Maynooth Castle

25/06/2026

Princess. Mistress. Wife. Captive. Survivor.

Born around 1085, Nest ferch Rhys was the daughter of the last great king of Deheubarth.

Medieval chroniclers said her beauty could stop men in their tracks — and, like Helen of Troy, it helped ignite a conflict that shook Wales.

Her life reads like a historical thriller -
👑 A Welsh princess
🏰 A king’s mistress
⚔️ The wife of a Norman lord
🔥 Abducted by a rival prince
📜 Ancestor of powerful dynasties and famous chroniclers

Through love, ambition, betrayal, and war, Nest stood at the crossroads of Welsh and Norman history. Her descendants would shape the story of Britain and Ireland for centuries.

Join OPW Guide & Historian Seamus for this talk.

🗓️Wednesday, 1st of July.
🕕12:00pm
📍Maynooth Castle
🎟️Free admission (booking recommended)

To book -
[email protected]
046 942 2270
Message Maynooth Castle on Facebook

ℹ️Visitor Information:
• Free admission
• Exhibition on site
• No public toilets on site
• No onsite parking (paid on-street parking available)
• Due to the historic nature of the building, access is limited for visitors with mobility issues

24/06/2026

Under blue skies and warm sunshine, Maynooth Castle stands proudly as it has for centuries. Once the seat of the Fitzgeralds of Kildare, today it remains a timeless link to Ireland's medieval story. ☀️🏰

23/06/2026

23/06/2026

A little-known tragedy in the life of William FitzGerald, 2nd Duke of Leinster.

William married Emilia Olivia St. George in November 1775, and together they had nine children.

William was known for his liberal views and support for Catholic emancipation. In 1795, he donated land that helped establish what became St Patrick's College, Maynooth, an important moment in Irish Catholic education.

But 1798 was a devastating year for the Duke. During the turmoil leading up to the Irish Rebellion of 1798, William withdrew from politics and moved to England to care for his ailing wife.

Then tragedy struck twice in the same month.
On the 4th of June 1798, his younger brother, Lord Edward FitzGerald, died from wounds suffered after his capture by the authorities. Just nineteen days later, on June 23rd 1798, Emilia died in London.

To lose both a beloved brother and his wife of more than twenty years in the same month must have been an unbearable blow. William never returned to Irish politics and spent the remainder of his life largely in England, dying in 1804.

He passed away at Carton on October 20th, 1804 and was buried in Kildare Abbey, a former monastery in founded by St Brigid in the 5th century

History often remembers the great events of 1798, but behind them were families enduring heartbreak. For the Duke of Leinster, June 1798 was a month of profound personal loss.

22/06/2026

A reminder that our OPW guide and historian Seamus, will be hosting a talk here at Maynooth Castle. He will delve into the fascinating world of the Fitzgerald dynasty, uncovering the lives of some of the remarkable Fitzgerald women whose influence shaped the course of history. 👑

🗓️Wednesday, 1st of July.
🕥12:00pm
📍Maynooth Castle
🎟️Free admission (booking recommended)

To book -
[email protected]
046 942 2270
Message Maynooth Castle on Facebook

ℹ️Visitor Information:
• Free admission
• Exhibition on site
• No public toilets on site
• No onsite parking (paid on-street parking available)
• Due to the historic nature of the building, access is limited for visitors with mobility issues

19/06/2026

Local Fitzgerald family lore has it that Jonathan Swift didn’t have to look far for inspiration when creating the tiny inhabitants of Lilliput in Gulliver’s Travels. ✍🏻

After a falling out with Robert FitzGerald, the 19th Earl of Kildare, Swift supposedly immortalised his rival by modelling the Lilliputians on him and his court. Petty argument? Perhaps. Literary revenge? Absolutely!

Robert married Lady Mary O’Brien, and they had four sons and eight daughters, among them James FitzGerald, later the 1st Duke of Leinster.

While the FitzGerald family owned the lands of Carton since the 1170s, their primary residence was Maynooth Castle. After it fell into ruin, FitzGerald repurchased the lease of the Carton estate in 1739 for £8,000. While the FitzGerald dynasty flourished, Swift was busy creating one of the most enduring works of satire in world literature.

So next time you read Gulliver’s Travels, spare a thought for the Earl of Kildare… who may have gone down in history as the man who inspired an entire nation of tiny people. 📚

17/06/2026

The Fair Geraldine and the Women of the Fitzgerald Dynasty! 🏰

She was celebrated for her beauty, immortalised in poetry, and born into one of Ireland's most powerful families.

Elizabeth FitzGerald, better known as "The Fair Geraldine" was an Irish noblewoman and a member of the celebrated Fitzgerald dynasty. Born at Maynooth Castle, she was the daughter of Gearóid Óg, 9th Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy of Ireland, and his second wife, Lady Elizabeth Grey.

Her half-brother was none other than the infamous rebel Thomas FitzGerald, remembered to history as "Silken Thomas."

But Elizabeth's story is only one chapter in the extraordinary saga of the Fitzgerald women — women who navigated politics, power, rebellion, and royal courts, leaving an enduring mark on both local and Irish history.

Join our OPW guide and historian Seamus, as he delves into the fascinating world of the Fitzgerald dynasty, uncovering the lives of Elizabeth and other remarkable women whose influence shaped the course of history.

📅 Wednesday, 1st of July.
🕛 12:00pm
📍 Maynooth Castle

🎟️Free admission (booking recommended)

To book -
📧 [email protected]
📞 046 942 2270
📱 Message Maynooth Castle on Facebook

ℹ️Visitor Information:
• Free admission
• Exhibition on site
• No public toilets on site
• No onsite parking (paid on-street parking available)
• Due to the historic nature of the building, access is limited for visitors with mobility issues

15/06/2026

Final Call for Titanic Talk at Maynooth Bookshop!🚢

This Wednesday evening, join historian, tour guide and author Alan for a fascinating journey into the story of the world's most famous ship. Thomas Andrews, Kildare and the Legacy of the Titanic.

📅 Wednesday, 17th June
🕡 6:30pm
📍 Maynooth Bookshop

Discover the story of Titanic's brilliant designer, Thomas Andrews, the ship's passengers and crew, and the surprising connections between County Kildare, Maynooth, and the Titanic story itself.
From her construction in Belfast to her tragic sinking and enduring legacy, this promises to be an engaging evening of history, human stories and local connections.

🎟️ Free admission – but booking is recommended!
Book your free ticket here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1990850220602?aff=oddtdtcreator

Don't miss this special evening at Maynooth Bookshop – all aboard for an unforgettable talk! ⚓️

12/06/2026

Two dates for the diary 📔🗓️

11/06/2026

On This Day – 11 June 1534: The Silken Thomas Rebellion Begins. ⚔️🛡️❌

On this day in 1534, Thomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Kildare—better known as "Silken Thomas"—launched one of the most famous rebellions in Irish history.

His nickname came from the silk fringes worn by his followers on their helmets, or from the silken banners they carried into battle.

After hearing rumours that his father had been executed in the Tower of London and that the English government intended to destroy the Fitzgerald family, the 21-year-old Thomas summoned the council to St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin. There, accompanied by 140 armoured gallowglasses, he publicly renounced his allegiance to King Henry VIII.

Thomas then laid siege to Dublin, but Dublin Castle held out for the Crown. Retreating to Maynooth Castle, he continued the fight until the castle fell in 1535 after the betrayal of his foster brother. The captured garrison was executed in what became known as the "Maynooth Pardon."

Although Thomas gained support from many powerful Irish families, he overestimated how much backing the rebellion would receive. With Maynooth lost, the revolt quickly collapsed. Silken Thomas and his five uncles were eventually captured and executed at Tyburn in February 1537.

Despite its failure, the rebellion had a lasting impact, helping to bring greater English attention to Ireland and contributing to the creation of the Kingdom of Ireland in 1542.

📖 Adapted from the book “Ireland's Uncrowned Kings”.