Maynooth Castle

30/08/2026

A History of Medicine in Ireland: When Bloodletting Was the Cure 🩸

What would you do if your doctor told you the best way to treat an illness was to let some of your blood out? 🫢

For centuries, bloodletting was a common medical practice in Ireland and across Europe. Based on the ancient theory of the four humours -blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile, illness’s was believed to occur when these fluids became unbalanced.

Blood was often considered the most troublesome humour, and physicians believed that removing it could restore the body's balance. This could involve cutting a vein or applying leeches, with the timing of treatment sometimes influenced by the moon, astrology and even the weather.

And what about the barber pole? 💈
When Church regulations in the Middle Ages restricted members of the clergy from performing procedures involving blood, barbers increasingly took on surgical work. The familiar red and white stripes are traditionally associated with blood and bandages, giving us one of the strangest surviving reminders of medieval medicine.

Join us at Maynooth Castle for our final historical talk of the season, as we explore over a thousand years of Irish medical history, from the Early Christian period through to the early twentieth century — including the doctors, healers, surgeons, remedies and beliefs that shaped how illness was understood and treated.

📍 Maynooth Castle
📅 Wednesday, 2nd of September
⏰ 12:00pm
🎟️ Free admission — booking recommended

📧 [email protected]
📞 (01) 628 6744.
💬 Or message us here on Facebook.

Visitor Information -
•No public toilets on site
•No parking at the castle
•Paid on-street parking available nearby
•Easily accessible by public transport
•Train: Pearse, Tara Street & Connolly Stations.
•Bus: C3, C4, W6, 139 & 115
•Limited accessibility due to the historic nature of the building

27/08/2026

The History of Medicine in Ireland 🦠

In 1348, the Black Death arrived in Ireland, leaving devastation in its wake. Among those who witnessed its terrible impact was Friar John Clyn, a Franciscan friar in Kilkenny.

Clyn recorded the plague in his Annals of Ireland, providing one of the rare firsthand accounts of the Black Death in Ireland. His chronicle ends suddenly on 17 June 1349, after he wrote about what he was witnessing on parchment for anyone who might survive to continue his work. His own fate remains unknown, most likely he contracted the plague himself!

From the Black Death to the development of modern medicine, Ireland has a fascinating medical history filled with remarkable people, practices and stories.

Join us for our final historical talk of the season, exploring over a thousand years of Irish medical history, from the early Christian period to the early twentieth century.

📍 Maynooth Castle
📅 Wednesday, 2nd of September
⏰ 12:00pm
🎟️ Free admission — booking recommended

Contact -

📧 [email protected]
📞 (01) 628 6744
💬 Message us here on Facebook.

Visitor Information -
•Please note there are no public toilets on site.
•There is no parking at the castle.
•Paid on-street parking is available nearby.
•Easily accessible by public transport.
•Train: Pearse, Tara Street & Connolly Stations.
•Bus: C3, C4, W6, 139 & 115
•Due to the historic nature of the building, access is limited for visitors with mobility issues.

26/08/2026

Maynooth castle will be re-open again as normal from tomorrow following a temporary closure to visitors at 10:00am. Last Admission is 5:15pm. Free Self-Guided and Guided options available.

You can explore the castle grounds and the remains of a 17th century Manor House. You can visit the keep and explore the Exhibition within the two lower chambers and the ruins of the Great Hall. 🏰

26/08/2026

Maynooth Castle Keep remains closed. However, the grounds are open and as always are free to visit. Our Guides are on site to assist. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Temporary Closure Notice 🏰 ⚠️

Please note that the keep here at Maynooth Castle is temporarily closed to both guided and self-guided visitors for health and safety reasons as an essential deep clean is being carried out. The castle won’t look over 800 years old after it’s complete!

However, the castle grounds remain open and free to visit, and the guides are here on site to assist.

We apologise sincerely for any inconvenience this temporary closure may cause. We will continue to provide regular updates here regarding access to the castle keep and will let you know as soon as guided and self-guided visits can resume.

Thank you for your patience, understanding and continued support.

26/08/2026

The History of Medicine 📜🩺

Following the success of our talks before and during Heritage Week, we’re delighted to continue our programme of historical talks here at Maynooth Castle — and this time, we’re turning our attention to a fascinating subject of Medicine.

From the early Christian period right through to the beginning of the twentieth century, this talk will explore the remarkable history of medicine in Ireland. We’ll delve into the Brehon Laws, the lives and work of physicians, medical families, traditional practices, and the changing understanding of illness and treatment over the centuries.

Who were Ireland’s physicians? How was illness treated in medieval Ireland? What can the Brehon Laws tell us about healthcare and society? And how did Irish medicine evolve into the modern era? ⚕️

Join us for a fascinating journey through over a thousand years of Irish medical history, uncovering stories, people and practices that are often overlooked.

And there’s an added significance to this talk…This will be our final historical talk of the season, before Maynooth Castle closes its doors to visitors on the 23rd of September for the winter months. 🏰

📍 Maynooth Castle
📅 Wednesday 2nd of September
⏰ 12:00pm
🎟️ Free admission & Booking recommended

Contact -
📧[email protected]
📲message us here on Facebook
📞(01) 628 6744

Visitor Information -
•Please note there are no public toilets on site.
•There is no parking at the castle.
•Paid on-street parking is available nearby.
•Easily accessible by public transport.
•Train: Pearse, Tara Street & Connolly Stations
•Bus: C3, C4, W6, 139 & 115
•Due to the historic nature of the building, access is limited for visitors with mobility issues.

25/08/2026

Temporary Closure Notice 🏰 ⚠️

Please note that the keep here at Maynooth Castle is temporarily closed to both guided and self-guided visitors for health and safety reasons as an essential deep clean is being carried out. The castle won’t look over 800 years old after it’s complete!

However, the castle grounds remain open and free to visit, and the guides are here on site to assist.

We apologise sincerely for any inconvenience this temporary closure may cause. We will continue to provide regular updates here regarding access to the castle keep and will let you know as soon as guided and self-guided visits can resume.

Thank you for your patience, understanding and continued support.

21/08/2026

A HUGE THANK YOU! | HERITAGE WEEK 2026 🏰

What a fantastic Heritage Week it has been! From all of us here at Maynooth Castle, a very sincere thank you to everyone who came along to our free historical talks at Maynooth Castle.

Every talk was completely Sold Out, and we are incredibly grateful for the support, encouragement and enthusiasm shown by everyone who attended. It was wonderful to see such a genuine interest in our local, Irish and maritime history. 🇮🇪

⚓ KILDARE’S TITANIC
We explored the fascinating Irish and, in particular, Kildare connections to RMS Titanic — from passengers and crew to the people and businesses involved in the manufacturing of the world's most famous ship.

👑 BEHIND EVERY GREAT MAN… THE FITZGERALD WOMEN & THEIR CONNECTIONS
We shone a light on four remarkable women whose lives and stories are hugely significant to Irish history, yet are sometimes overlooked or forgotten. Their stories deserve to be remembered.

🧙‍♂️ THE WIZARD EARL – GERALD FITZGERALD
We delved into the extraordinary life of Gerald FitzGerald, the Wizard Earl of Kildare, half-brother of the famous rebel Silken Thomas. We explored Geralds remarkable life and the fascinating way his story became intertwined with Irish folklore, legend and mythology.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, asked questions, shared their knowledge, encouraged us and supported our work. Your enthusiasm makes all the research, preparation and work behind these talks so worthwhile.

And this certainly won't be the last of them! We will be bringing these talks back again, along with new historical talks, stories and subjects, in the near future.

There is still plenty of time to visit this magnificent historic site. Maynooth Castle is open until 23rd of September, with both self-guided and guided visits available, and admission is FREE. 🎟️

For further information or to book a guided visit, contact -
📧 [email protected]
📞 (01) 628 6744

Thank you once again for helping us keep Ireland's history alive, accessible and engaging. We look forward to welcoming you back to Maynooth Castle very soon.

20/08/2026

The earliest known reference to St.Mary’s Church dates to 1248. Built originally as a private chapel for the FitzGerald’s, the church had been attached to the outer wall of the castle from the mid-13th century.

St.Mary’s was suppressed during the widespread closures of the monasteries during the 1530’s by King Henry VIII. Later the church would be restored by Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, in 1632.

Over the centuries, the church has been rebuilt and restored multiple times, reflecting the changing fortunes of Maynooth.

The 3rd Duke of Leinster, Augustus and his wife, lady Charlotte, are buried within the crypt.

During Heritage Week, you can visit St. Mary's Church (Opposite us here at Maynooth Castle)
Between 15th - 23rd of August, 2pm - 5pm.
Free admission. 🎟️

They will have a guest organist today at 3pm and also on Saturday at 4pm 🎶🎹

17/08/2026