Glin Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glin Castle |
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| Location | Glin, County Limerick, Republic of Ireland |
| Built | 1780 |
| Architectural style(s) | Georgian Neoclassical |
| Owner | FitzGerald family |
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Glin Castle is a beautiful old house in Glin, County Limerick, Ireland. It sits right by the River Shannon. This special building is known as a "Georgian country house" and is a national heritage site, meaning it's an important part of Ireland's history.
For more than 700 years, Glin Castle has been home to the FitzMaurice/FitzGerald family. It was also the main home of the Knights of Glin, who were important leaders in the area.
A Long History
The FitzGerald and Fitzmaurice families first came to this part of Ireland in the 1200s. They settled near a place called Shanid Castle after the Anglo-Norman invasion. This was when people from England and France came to Ireland.
The Original Castle
In the 1300s, a powerful leader called the Lord of Desmond gave one of his sons the special title of Knight of Glin. This son built the first Glin Castle right in the village of Glin. It became the permanent home for all future Knights of Glin.
The castle faced many attacks over the years. In the 1500s, it was attacked during the Desmond Rebellions, which were conflicts between Irish lords and the English Crown. In the 1600s, it was attacked again during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, when Oliver Cromwell's forces took control of Ireland. It also saw trouble during the Jacobite risings and when strict laws called the Penal Laws were put in place. In 1601, British soldiers surrounded the castle and even kidnapped the Knight's son.
The Georgian House
By the late 1600s, the old castle was no longer used. The FitzGerald family moved into a simpler, thatched house nearby. In the 1780s, John Bateman FitzGerald, who was the 23rd Knight of Glin, married Margaretta Maria Fraunceis Gwyn. He used money she brought into the marriage to build the grand new house we see today. It was built in the "Georgian style," which was popular at the time. Later, some "Neo-classical" features were added, giving it an even more elegant look.
In 1923, a group of people from Sinn Féin, an Irish political party, attacked the castle.
Recent Times
In 1993, the FitzGerald family decided to open the castle as a hotel. This helped them pay for the castle's upkeep and repairs. However, the hotel closed in 2008.
In 2011, Desmond FitzGerald, who was the 29th and last Knight of Glin, passed away. He did not have a son to inherit the title. In 2015, the castle was put up for sale at a famous auction house called Christie's. It didn't sell at the auction. To keep the castle in the family, it was bought by Catherine FitzGerald, who is the daughter of the last Knight of Glin, and her husband, Dominic West.
Today, Glin Castle is both a family home and a place that can be rented out for special events.
