Rathcoffey Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rathcoffey Castle |
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| Native name Irish: Caisleán Ráth Chofaigh |
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Two-storey gatehouse, viewed from the rear (east)
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| Type | Castle |
| Location | Rathcoffey Demesne, Rathcoffey, County Kildare, Ireland |
| Built | 15th century |
| Architectural style(s) | Norman |
| Official name: Rathcoffey Castle | |
| Reference no. | 404 |
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Rathcoffey Castle is an old castle in County Kildare, Ireland. It was built a long time ago, in the 1400s. Today, it's a special place called a National Monument, which means it's protected because of its history.
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Where is Rathcoffey Castle?
You can find Rathcoffey Castle in a field just east of Rathcoffey village. It's about 4.3 kilometers (2.7 miles) from a town called Straffan.
What Does the Castle Look Like?
Today, the most important part of Rathcoffey Castle still standing is its gatehouse. A gatehouse is like a special building that guards the entrance to a castle. This one has two floors. It also has a window with stone bars, called a mullioned window. Experts think this gatehouse was built in the 1400s, just like the rest of the castle.
Who Owned Rathcoffey Castle?
The Wogan Family
The story of Rathcoffey Castle begins with the Wogan family. In 1317, a man named John Wogan was given the land where the castle stands. His family, the Wogans, were originally from Wales and France. They built the castle here.
In 1417, the castle was mentioned in a document about a Wogan family wedding. This shows it was an important family home.
A Family Fight for the Castle
Later, in 1453, there was a big family disagreement over who should own the castle. Richard Wogan led an army to attack and capture Rathcoffey Castle. He took it from his cousin, Anne Eustace. Anne was from an older part of the Wogan family, but Richard was the oldest male heir. In the end, Richard got to keep Rathcoffey Castle. Anne and her family received other Wogan lands instead.
Losing and Regaining the Castle
In 1580, William Wogan, who owned the castle then, joined a rebellion. This was called the Second Desmond Rebellion, and it was about supporting the Roman Catholic faith. William was executed the next year, and the government took all his lands. However, the Wogan family managed to get Rathcoffey Castle back soon after.
The Castle in Wartime
During the 1640s, there were many wars in Ireland, England, and Scotland, known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The Wogan family at Rathcoffey sided with the Parliament in these wars. In 1642, an army led by Colonel Monck marched to Rathcoffey Castle and attacked it.
When the castle fell, many people who lived there were sadly killed. Their bones were found in a nearby forest much later, in the 1800s. The soldiers who were defending the castle were taken to Dublin and executed.
New Owners and a New Home
In the 1700s, the castle belonged to Richard Wogan Talbot. Then, in 1785, a famous Irish leader named Archibald Hamilton Rowan bought it. He was part of a group called the Society of United Irishmen. Archibald built a new, large house right where the old castle was, using parts of the Wogan family's original home.
Over the years, the castle changed hands many times. Eventually, a religious group called the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) owned it. In the 1970s, they sold it to a local farmer.
