Castles And Historic Buildings: 2013

Saturday, July 13, 2013

A Visit To Dublin Castle And Grounds - July 2013

Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, was until 1922 the seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland. The Castle served as the seat of English, then later British government of Ireland under the Lordship of Ireland (1171–1541), the Kingdom of Ireland (1541–1800), and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1800–1922). After the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in December 1921, the complex was ceremonially handed over to the newly formed Provisional Government led by Michael Collins. Dublin Castle fulfilled a number of roles through its history. Originally built as a defensive fortification for the Norman city of Dublin, it later evolved into a royal residence, resided in by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or Viceroy of Ireland, the representative of the monarch. The second in command in the Dublin Castle administration, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, also had his offices there. Over the years parliament and law courts met at the castle before moving to new purpose-built venues. It also served as a military garrison. Upon formation of the Free State in 1922, the castle assumed for a decade the role of the Four Courts on the Liffey quays which had been badly damaged during the Civil War. It was decided in 1938 that the inauguration of the first President of Ireland, Douglas Hyde would take place in the castle, and the complex has been host to this ceremony ever since. The castle is also used for hosting official State visits as well as more informal foreign affairs engagements, State banquets, and Government policy launches, as well as acting as the central base for Ireland's hosting of the European Presidency approximately every 10 years [most recently January - June 2013].

The Stamping Building - Lower Castle Yard - Dublin Castle

It is more than six months since I last visited Dublin Castle and I was a bit surprised by the fact that the lower castle yard looked different. Wednesday 19th December PRESS RELEASE Minister of State Brian Hayes TD today officially announced the completion of the 'Printworks Conference Centre' in the Stamping Building, Dublin Castle. This building was previously occupied by the Mahon Tribunal and has been refurbished to act as a major conference space for use during Ireland’s Presidency of the EU in 2013. The Minister said, "It gives me great pleasure to see this iconic building refurbished to such a high standard by the OPW and ready to play an important part in Ireland's EU Presidency. The works undertaken included the provision of a new podium and steps to the front of the Stamping Building, modifications to the internal spaces and the refurbishment of the old printing works for use as a state-of-the-art conference facility. I am glad that this project is both on time and on budget. It is undoubtedly an investment not just for the Presidency, but for the future of Dublin Castle." The Minister added "I am also delighted to be here today to reaffirm the commitment of Dublin Castle and OPW in implementing Sustainable Event Management and Environmental Management practices; within the venue, recycling facilities, waste separation and energy efficient lighting and equipment will be used during the Presidency. Water consumption will also be minimised through the use of monitors and sensors, with filtered tap water only being provided during meetings and in all catering."

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Malahide Castle and Gardens is one of the oldest castles in Ireland, set on 260 acres, this magnificent & historic 12th century castle has been home to the Talbot family for over 800 years.

The Castle, along with its subsidiary attractions, is now operated as a tourist attraction by Dublin Tourism, working with Fingal County Council, which oversees the Castle Demesne.

Many historic castles and houses have one ghost, some have two or three, but Malahide Castle has five.

The estate began in 1185, when Richard Talbot, a knight who accompanied Henry II to Ireland in 1174, was granted the "lands and harbour of Malahide". The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 12th century and it was home to the Talbot family for 791 years, from 1185 until 1976, the only exception being the period from 1649–1660, when Oliver Cromwell granted it to Miles Corbet after the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland; Corbet was hanged following the demise of Cromwell, and the castle was restored to the Talbots. The building was notably enlarged in the reign of Edward IV, and the towers added in 1765.

The estate survived such losses as the Battle of the Boyne, when fourteen members of the owner's family sat down to breakfast in the Great Hall, and all were dead by evening, and the Penal Laws, even though the family remained Roman Catholic until 1774.

In the 1920s the private papers of James Boswell were discovered in the castle, and sold to American collector Ralph H. Isham by Boswell's great-great-grandson Lord Talbot of Malahide.
Malahide Castle and Demesne was eventually inherited by the seventh Baron Talbot and on his death in 1973, passed to his sister, Rose. In 1975, Rose sold the castle to the Irish State, partly to fund inheritance taxes.

Many of the contents, notably furnishings, of the castle, had been sold in advance, leading to considerable public controversy, but private and governmental parties were able to retrieve some.

Rose Talbot,one of the last surviving members of the Talbot family died at Malahide House, Tasmania in 2009. Her closest relatives, who married into the German surname Dietsch, traveled to Canada and the United States of America. Members of the Dietsch family still live in the USA and Canada today.