Carton House facts for kids
Carton House is a large country house and the land around it, called a demesne. For over 700 years, it was the main home of the Earls of Kildare and later the Dukes of Leinster, who were very important families in Ireland. It is located about 23 kilometers west of Dublin, near Maynooth in County Kildare. The Carton Demesne is now 1,100 acres, but it used to be much larger, about 70,000 acres! For 200 years, the Carton Demesne was known as the best example of a Georgian-style parkland in Ireland. In the 2000s, parts of the estate were turned into two golf courses, and the house itself became a hotel.
History of Carton House
How Carton Demesne Began
Carton Demesne has a history that goes back more than 800 years. The FitzGerald family first owned this land after Maurice FitzGerald helped the Normans capture Dublin in 1170. As a reward, he was given the area of Maynooth, which included Carton.
Later, in 1315, John FitzGerald became the 1st Earl of Kildare. The FitzGerald family became very powerful in Ireland, almost ruling the country between 1477 and 1513.
However, in 1537, Thomas FitzGerald, also known as 'Silken Thomas', led a rebellion against the English King. He and five of his uncles were executed. Even though the FitzGeralds got their land and titles back later, they didn't become as powerful again until the 1700s.
The First House at Carton
The first house at Carton was built in the early 1600s by William Talbot. The land and house were later taken by the Crown in 1691. In 1703, they were sold to Major-General Richard Ingoldsby.
Building the Current House
In 1739, the Ingoldsby family sold the land back to the FitzGerald family. The 19th Earl of Kildare hired a famous architect named Richard Cassels to design the house we see today. Cassels also designed other grand houses in Ireland, like Powerscourt House and Leinster House.
In 1747, the 20th Earl of Kildare married Lady Emily Lennox. She was very important in shaping the house and its grounds. Lady Emily created the beautiful Chinese Room and decorated the famous Shell Cottage with shells from all over the world. One of their 23 children was Lord Edward FitzGerald, a well-known Irish patriot who led the 1798 rebellion.
Changes in the 1800s
Carton House stayed mostly the same until 1815. At that time, the 3rd Duke of Leinster decided to make Carton his main home. He hired Richard Morrison to make the house bigger and change its design. Morrison added new rooms, including the famous Dining Room. The main entrance to the house was also moved to the north side.
Carton House in the 1900s and 2000s
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The FitzGerald family owned Carton House until the early 1900s. The 7th Duke of Leinster sold his share of the estate to pay off gambling debts. His older brothers had passed away, so he unexpectedly inherited the title and what was left of the estate. Because of this, much of the Carton Estate was lost to the FitzGerald family. The house and the remaining land were finally sold by the 7th Duke and his son in the late 1940s.
It is said that in 1923, a local group of the IRA (Irish Republican Army) came to burn down Carton House. But a member of the FitzGerald family showed them a large painting of Lord Edward FitzGerald. They pointed out that they would be burning the home of a respected Irish patriot, and so the house was saved.
During the Second World War, the Irish Army used Carton House as their headquarters.
In 1949, a wealthy businessman named Ronald Nall-Cain bought the house. He later left it to his younger son, David Nall-Cain, who sold it in 1977 to the Mallaghan family. In 2017, the Mallaghan family sold Carton House to John Mullen for €57 million.
Carton House as a Film Set
Carton House has been used as a location for many movies and TV shows. Some famous films made there include Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon (1975) and The Big Red One (1980). The movie Leap Year (2010), starring Amy Adams, also filmed some scenes at Carton.
The director Blake Edwards and his wife, actress Julie Andrews, lived at Carton House in 1969 while filming Darling Lili. The house itself was used in many scenes in the movie. More recently, Carton House was a main location for the Irish TV drama Love/Hate.
Becoming a Hotel and Golf Resort
In 2000, Carton House was redeveloped into a "premier golf resort and hotel." This change was criticized by groups who wanted to protect old buildings and landscapes. A hotel was added to the main house, changing it a lot. The old 18th-century grounds were turned into two golf courses.
Grounds of Carton House
Tyrconnell Tower
This tower is also known as The Prospect Tower. It is believed to have been built by Richard Talbot, the 1st Earl of Tyrconnell.
Shell Cottage
The famous Shell Cottage is a charming little building that once had a thatched roof. It is decorated both inside and out with seashells. It was built for Emily, Duchess of Leinster, the wife of the 1st Duke of Leinster.
Sports at Carton House
Golf
Carton House Golf Club has two golf courses. One was designed by Mark O'Meara and opened in 2002. The other was designed by Colin Montgomerie and opened in 2003. The O'Meara course uses the natural hills and the River Rye, while the Montgomerie course is like an inland links course with tall bunkers and fast greens.
Carton House has hosted the Irish Open golf tournament in 2005, 2006, and 2013. In 2006, it was the first Irish golf club to win an environmental award called 'Committed to Green'.
Golf Ireland
In 2020, a new group called Golf Ireland was created to be the main governing body for golf in Ireland. This group was formed by joining the men's and ladies' golf associations. The men's association used to have its headquarters and a teaching facility for young golfers at Carton House.
Rugby
The IRFU (Irish Rugby Football Union) has used Carton House and its grounds for training and as a team base since 2010.
Soccer
Many soccer teams come to Carton House for pre-season training. Teams like Newcastle United, Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Birmingham City have trained there. The Brazil national team also visited in 2008.
GAA
The Dublin GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) team used Carton House Demesne for training in the summer of 2009.
Images for kids
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Carton House in 2005
