Barberstown Castle

Barberstown Castle is located in Straffan, Ireland, and dates back to the medieval period, having been built by the Norman civilization. The castle’s construction began around 1288 when Nicholas Barby established the fortified residence on land originally belonging to the Fitzgerald family, one of the prominent Norman-Irish dynasties in the region.

Throughout the centuries, Barberstown Castle witnessed several transitions in ownership reflecting Ireland’s turbulent history. During the early 17th century, the property passed into the hands of William Sutton in 1630. By the late 1600s, Lord Kingston held the castle, but his support for the ousted King James II amid the Jacobite-Williamite conflict led to a dramatic change: in 1689, the Earl of Tyrconnell seized the castle, transferring it to crown control. From this point, it was managed by royal revenue commissioners, and later, Roger Kelly leased it, indicating its continued habitation.

In the early 18th century, the castle entered a new chapter when Bartholomew Vanhomrigh acquired it in 1703 along with 335 acres. Vanhomrigh, notable for serving as Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1697, was also the father of Vanessa, famously linked to Jonathan Swift. The estate eventually moved to the Henry family but financial difficulties prompted them to sell. Hugh Barton, a merchant linked to the Barton and Guestier wine business, became the next owner. In the 1830s, Barton made significant enhancements to the castle, including adding an extension and constructing Straffan House nearby.

Ownership in the 20th century included the Huddleston family before the property was sold to Mrs. Norah Devlin, who transformed the historic building into a hotel in 1971. Musician Eric Clapton purchased Barberstown Castle in 1979, later selling it in 1987 to Ken Healy. Under Healy’s stewardship, the castle underwent extensive renovations and enlargement, including the addition of new bedrooms to create a modern hotel setting while preserving its historic character. Investigations in 1996 revealed an underground tunnel linking the castle to the nearby Straffan church, believed to have served as a secret passage during the period of the Penal Laws, when Catholic practice was suppressed.