Castletown House What is it?Castletown House in Celbridge, Co Kildare, is the largest and most significant Palladian-style country house in Ireland.
Built between 1722 and 1729 for the speaker of the Irish House of Commons, William Conolly, it stayed in the Conolly family until 1965 when, after brief ownership by a property developer, it was bought in 1967 by the Hon Desmond Guinness. Through the Irish Georgian Society, Guinness dedicated himself to its restoration and it was subsequently managed by the Castletown Foundation. The house was transferred to State care in 1994 and is now run by the Office of Public Works (OPW).
Why visit?Castletown House is of interest both for the illustrious generations of the Connolly family who lived there and for its magnificent architectural features. Once described as the only house in Ireland to which the term palace can be applied, it has all the hallmarks of opulent living. Access to the house is by guided tour only. Highlights include the two-storey entrance hall, the Portland stone cantilevered staircase, the Long Gallery and a collection of 18th- and 19th-century portraits and furniture, which have recently been published in a decorative-arts catalogue. Guides also impart the social history of the residents of Castletown House, which was possibly the most fashionable place to be seen in 18th-century Ireland.
Why now?Castletown House participates in the OPW scheme that offers primary schools free admission to all its heritage sites. Aspects of the curriculum have been adapted for learning in the house and parklands. For example, Discover Maths in an 18th-century House encourages the exploration of angles, shapes and estimations of various parts of the building, as well as describing a secret code to find the name of a Greek goddess.
Children can dress up in 18th-century costumes and imagine what life was like both for the servants and the owners of this magnificent house. There are also nature trails through a wildflower meadow down to the River Liffey.
Workshops for five- to 12-year-olds are held every Sunday at 11am and free children’s tours will be held at 2pm today and tomorrow as part of the Easter programme.
How to get there? Castletown House is approximately 20km from Dublin and can be reached by car via the M4, taking Exit 6 (R449) for Celbridge West/Leixlip West. Parking is free. The number 67 Dublin Bus from Merrion Square takes you to the main street of Celbridge village, from which Castletown House is a 10-minute walk. Admission €4.50/€3.50, and €12.50 for families. Guided tours are available from Tuesday to Sunday and on bank holiday Mondays from mid-March to October 31st; castletown.ie; 01-6288252.
