The structure was originally a "plantation castle",[1] 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 the 15th century as a stronghold for the Caviness family, an old Irish clan. 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[2] 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,[3] The castle hosted the Solas Festival in August 2008.[4] co-founded by Olivia Robertson, her brother Lawrence Durdin-Robertson and his wife Pamela. The castle is now owned by Alexander and Claire Durdin Robertson. Gardens edit The Esmonde family laid out most of the gardens in the 17th century. This includes the French limes on the Avenue, the parterre or lawns to the side of the house, the fish ponds on either side of the centre walk through the wilderness and the majority of yew trees which comprise the Yew Walk. Larger plantings have resulted in Huntington possessing a number of great Irish trees, including varieties of hickory, a cut leaved oak, Siberian crab and buckeye chestnut. A lake at the bottom of the wilderness was built for ornamental purposes but next to it is one of the earliest water turbine houses in Ireland, providing Huntington with its own electricity as early as 1888. The River Derry, which forms the boundary between Counties Wexford and Carlow, flows along the bottom of the wilderness, providing a pleasant setting for woodland walks. Ghosts edit There have been various myths that Huntington castle has been plagued by ghosts of druids in the fields and even in the castle.[5] It is said that the druids could, at a stroke, create a mist and start fires at will. They were revered in Ireland as the Spiritual leaders and holders of great knowledge including Astronomy.

Ireland I keep throwing and I love you and Princess Pareey is very clean and Paris men smell like cheese and I love it!😊

Why would somebody pay what must have been a substantial amount for the house only to demolish it? Had he a grudge against the family or something.

Rte had a show years ago called family silver and one episode was about the American chap and this house.

What is there to celebrate about colonialism?

Thank God it was saved for the nation. When I hear The land commission sends a shiver down my spine. It just limped over the line into the 1970s. 1940s 50s 60s could have been very different. Thanks to the Georgian society and then Office of Public works. Thanks for posting. Beautiful place a jem!

The older generation of Guinnesses always pronounced it Loog á la. They were all absolutley demented though so I wouldn't bet on it being accurate.

It's actually pronounced "Loo-Gala"

Excellent

Thank you for commemorating both the house and the wonderful Elizabeth Bowen!

3:10 - What an enormous waste!

the painting resembles him.

I saw the guestbook for St Anne’s and it was poignant to see my ancestors (parents and children) as week guests in 1903. They appear later in photographs from Farmleigh in the 1930’s.

Is there any way to restore Dromore castle? Clearly it will take a boat load of cash.

Who owed the land before them 😊

Joan Ussher Sharkey wrote a fantastic book on the Guinness estate in St Annes, very much worth a read.

1665 is more than a little bit earlier than 1961 don't you think.?

Hello , I can prove direct lineage between me and Richard Talbot. My name at birth was literally Richard Talbott

Lovely interview and most enjoyable stories of the family life,thank you.

Very interesting.I shall read up on this property.Thank you.

Extremely informative,thank you.

Thank you for your fascinating video. The building looks unusual but so appropriate for the surroundings.

Love this channel 💞

These women all waft around in delicate gowns. I wonder how they found the climate in Ireland!

What an interesting and tragic story. Thank you for your video.

Thank you

I have just found your content and really enjoyed it. Have you covered Mountlong Castle where the Busteed family lived and Rossmangher (Castle Henry) the D'esterre family lived. These families were my ancestors homes. Many thanks.

Daughter is the great grandaughters of Marjorie Joyce. Her mother was Mary Farry Given up for adoption by Marjorie Joyce. The story is fascinating I know because I witnessed the reunion of mother and daughter. Francis Marjorie's only brother alive after Marjorie's left the Estate to Mary Farry. Who's son sold it to the new owners. There was a lot of skulduggery and unbelievable events. After the death of the Joyce's. I could write a best seller. Astonishing things happened but I know the truth 😢

Woodlawn house is far superior

Very interesting I'm from galway woodlawn would be worth mentioning

So glad you came around to the phenomenon of "resident hermits". A subject worth deeper exploration. Always thought this a very interesting hobby of the wealthy British landowners and their appropriation of the Irish tradition of ascetism brought by Patrick. I always imagine a post-dinner party venturing out with their cognacs to the cave or cell to ask the hermit droll questions and then thinking they too should have a hermit at their country pile for the amusement of their guests.

the narrator's book "Luggala Days " is marvellous

I like this series, there is a rustic castle in Oatley Sydney, NSW thats been converted to a bbq area so if it’s a useful folly, is it no longer a folly?

savetown from tuam holocaust...

Absolutely gorgeous. I'm so grateful to owners of these great houses for lovingly caring for them. This is my favorite architecture period in Ireland and The U.K. I've toured so many on my visits to Ireland, yet still am bewildered by their grandeur and beauty. Thank you so much for these history lessons on the Big Houses of Ireland.

I can tell you from personal experience it's very haunted

Castle Plunkett

3:40 of course…. It always is 🙏🏽

Remarks. First Division fairyland. Incongruous no problem fairyland. Education all congruity. King of neo-gothic incongruity architect. Incongruity lost on Casaubon Bounderby too former Middlemarch George Eliot latter Hard Times Charles Dickens.

You should do a 'book haul' Robert, basically go through your existing book collection (tantalisingly glimpsed behind you) and maybe pick out some highlights and recommended reads. Not a tangent either I think - if as I suspect the books are related to your channel's concerns to varying degrees.

You should continue with your work but show more detail of the houses and comment's on each dubbed over the visual beauty of the houses. This then becomes an important part of the history and visual record for future generations. Well done to you on this project.

You have shown very little of the lybary

Unfortunately the castle is not open to the people so it is not as interesting to visit and there for of less value for its existence, It is just a building of a distance and shows no potential at all.

Robert have you come back to do the gardens with Thomas yet? Don’t forget! These are wonderful pieces. Thank you so much.

Brilliant

So wonderful to see you producing videos again. Thank you!

Fantastic! I

He's absolutely delightful.

Thank you for producing this very interesting video. The kitchen window is a very grand affair for a kitchen.

That was a very interesting story, looking forward to the next piece of the tour.