As timeless as Ireland‘s lush landscapes may appear at first glance, the many ruined castles, churches, ancient sites, houses, and mills scattered across the island reveal the folly of thinking the place (any place) exists outside history. What remains of these structures tells the tales of early religious orders, foreign invaders, clan wars, mass emigration, 20th-century partition—in short, the story of Ireland itself.
Abandoned Ireland, a new photo book from Amber Books, takes readers to dozens of intriguing deserted sites across the island, showing them off in 180 remarkable images and putting them in context with informative descriptions provided by author Dominic Connolly. The book invites travelers not only to admire the ruins but to seek out their forgotten histories as well.
Scoll on to see a selection of photos from the book, along with captions provided by the publisher.
Pictured above: According to Abandoned Ireland, the 13th-century Castle Roche in County Louth was built for Lady Rohesia de Verdun, who supposedly promised to marry the architect. But when he went to claim her hand, she had him thrown out of what’s known today as the structure’s “murder window.”