Can't leave Ireland without one more castle.
Trip Start
Mar 24, 2004
1
13
Trip End
Apr 05, 2004
Dublin,
Ireland
Monday, April 5, 2004
So it's an early morning drive down to Malahide Castle from Slane.
Ok, this is a manor house not a castle, not a ruins or part of a castle. BUT It's impressive from the outside and the grounds and flower beds are beautiful. And it sort of looks like a castle with the towers.
It's early, and the ticket area is not open yet, so we walk the grounds admiring the stonework and the leaded glass windows. With no one around, I can pretend that I am the lady of the manor taking a morning walk. I do have a tendency to imagine.
We get our tickets and start the tour of the interior, with a soft spoken elderly Irish woman. You can tell she loves her job and is very proud of this home. The Castle was founded by an Anglo-Norman Sir Richard de Talbot. He arrived in Ireland in 1185. It's "humble beginnings" were as a 3 storey tower house. Then was added onto over the centuries, even at one time being a walled and moated castle (this is where it gets the "Castle" designation.) If you look to the left of the main door, you'll see grassy mounds. This is where the moat was.
I am impressed by the family history.The Boswell Papers, the largest and most important find of English literary manuscripts were found here. This property has been handed down thru the Talbots for over 750 years. And to think that most Americans change house locations at least twice in their lifetimes.
The Great Hall , a medieval masterpiece, (circa 1487) has portraits of the long line of generations that called this manor theirs. This is also used known as the Medieval Banquet hall, which our guide tells us of the fourteen members of the family who breakfasted together here, then left to fight in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. None returned to Malahide Castle, they were all dead by the end of the battle. Depressing, but much of Ireland's history is depressing.
The Oak room cheers us right up. Beautiful huge gothic windows overlook the front lawn. This is my type of room. The tour was worth the small admission. Now it's time to hustle south to the airport. Check in was a breeze, and all too soon vacation is over.
