Offaly castle hits the market for undisclosed price

Historic Offaly landmark, Clonony Castle is currently on sale on Daft.ie.

The Castle is located in Clonony, Shannon Harbour in Offaly and the cost of the property will be made available upon application.

The three-bed, two-bathroom property is up to modern standards having undergone reconstruction works such as the capping of parapet walls, fitting of windows and doors, fitting of a roof/deck area and installation of bathrooms and kitchen in 2010.

The three-storey high castle features a murder hole, base batter, mural passages, spiral staircase, gun-loops, round-headed, ogee-headed and flat headed windows, and garderobes. The lands amount to around 3 acres.

The sprawling property which is a few miles from Clonmacnoise includes an Entrance Hallway, Kitchen, Large Dining room/ Reception Room, Side Sitting area within window alcove;

First Floor; Living room with two separate alcoves, one currently used as a bedroom/study, the second as a kitchen area, garderobe.

Second Floor: Master Bedroom, Bathroom, Shower: Study, Ladies Chamber.

It is described on Daft as a "prominent landmark." It was built by the MacCoughlan Clan in the 1490's. The family also owned properties in Banagher, Cloghan, Coole, Kilcolgan and Rahan.

It is also advertised as "Standing proud and majestic on a limestone outcrop and commanding panoramic views out over the surrounding countryside. Clonony Castle is regarded as the finest of the many Castles built by the MacCoughlan Clan."

"This Medieval Irish Castle is rich in history and folklore, having been seized by Henry VIII in the early 1500's and subsequently granted by him to Thomas Boleyn, in a strategic move whilst making him Earl of Ormond, thus conferring the title of Countess on his daughter Anne, elevating her to a titled position suitable for Henry VIII to then marry her.

"However when Anne of Boleyn fell dramatically out of favour, part of her family fled to Ireland and the relative safety of Clonony Castle, where her nieces Mary and Elizabeth remained for the rest of their lives, and where they are reputed to be buried."

The Castle was occupied in the 1600's by Matthew de Renzi, an Italian cloth merchant originally from Antwerp who created the first English-Irish dictionary.