Guests receive a complimentary book on the history of the Castle.
More is known of the history of Killahara Castle than of many similar castles.
The history traces the story from construction in the late 1500's to conservation in 2008.
Fleadh agus Fáilte - Festivities and Welcome
the motto on the Ó Fogartie / Fogarty family
crest.
Chief Donagh Ó Fogartie
would have welcomed you to his Castle
The Castle history reflects part of the history of Ireland. In summary:
First built by the Donagh
O'Fogartie in about 1550
O'Fogartie was killed in battle in 1582
in the early 1600's the Castle
passed through marriage from the O'Fogartie clan who operated under Brehon law to the Purcell family, operating under
English law
in the 1640's Cromwell sacked the Castle dispossessed the Purcells for being 'Irish
Papists'
The Castle and lands were indirectly then awarded to a branch of the Trant family, considered
compliant with the new Puritanical order
In the 1670's the Purcells were reinstated on other lands, under Charles
Fogarty
descendents becane tenants at the Castle some time in the late 1700's
in 1819 the Trants evicted one
branch of the Fogarties from the Castle
in 1850, Black Jack Fogarty, beggared by the famine, was evicted from
Killahara
In 1852 the Trants embarked on restoring the castle as part of the new estate village of Dovea
An
artist's impression of the 'Victorianized' end product envisaged by Trant is in the National Library (see pictures
page)
The Trants employed a very harsh agent called Ellis.
He was murdered in 1858 very near the Castle and
is buried 150yards away in the graveyard of the old Church.
Infamously, the Cormack brothers, who lived across the
field from the Castle, were hanged (apparently wrongly) for the murder.
In the 1880's the Trants
were targetted for a boycott in the land wars and work on the Castle ceased.
The Trants continued to use the castle
as a meeting place for a ladies lawn tennis club (see pic.).
In 1903 Lady Emily Trant decided she would take
up residence at the Castle and another attempt at restoration was commenced.
Lady Trant lived in the Castle for only
a year.
In 1921 the 'Black and Tans' burnt out the Castle, destroying the floors and the roof.
In
the first part of the 20th century, the Trants, like many Anglo Irish gentry, were no longer able to maintain their estate
and it was sold, Castle included, to a local farmer's coop.
In the 1920's and 30's it was the venue for
dances and many people still living in the Dovea and Loughmore area met their partners in Killahara Castle
In
1981 a cow took up residence at the top of the castle. A fondly remembered lady, Mrs. O'Brien, took water and hay up the
spiral stairs every day for 18 months - until the last resident of Killahara Castle make her way down again.
In
2006 the SE Cattle Breeders' Society sold the Castle to the current owners in the hope that it would be restored
On
March 28, 2009 many local people attended an open day at the Castle - and participated in an evening of recollections
and celebration that would have made old Chief Fogartie proud
Though this is only a summary, our account of the history of Killahara is completely open to comment and correction by
all.
