received generous land grants and were able to establish a headquarters for their provincial grand master at Kilmainham, near Dublin. While the Templars had a master in Ireland, they were very much part of the English Templar province and did not have a headquarters as such.
Ireland – old people’s home for the Knights Templar
It seems Ireland was something of an old people’s home for the Order. Knights no longer fit to battle in the Holy Land retired there to manage Templar estates. When the Order was suppressed and leading Templars were tortured and executed, some ageing knights were taken to Dublin Castle and imprisoned. I don’t know if they were tortured as those in France were but they were put on trial in the city cathedral. Their inquisitors were three Dominicans and two Franciscans.
In December 2019, I paid a visit to Dublin Castle, which above ground is a 17th century administrative building put up for the British viceroy and his family – when the whole of Ireland was under British rule. Go down some steps however, and you find the medieval castle constructed after the Normans first arrived. As my photos below show.
READ MORE: How the Templars became the Order of Christ in Portugal
Accusations of Templar heresy at Clontarf
One of the charges was that at their preceptory in Clontarf, a senior Templar had refused to look at the host when it was raised by the priest during the sacrament. Other allegations repeated the usual stuff about urinating on the crucifix and sodomising each other. There is an excellent book on the Templars in Ireland – The Knights Templar and Ireland by Michael Carroll – which sheds more light on the subject.
If you want a general history of the Templars covering all aspects of their life, battles, and scandals, I recommend my own book: The Knights Templar – History & Mystery. It’s published by Pen & Sword and available on Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith, and Barnes & Noble.
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