Malahide Castle
Malahide Castle
In 1185 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 was home to the Talbot family for 791 years: 1185 - 1976, except for the period 1649–60 when Oliver Cromwell granted it to Miles Corbet after the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Following the demise of Cromwell, Corbet was hanged and the castle was restored to the Talbots. The building was enlarged in the reign of Edward IV, and the towers added in 1765.
Malahide Castle was eventually inherited by the 7th Baron Talbot and on his death in 1973, passed to his sister, Rose. In 1975, Rose sold the castle to the Irish State.
In 1185 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 was home to the Talbot family for 791 years: 1185 - 1976, except for the period 1649–60 when Oliver Cromwell granted it to Miles Corbet after the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Following the demise of Cromwell, Corbet was hanged and the castle was restored to the Talbots. The building was enlarged in the reign of Edward IV, and the towers added in 1765.
Malahide Castle was eventually inherited by the 7th Baron Talbot and on his death in 1973, passed to his sister, Rose. In 1975, Rose sold the castle to the Irish State.
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Malahide Ghosts
With such a long history it's not surprising that this castle has ghosts. There are quite a few but the one of most interest was that of the “Puck of Malahide”. He was a jester of the court and had fallen in love with one of the maids. Due to unrequited love he commited suicide, hanging himself from the galley balustrade of the Great Hall. Given we were seated in the Great Hall at the time, just under the balustrade, this was chilling quite apart from whether he did, or did not, continue to roam the corridors on stormy nights. The sorrow and poignancy of this story was followed up by the telling of the historical event of how during the Battle of the Boyne 14 members of the Talbot family sat down to a meal in the Great Hall and all 14 were dead by the end of that day. (The Dublin Ghost tour people should take note... this is the way to tell tragic and ghost stories, not silly costumes and jumping out at people.) Below the pictures include interior shots of the castles, the ruins of Malahide Abbey (former medieval parish church which would have been in its glory in the early 1500s) and the "Tadpolt Botanic Gardens". Situated behind the castle it comprises several hectares of plants and lawns, a walled garden of 1.6 hectares and seven glasshouses, including a Victorian period conservatory Enjoy the slide show! |