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 Lismore Castle
The town was founded in the year 636 AD by St. (Mochuda) Carthage, a holy man who came to the town from Rahan in County Offaly, with several hundred followers and religious, after a dispute with local clergy about the date of Easter. Legend has it that St Carthage met a hermit woman near the Lios at the Round Hill, about a mile from the town and said he intended to form a community there. She replied, 'No, 'tis not a Lios but a Lios-mor (A great fort.) you will build' Although St Carthage died within a couple of years, the town soon expanded to become one of the most famous in all Europe, attracting the attention of Kings and Holy men, who came here to study at the famous University and to pray. By the 10th century, Lismore had 22 churches, a University, and women were banned from the town. (Who knows why!). Naturally as it became prosperious the good old Vikings invaded. For 2 centuries the attacked the town until they too discovered its charm and were bewitched by the charm of the Irish maidens and married into the local community. (Same old story, different century!) In the 12th century, King Henry II visited the town with a Papal document of authority from Pope Adrian. (Did you know he was the only English pope ever elected!) The Vatican was getting tired of the Irish and their semi pagan form of Christianity, so in order to gain more control over our religious endevours, he sent Henry over to sort us all out. And were we foolish or what! Just because he carried a piece of paper from the pope, we gave him some land. Yep, you got it, it’s the bit where the Castle now stands. What were those monks thinking of? Prince John (his son) obviously knew a good deal when he saw one and within 2 years he was over and built a castle on that land. He was not going to be easily moved away! However within a short time he was removed from his castle and it became a Castlium, where Bishops from outside the community would reside. In the 16th century, one of these, the apostate Bishop, Myler McGrath sold the lease of the Castle and vast lands to Sir Walter Raleigh. (The man who brought us the patatoe!) Quen Elizabeth the first (auld biddy that she was!) liked Walter! Now what a lovely gift to give him! The next resident of the Castle was a self made millionaire of his time, Sir Richard Boyle father of the famous chemist Sir Robert Boyle of the famous 'Boyle's law', who was born in the Castle. Boyle's descendent Charlotte married the 4th Duke of Devonshire, but she died in childbirth. The Castle then passed to the 5th Duke, and the building has remained in the Devonshire family until the present day. The sixth or 'Bachelor Duke' of Devonshire was away from Ireland from the 1820's until after the worst effects of the famine subsided in 1851. When he returned, he made many improvements to this estate town and to the appearance of the castle. The Lismore Hotel, one of the first hotels in Ireland, was built as extra accommodation for guests of the castle in the early 1800s.
 Lismore |
