Location: Dunsany, County Meath
Constructed: 1180 by Hugh de Lacy
Dunsany Castle is a medieval citadel in Dunsany, County Meath in Ireland. Dunsany Castle was erected in 1180 by Hugh de Lacy.
Dunsany castle and fiefdom stand on the land of Dunsany between the towns of Trim and Dunshaughlin. Nearby there is a small village Dansani Cross with post office, shop, Catholic Church, school, club, bar, local authorities. Dover house is not far away. Together with the village of Kilmessan, Dunsany township forms one Catholic parish.
The first castle Dunsany was built immediately after the
Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland in the style of Motte-and-Bailey "
in 1180-1181 years. To the left and right of the present castle can
be seen the foundations of ancient buildings. The four main towers
have survived from those ancient times, but the interior, the old
kitchen were completed in the XVIII-XIX centuries. The current
Dunsany castle is three times the size of the original castle.
Dunsany castle, together with Killeen castle, was given to the
knights of Cusack by the feudal Lord de Lacy. Owing to marriage in
the early XV century castle devolved in ownership family Plunkett.
At first Dunsany castle and Killeen castle were part of the same
estate, but then Killeen castle went to the eldest son, and Dunsany
castle to the youngest son-Christopher. The estate was divided. The
castle was the property of the barons of Dunsany continuously, until
the time of Oliver Cromwell. In 1641 a rebellion broke out for Irish
independence, the barons of Dunsany supported the rebellion. Castle
kept the defense from the attack of British troops. The defense was
led by lady Plunkett. For this, the lands and castle were
confiscated from them by Oliver Cromwell, and they were evicted to
Connacht. They died on the way to Connacht. After the restoration of
the monarchy, the castle was returned to the cousins of the
owners-Saint and Oliver Plunkett.
The Dunsany estate was reduced in area due to the policies of the
then British government and land acts in the late 19th century. But
the castle remained surrounded by the lands of the primeval fiefdom.
In the castle lived and worked writer Lord Dunsany – much of his
literary heritage was written precisely in one of towers of the
castle.
Since 1990, work has been carried out on the restoration of Dunsany
castle. Another castle Plunkettiv - castle Trim lies in ruins and
transferred to the ownership of the state.
The entrance to the castle is from the porch, then there is a passage to the Central corridor, the main staircase, the vaulted ceiling, the second hall. On the ground floor is the main dining room with portraits of the Plunkett people and other paintings. There is a billiard room, kitchen-both ancient and modern. On the ground floor there is a library and a living room, which has a decoration of 1780. The library is decorated in neo-Gothic style. On the second floor there is a secret passage, which was used for ancient Catholic plots. On the third floor there are bedrooms.
The mansion is surrounded by a wall, most of which was built during
the Holodomor of 1848 for the sole purpose of giving people jobs and
means to survive. The main gate of the estate of the middle Ages,
there is a so-called "pilgrim's cross", there is a house of the
estate guard-the gate house. There are locks on the river, the locks
have a house and a tall white gate. The third lock had an
interesting black house, but it was barbarously destroyed in the
1980s. Nearby near the estate there is a Church of St. Nicholas of
Myra (which is called by locals "Abbey"). The Church was built in
1440 on the site of an older Church that had stood here since at
least 1305. Now it is a monument of history and architecture of
Ireland of national importance. Near the Church there is an ancient
cemetery. The Church went out of use - a new Church was built.
There is a large garden of over 3 acres. Garden as in ancient times
gives people fruits and vegetables. Preserved house gardener, there
is an apiary. The estate has numerous stone outbuildings, ice
storage houses, stables. Around the estate there are swamps, fields,
forests. There is a railway station on the Dublin-Navan line nearby.
The river scone, a tributary of the river Boyne, flows through the
estate.
The castle can be visited only on certain days of the year and then
for a fee. The castle was used during the filming of many films,
including the film "Braveheart".