Ormond Castle is the best example of an Elizabethan manor house in Ireland. It was built by Thomas, the 10th Earl of Ormond in the 1560s. Closely integrated into the manor house are two 15th century towers. It is the country's only major unfortified dwelling from that turbulent period. The staterooms contain some of the finest decorative plasterwork in the country, including plasterwork portraits. As this site is managed by the OPW, school tour visits are permitted free of charge provided certain conditions are met.