"Irish Town" had grown on the south bank of the river. The town of Limerick became so wealthy during this era King John set up a mint in the North West corner of the castle, with pennies and half pennies from this time available to see in Limerick museum today. A 1574 document prepared for the Spanish ambassador attests to its wealth: Luke Gernon, an English-born judge and resident of Limerick, wrote an equally flattering account of the city in 1620: Siege of Limerick The walls of the castle were severely damaged in the 1642 Siege of Limerick, the first of five sieges of the city in the 17th century. In 1642, the castle was occupied by Protestants fleeing the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and was besieged by an Irish Confederate force under Garret Barry. Barry had no siege artillery so he undermined the walls of King John's Castle by digging away their foundations. Those inside surrendered just before Barry collapsed the walls. However, such was the damage done to the wall's foundations that a section of them had to be pulled down afterward. 2013 Redevelopment Between 2011 and 2013, the castle underwent a massive redevelopment, with €5.7 million spent to improve the visitor facilities of the castle. Among the improvements were a brand new visitor centre, interactive exhibitions with computer generated animations, and a cafe with views onto the courtyard and the river. See also King John of England History of Limerick City Limerick City Museum, just to the south References External links Shannon Heritage site List of constables of the castle Museums with year of establishment missing Castles in County Limerick Buildings and structures in Limerick (city) National Monuments in County Limerick Historic house museums in the Republic of Ireland Museums in County Limerick Military and war museums in the Republic of Ireland John, King of England Norman architecture in Ireland