Gowran Castle facts for kids
Gowran Castle is a historic building found right in the middle of Gowran, a town in County Kilkenny, Ireland. This castle is actually a large manor house. It was carefully fixed up and made new again between 2013 and 2014.
Contents
The Castle's Beginnings
The very first Gowran Castle was built way back in 1385. It was built by a powerful person named James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond. An "Earl" was a noble, a very important person in society. James Butler chose this castle as his main home. People even called him the "Earl of Gowran." Later, in 1391, he bought another famous castle, Kilkenny Castle, and a big part of County Kilkenny.
James Butler passed away at Gowran Castle in 1405. He was buried in a special church nearby, St. Mary's Collegiate Church Gowran. His father and grandfather, who were also Earls of Ormond, are buried there too. His great-grandfather was Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick, a very important leader in Ireland. James Butler's grandfather, the 2nd Earl, was known as "The Noble Earl" because his mother was a great-granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
Gowran Before the Castle
Gowran was an important place long before the Normans arrived in Ireland in 1169 AD. The kings of Kingdom of Ossory, an old Irish kingdom, were often called kings of Gowran. Important families like the Mac Giolla Padraig (now known as Fitzpatrick) and O’Donnchadha (Dunphy) lived and ruled here.
You can still find clues about how old Gowran is. Names of places like Rathvaun and Rathcash show there were "raths" here. Raths were like small forts or circular homes where people lived, farmed, and found food. They were also sometimes used as burial places. Larger versions of these settlements were called "Duns," like the nearby village of Dungarvan. An ancient Ogham stone, which is a stone with old Irish writing, is on display in St. Mary’s Collegiate Church. This stone is about 2000 years old and shows that people lived and worshipped in Gowran a very long time ago.
Other old sites are close to Gowran too. For example, the Tullaherin Church and its Round Tower date back to the 6th Century. Freestone Hill, about 4 kilometers from Gowran, was a settlement during the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Roman coins and other old items were found there during digs in the 1940s and 1950s.
The Butler Family's Influence
The Butler family owned lands in the Gowran area for nearly 500 years. After the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, a huge area of land, about 44,000 acres, was given to Theobald Fitzwalter. He was the first "Chief Butler of Ireland," a very important title. This land included the Manor of Gowran.
Other Butler Castles in Gowran
The Butler family didn't just build Gowran Castle. They also built other castles nearby. These include Ballysean Castle, which is close to the center of Gowran, Neigham Castle, about 4 kilometers away, and Paulstown Castle, located between Gowran and Paulstown.
The Agar Family Takes Over
In 1650, during the time of Oliver Cromwell and his army in Ireland, Gowran was attacked. Gowran Castle was badly damaged during this time. For the next 300 years, the Agar family became very important in the Gowran area. Many generations of the Agar family lived in Gowran Castle. Just like the Butlers before them, many members of the Agar family are buried in St. Mary’s Collegiate Church Gowran.
Gowran Castle Through Time
Here's a timeline of important events for Gowran Castle:
- 489 AD - Kings of Ossory, an old Irish kingdom, were known to have a home in the Gowran area.
- 754 - The Battle of Bealach Gabhrán took place. This is an old name for Gowran.
- 938 - Gowran was part of the ancient lands of Ossory. The O Dunphy clans lived in the Gowran area, and the Mac Giolla Padraig family were the main rulers of Ossory.
- 1169 - After the Normans arrived, the Manor of Gowran covered a huge area of 44,000 acres.
- 1385 - James Butler, the 3rd Earl of Ormond, built the first castle near the town wall and made it his home.
- 1391 - James Butler also bought Kilkenny Castle and a large part of County Kilkenny.
- 1501 - Margaret FitzGerald, Countess of Ormond, who was a powerful woman, rebuilt parts of Gowran Castle. She also helped decorate St. Mary's Collegiate Church Gowran.
- 1650 - Oliver Cromwell and his army attacked the castle, causing a lot of damage.
- 1710 - Lewis Chaigneau, a merchant from Dublin who owned Gowran Castle, had the castle and its lands mapped. This map showed the castle and the walled town of Gowran.
- 1713 - Henry Agar built a new castle close to where the Butler Castle stood. He used materials from the older castle.
- 1747 - After Henry Agar passed away, his wife Ann offered many of his belongings for sale at the castle, including animals like sheep, cattle, and horses.
- 1816–1819 - Henry Agar, the 2nd Viscount Clifden, rebuilt the castle. This is the building you see today.
- 1839 - The first official maps of Ireland showed that the Gowran Castle estate covered a large area of land.
- 1840 - A cricket club ground was created at Gowran Castle by Lord Clifden. The first recorded cricket match was played there in 1842.
- 1876 - Henry George Agar-Ellis, the 4th Viscount Clifden, was listed as owning over 35,000 acres of land, including Gowran Castle.
- 1953 - The government started the process of buying 774 acres of the estate to divide it up.
- 1957 - Gowran Castle and about 68 acres of land were sold to James and Mary Moran. The Moran family lived in the castle until 1998.
- 1998 - The castle and about 65 acres of land were sold at a public auction to a company from the Isle of Man.
- 1999 - Plans to build 156 homes on the castle estate were not approved by the local council.
- 2004 - Another plan, which included turning the castle into a hotel and building many homes and holiday units, was also not approved.
- 2009 - The castle had been empty and uncared for for eleven years and was falling apart. Local groups worried about its condition.
- 2010 - A fire broke out in the castle on May 16, 2010. Luckily, firefighters arrived quickly and saved the castle from being completely destroyed, though it was damaged. Later that year, a plan for the Gowran area was approved. The castle and its surrounding land were set aside for "Tourism and Amenity" (meaning for visitors and enjoyment).
- 2011 - After a big economic problem in Ireland, the castle's ownership was taken over by NAMA, a government agency.
- 2012 - NAMA put the castle up for sale.
- 2013 - The castle was finally sold, and restoration work began to bring it back to its former glory.
External Links
- Freestone Hill and the Hawthorn Tree
