Lady Louisa’s Legacy
When the newly married Lady Louisa took charge of the Castletown landscape in 1759, at the tender age of sixteen, she took over the care of a landscape which had a history going back longer than historical records did. Lady Louisa probably wasn’t aware of the Bronze...
Bicentenary of the death of Lady Louisa Conolly (1743-1821)
‘No words can describe the affliction of this house.’ At six o’clock on the morning of 2nd August 1821 Lady Louisa Conolly took her last breath at Castletown, the home she had shaped and loved for over sixty years. Throughout the previous eight weeks her family had...
Movie Magic Part 2
Movie Magic at Castletown (Act 2) The second instalment of the Movies at Castletown blog starts in the 1980’s. Castletown obviously lends itself to period drama, but there is also a WWII film with Lee Marvin and a 1980’s comedy with Robbie Coltrane and Dan Aykroyd. We...
Castletown’s Chandeliers – A Restoration Story
Castletown's Long Gallery is famous for its set of three Venetian chandeliers, believed to have been ordered by Lady Louisa Conolly when she was refurbishing the room in the 1770s. The chandeliers are unique in Ireland, and thought to be associated with the...
Stamps of Celbridge
One of our guides, Celine Hanratty, inspired by a recent post on the Conolly’s Folly stamp set about researching stamps related to Celbridge! Here is her list so far, please let us know if you have any to add. (Numbers relate to picture) Number 1 is, of course, Arthur...
The story of Lady Louisa
Lady Louisa, The Story of Castletown House by Sandra Murphy In 1759, at the tender age of 15, Lady Louisa Lennox married young Tom Conolly. Louisa was descended from royalty, her great grandfather was Charles II of England and her grandmother was Louise de Kerouaille,...
Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond, 2nd Duke of Lennox and Duke of Aubigny of the French nobility (1701–1750). Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond was the only son of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond (1672-1723) and his wife, Anne (d.1722), widow of Henry, 2nd...
William Conolly’s Funeral
Speaker William Conolly died at his house in Capel Street on 30th October 1729 having collapsed in the House of Commons ten days earlier. His death was lingering, with Thomas Pearson talking of blisters on arms and thighs, continuing fluxes and purges and a fever. 23...
William Conolly
William Conolly (1662-1729) William Conolly was born in Ballyshannon in Co Donegal in 1662. He has been described variously as the son of an innkeeper, a miller or a land manager. He was a Protestant himself but his background was Catholic on his mother side,...
Family Friday – Sir Thomas Wentworth
Sir Thomas Wentworth, created the Earl of Strafford in 1640, was the great grand uncle of Lady Anne Conolly of Castletown House. Wentworth, a powerful and controversial figure in Irish history, was the Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1632 to 1640 and one of Charles I...
Castletown’s Devil Story
Beware! This story is not for the faint of heart! The Night the Devil came to dinner at Castletown Tom Conolly of Castletown had the first pack of hunting hounds ever kept in Ireland. He had stables at Castletown and also on the Curragh and was known as...
Harry Potter Inspired Tree Trail
Welcome to our Harry Potter inspired tree walk!!! JK Rowling knew her tree folklore; you find it in the Harry Potter books. Each wand is made from a tree that often reflects the qualities of the wizard! Oak Tree First up is the oak tree. This tree is on the lime...
SHOPPING FOR FASHION, 18TH CENTURY STYLE! To be transported back in time to another era, to learn about the cultural, social and political attitudes of that time is what makes period dramas so popular. For me, I was especially fascinated by the peculiarities and...
Castletown House Stables and why it merits a closer look….
Castletown House, built in the early 18th century by William Conolly, is one of Ireland’s largest and finest Palladian houses in Ireland. Now in the hands of the OPW, thousands visit Castletown every year to see this architecture gem and learn about its history. Yet...
Focus on Miniatures: Catherine Sarah Dorothea Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington
Catherine Sarah Dorothea Wellesley, Duchess of Wellington (1773-1831) was the daughter of Edward Pakenham 2nd Baron Longford of Tullynally Castle and his wife Catherine Rowley. She was one of ten children and more commonly referred to as Kitty. At the age of...
Focus on Miniatures – Georgiana Bloomfield
The Honourable Georgiana Bloomfield was born on 4 Oct 1809 daughter of Benjamin Bloomfield, 1st Baron of Oakhampton and Redwood in Co Tipperary and (Douglas) Bloomfield. Little is written about Georgiana and indeed she is much overshadowed by her namesake who married...
Irish Portrait Miniatures in focus
Marguerite Gardiner, neé Power (1789 – 1849) Countess of Blessington. This beautiful miniature is after a portrait by Thomas Lawrence. Marguerite Power was born near Clonmel, Co. Tipperary. Her father was Edmund Power, a small landowner. As a child, she loved to read,...
The Dining Room
During the 18th century, the dining room had become one of the biggest and best rooms in the grand house, with plate on the sideboard and large numbers of liveried footmen attending to individual needs and wants. Where previously in the 17th century the saloon had...
BRONZE AGE BURIALS AT CASTLETOWN
WHAT LIES BENEATH - THE GRASSY KNOLL? FRONT LAWN... Anyone familiar with Castletown Parklands might on a sunny day in the past, have sat or 'picnicked' on the grass front lawn between the high hedge and Castletown House (begun 1722) and looked admiringly towards the...
Routines
Days spent entirely at home. New routines to follow, days to plan and hours to occupy? Are you finding yourself craving the routine that many of us have had to set aside temporarily? Over the past few weeks words like social distancing, isolation and cocooning have...
