Sir, – Further to Barry Roche’s article (“Burning of Mitchelstown Castle during Civil War continues to divide opinion 100 years later”, August 6th), following the widespread burnings and vandalism of the Civil War, the Provisional Government set up a compensation board promising that all claims would be paid promptly and in full.
Following the burning of Mitchelstown Castle, a claim in the neighbourhood of £150,000 was submitted in 1924. After two years of delay, negotiations brought an award of no more than £27,500.
Col Alec King-Harman, who had succeeded to the property on the death of Willie Webber remarked that, “The methods of the Government are not much better than those of card-sharpers’'.
The result was that the castle was demolished, with the ashlar being bought by the monks of Mount Melleray for their new abbey, as well as providing material for a convent near Lismore and for the entrance gates to Rockwell College. – Yours, etc,
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(Rev) PETER T HANNA,
Innishannon,
Co Cork.
