The structure was originally a plantation castle, used for defensive purposes during the plantation of the area in the early 17th Century. The original tower house, which served as a garrison, was built in 1625 for Laurence Esmonde, later Baron Esmonde. Due to the strategic importance of the village of Clonegal during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland because of its location on the road between Dublin and Wexford, the castle was captured by Oliver Cromwell as he marched on Kilkenny in 1650. It is now a private house open to the public for guided tours
throughout June, July, August and September. It was the setting
for Stanley Kubrick's film Barry Lyndon. Its basement has been
the base of a religion, the Fellowship of Isis, since 1976.
The castle hosted the Solas Festival in August 2008. Telephone: +353 (0) 53 9377552 Fax: +353 (0) 53 9377160 E-mail: genova@reachbroadband.com Website: www.huntingtoncastle.com |
Huntington
Castle, also known as Clonegal Castle is a castle in Clonegal,
County Carlow.