Portlick Castle facts for kids

Portlick Castle is an old castle in Ireland, found near a village called Glasson in County Westmeath. It's about 6 miles from Athlone, right by the beautiful Lough Ree. The castle has a tall, square stone tower from the late Middle Ages, which is four stories high. It also has a two-story part built in the Georgian style and another tower added during the Victorian era. This mix of styles makes it look very unique!

A Look Back at Portlick Castle's History

The Dillon Family and Early Days

The story of Portlick Castle begins with Sir Henry de Leon. He came to Ireland with Prince John (who later became King John) of England. This was after an early invasion led by the Earl of Pembroke, also known as Strongbow, in 1169. Sir Henry was given a lot of land in the Westmeath area.

Over time, his family name changed from De-lee-on to Dillon. The Irish version of this name is "Diolun." A part of the Dillon family received the lands of Portlick. They likely built a small fort nearby called a motte. This motte was probably their main home and defense until the castle was built around 1500.

The Dillons lived in Portlick Castle for many years. However, in 1696, Garrett Dillon, who used to be a judge in Dublin, had to leave Ireland. This happened because of a special rule called the Articles of Limerick. He went to France and passed away there a few years later.

New Owners and Changes

After Garrett Dillon left, the castle was given to Thomas Keightly. He was an important advisor to King William. Thomas Keightly then sold the castle to William Palmer from Dublin.

Later, the crown (the government at the time) took the property back. In 1703, it was sold to Reverend Robert Smyth (Smith). Members of the Smyth family lived in Portlick Castle until 1955.

The Smyths made some big changes to the castle. They added the Georgian-style living area. Then, in 1860, Robert Ralph Smyth built a new three-story tower block. This tower had a castle-like look and was added to the front of the Georgian part. This is why the castle now has its two-tower appearance.

Fire, Restoration, and Recent Times

Sadly, Portlick Castle had a difficult time. According to old newspaper articles, the castle "burned down" on July 17, 1861. A lot of valuable items like plates, furniture, and books were lost. After the fire, the castle was not fit to live in for a long time.

In 1988, an Australian poet named Luke Whitington bought the castle. He was also an art supporter and had experience fixing old buildings in Italy. He worked hard to put new roofs on the castle and fix up its buildings. By 2000, the local council officially said the castle was safe to live in again.

In 2012, people could rent the entire castle for holidays. It was also put up for sale, along with 27 acres of land. As of 2019, Luke Whitington still owned Portlick Castle, and it was rented out as a private home. In 2020, the castle was still listed for sale.

Ghost Stories

Some people believe that Portlick Castle is haunted! Local stories say that a "Blue Lady" ghost can be seen there. This ghost is also said to haunt other places in Ireland, like Kilkenny Castle, Monkstown Castle in Cork, the Sharon Rectory, and the Workhouse Museum in Derry.