Killahara castle facts for kids

The west face of Killahara, also known as a towerhouse

Killahara Castle is an old castle in Ireland. It is found in a place called Dovea Upper Townland, near Thurles. The castle is also close to the villages of Dovea and Loughmore in County Tipperary. It's about a 15-minute drive from the main road that connects Dublin and Cork.

A Look Back at Killahara Castle

Who Built the Castle?

Killahara Castle was first built around the year 1550. It was built for Donagh O'Fogartie. He was the leader, or Chief, of the O'Fogartie family. This family controlled a large part of North Tipperary back then.

Changing Owners

In 1583, the Chief was killed in a battle. The castle then went to his wife, who was from the Purcell family. So, the Purcell family took over the castle.

Cromwell's Arrival

Around 1649, a big change happened in Ireland. An army led by Oliver Cromwell took control of many places. The Purcell family was forced to leave Killahara Castle. Cromwell's soldiers searched the castle and removed its roof. The lands that belonged to the Fogartie and Purcell families were given to an English adventurer named Annesley.

New Families and Hard Times

In the early 1700s, the castle and its lands were given to the Trant family. They already owned a lot of land in Kerry. The Trants managed the lands from far away. Later, in the early 1830s, a part of the Trant family built a large house called Dovea House nearby.

People who rented land from the Trants lived in the partly ruined castle. This continued until 1850. That year, a man named Black Jack Fogarty died there. He was likely a descendant of the first chiefs. He became very poor because of the Great Famine.

Efforts to Restore the Castle

In 1852, John Trant started a project to fix up the castle. He only finished part of it. His attention then moved to building a village called Dovea. He also built a church for workers he brought in from the UK.

In 1903, Fitzgibbon Trant tried another restoration project. After this, his aunt Emily lived in the castle for a while.

In 1920, the castle was badly damaged by fire. This was done by the Black and Tans. They were a British force brought in to stop Ireland's fight for independence.

Modern Restoration

In 2006, the Dovea Estate sold the castle. The new owners started a project to make the castle livable again. They worked with experts who knew how to preserve old buildings. This project was finished in 2009.

The Spirit of Killahara Castle

The first Fogartie family had a special saying. It was 'Fleadh agus Failte'. This means 'festivities and welcomes'. The team who restored the castle chose this saying. They wanted to bring back that spirit of celebration and welcome to the building.