Location: Newcastlewest, County Limerick Map
Constructed: 15th and 18th century
Springfield Castle stands near Newcastlewest in a County
Limerick in Ireland. Springfield Castle was constructed and
remodeled between 15th and 18th century. In 1280, The Norman
family FitzGerald settled here; at that time it was called Gort
na Tiobrad. The FitzGeralds of the local ruler, the Gaelic Ó
Colleáin married into the family, and received the title of the
lords of Clanoghlais. In the 15th century, their descendants
built a stone Donjon. This recently restored tower contains a
beautiful example of a staircase in an outer wall.
In the middle of the 17th century, the FitzGeralds provided the
Irish poet Dáibhi Ó Bruadair (1625-1698) with inspiration and
encouragement; he subsequently wrote an Eloge about the family
and recorded their life paths and exploits.
As the family flourished, a second tower was built in the course
of the 18th century, which was occupied by a garrison.
In 1691, after the confiscation of their lands by the king of
England, left the FitzGeralds Springfield Castle, and returned
to France. William FitzMaurice, a younger son of the 20th Lord
Kerry, bought the property. His son, John FitzMaurice, had a
large three-storey mansion built in early Georgian style, which
was connected to the 13th-century Donjon. This manor house was
burned down by the IRA in 1921.
In 1780, Ann FitzMaurice, the only heir, married Sir Robert
Deane, 1st Baron Muskerry. After the fire in 1921, Sir Robert
Deane, fifth Baron Muskerry, had the wing rebuilt for the
service of the Georgian manor and some other buildings
renovated. In this part of the building complex with 40 hectares
of Land and several Lodges live today the descendants of the
family. Today, the estate belongs to Robert Deane, 9th Baron
Muskerry.