Maynooth Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maynooth Castle |
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| Native name Irish: Caisleán Má Nuad |
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| Type | Castle |
| Location | Parson Street, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland |
| Area | The Pale |
| Founder | Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly |
| Built | late 12th century |
| Architectural style(s) | Norman |
| Official name: Maynooth Castle | |
| Reference no. | 485 |
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Maynooth Castle is an old, ruined castle in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. It stands at the entrance to the South Campus of Maynooth University. Built in the late 1100s or early 1200s, it became the main home for the powerful Fitzmaurice and Fitzgerald families.
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History of Maynooth Castle
Building the Castle
Maynooth Castle was built by Gerald Fitzmaurice. He was the second son of Maurice Fitzgerald, Lord of Llanstephan. The castle was started in the late 12th century, around the year 1176. It was built where two streams met, which was a good spot for defense. This castle became the main home for the powerful Fitzgerald family. Over time, the castle was made bigger by people like Sir John Fitzgerald in the 15th century. Gerald Fitzmaurice's family later became known as the Earls of Kildare. They were very important people in Ireland.
The Siege of Maynooth
The Fitzgerald family lived in Maynooth Castle for many years. But their time there ended with a rebellion in 1534. This rebellion was led by Silken Thomas, whose real name was Thomas FitzGerald. He was the son of the ninth Earl of Kildare.
An English army, led by William Skeffington, attacked the castle in March 1535. They used powerful new cannons, which caused a lot of damage to the old stone walls. After a ten-day siege, the castle fell. The soldiers defending the castle were captured and then executed right outside the castle gate. Silken Thomas was caught soon after. He was sent to the Tower of London with his five uncles. They were all executed in 1537 for going against the king.
Later Years and Restoration
After the siege, the castle was mostly in ruins. However, it was partly rebuilt between 1630 and 1635 by Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. His daughter had married George FitzGerald, 16th Earl of Kildare, bringing the castle back into the family.
But this restored part of the castle was also destroyed in the 1640s during a conflict called the Eleven years war. After this, the Fitzgerald family left Maynooth Castle for good. They moved their main home first to Kilkea Castle and then to Carton House.
Today, Maynooth Castle is a partly ruined building. The Office of Public Works started working to restore parts of it in 2000. Their goal was to make it a heritage site. Now, the castle is open to the public during certain months of the year, usually from May to September. It's a popular place for visitors to learn about Irish history.
