Gorteens Castle facts for kids
Gorteens Castle is an old, ruined castle located on private land in the southeast of County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is close to the village of Slieverue and the city of Waterford. This castle is part of the historic Rathpatrick area, which has several other old ruins, including two churches.
The castle today is mostly a gatehouse, which might have been part of a much bigger castle long ago. The name Gorteens comes from the Irish language phrase na goirtinsdhe. This means "little gorts" or "little gardens." Digs by archaeologists in 1993 showed that people used this site from the 1500s to the 1700s. More digs in 2003 found even more old castle walls and other buildings.
Who Owned Gorteens Castle?
The land where Gorteens Castle stands was first owned by Raymond FitzGerald. He was an important person who died in the late 1100s. The FitzGerald family was a very powerful Norman-Irish family in medieval Ireland. They were one of the most important families until the 1500s.
The FitzGerald Family
Gorteens Castle was listed in a survey of Ireland called the Down Survey in 1656. It was in the areas known as the Baronys of Ida, Igrim, or Ibercon, and in Rathpatricke Parish. John FitzGerald, who was Catholic, was the last FitzGerald to own Gorteens.
After the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, John FitzGerald lost Gorteens Castle. This happened because of new rules called the Cromwellian Settlement. He was first moved to Connaught in 1653. Later, by 1677, he was given new lands in Turlough and Carra in County Mayo. A famous duellist named George Robert FitzGerald was a descendant of this family.
Later Owners
By 1670, it is believed that Samuel Skrimsheire (or Skrimshaw), who was Protestant, owned Gorteens Castle. Then, in the year 1700, members of the Forstall family owned the castle.
