Barberstown Castle
- Star Rating 4
- Location Straffan, Co. Kildare
- Open All Year Round
Rooms at Barberstown
The Castle has 59 ensuite bedrooms, a number of which have Four-Poster beds. All the bedrooms are elegantly and luxuriously appointed, laden with antique furniture and provide the highest standard in comfort.
Guestrooms have been named after the owners of Barberstown Castle whose home it has been for the past 718 years.
All of the rooms at Barberstown come complete with Continental antique period furniture, including wardrobes and vanity writing desks which have been collected by the proprietors over the years.
Superior Rooms are dressed with prints of 18th/19th Century landscaped and Victorian scenes and feature a double bed.
Luxury Four Poster Rooms feature 4 Poster beds
Premier Rooms feature four poster beds and a spacious seating and living room area.
Dining at Barberstown
Music, candles, fine wines, open fires, good food and convivial company. Every night is a special occasion at Barberstown Castle.
For a memorable special event, private dining suites are available.
Opening hours for the Restaurant are:
Wednesday - Saturday
7:30pm – Last orders 9:30pm
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights, dining is available in the Tea Rooms restaurant. Last orders are at 8:30pm.
An Illustrious Past...
Barberstown Castle built in the 13th Century is an integral part of the local area. Its history is as fascinating as its architecture and is worth a visit on these attractions alone. Nestled on 20 acres of surrounding gardens, Barberstown was one of the first great Irish country houses to display its splendor to the outside world when it opened as a hotel in 1971. It has maintained the elegance of design over eight Centuries by sympathetically blending its Victorian and Elizabethan extensions with the original Castle Battlement of 1288.
The Castle was built as a fortress to protect the village and people of Barberstown from the attack of the rebellious Ui Faelain, who tried to burn the town (among others) in 1310. It has traditionally found itself in the middle of political struggle and local wars which generally resulted in change of ownership.
Since 1288 Barberstown has had 37 owners who have all who had the foresight to protect its heritage and character including one Eric Clapton who was one of its most recent owners.
Some of its previous owners have gone to extreme lengths to retain ownership. Just how far some went is illustrated by the story of the body that is said to be interred in the tower of the Castle Keep (the original part of the Castle). His fate can be explained by reading the lease on the Castle at the time in which was written that the lease would expire when he was buried underground (ie. his death). The ending of a lease normally resulted in an increase in rent so after the man’s death he was buried in the tower above the earth which ensured the family continued to hold the lease to the Castle!
The walls of the Castle Keep walls slope inwards so as to prevent an enemy getting out of range by closing up to the building. Ironically however the rooms on the upper floors of the Castle are larger than those on the ground level as their walls are somewhat thinner.
The neighbouring village of Straffan is named after St. Straffan, one of the early sixth century missionaries. Its close linkages with the local town and people were proven when an underground tunnel from the Church in Straffan to the Castle was found in 1996 during renovations. A ‘Priest’s Hole’ can be also found in the Castle which was originally made to protect the priests of the town during Penal Times.
Uniquely Barberstown Castle is made up of four buildings from different periods in Irish history. It has recently undergone a comprehensive restoration with careful attention given to retaining the original Castle features, character, style and personality of this unique property.
Distinguished and influential owners of Barberstown Castle include;
- Nicholas Barby built the Castle towards the end of the 13th Century on the land which was originally owned by the Great Norman family the Fitzgeralds.
- 1630 William Sutton of one of the most important families in the area owned the property. The population of Barberstown at the time was 36!
- 1689 Lord Kingston had his ownership confiscated by Earl of Tyrconnell after the accession to power of James the second of England. It was around this time that it fell into the less glamorous hands of the Commissioners of the Revenue who let it out to a Roger Kelly for £102 annual rent in the late 1600s.
- It was purchased by Bartholomew Van Homreigh in 1703 for £1,033 the sixth owner in six years. At the time the property had 335 acres. Van Homreigh had been mayor of Dublin in 1697 and his greatest ‘claim to fame’ lies in the fact that he was the father of Vanessa of whom Swift wrote so passionately about.
- He sold it to the Henrys who were prone to excessive spending and were left with no option but to sell it to Mr. Hugh Barton who completed the last wing of the house in the 1830s which added to the present day unique architectural status of Barberstown. He is also famed for constructing Straffan House known today as the K-Club.
- As the property became too expensive to retain as a residence, the Huddlestons who owned Barberstown Castle in the 1900s sold it to Mrs. Norah Devlin who converted it into a hotel in 1971.
- Eric Clapton purchased the property in 1979 and, sold it to the current owner in 1987.
- Barberstown Castle maintains the tradition of generous hospitality to all who enter this luxurious and historic 13th Century Castle.
Look out for the names of all the owners of Barberstown Castle painted on the bedroom doors of the Castle!
The following locations are in close proximity to Barberstown
County Kildare
County Kildare is located to the southwest of Dublin in the province of Leinster. The name comes from the Irish, meaning church (Cill) of the oaks (Dara). Naas (Nás na Rí in Irish - meaning meeting place of kings) is the county town.The county of Kildare is famous as a sporting, racing and hunting region. Bordering Dublin to the west, it is situated on the edge of the central plain. The county's main features are big open grasslands, lush green pastures and large tracts of ancient bogland-all interspersed with trees and gentle rolling hills. Kildare's main attractions are The National Stud & Japanese Gardens, Butterfly Farm, the Steam Museum, Celbridge Abbey, Coolcarrigan House & Gardens, Castletown House.
Kilkenny City (1.5 hours)
Kilkenny, or the Marble City as it is known, is one of Ireland's oldest cities, and proud of it. Its array of ancient buildings is unrivalled. It is renowned for being a vibrant cultural center, devoted to the musical and visual arts. Its two most impressive landmarks are Kilkenny Castle, founded in 1172 and privately owned until 1967, and St. Canice's Cathedral. The current structure of the cathedral dates from the 13th century, though this is nowhere near the beginning of its story, which is rich in folklore and legend. There is no shortage of pubs to explore and enjoy in Kilkenny and during the summer the city is always full of life. The summer also sees the city host an Arts Festival and a very highly regarded Comedy Festival called the Cat Laughs.The Boyne Valley (45 minutes)
The Boyne Valley, located on the east coast of Ireland in County Meath, contains the largest and most decorated megalithic sites in all of Ireland and has been described as "the largest and most important expression of prehistoric megalithic art in Europe". The large Megalithic sites were built over 5000 years ago between 3800 and 3200 BC, built before both Stonehenge in England and the great pyramids in Egypt. Within a three square mile radius in the Boyne Valley are grouped more than 30 prehistoric monuments including the great passage tombs and their satellite structures, standing stones, barrows and other enclosures. The great sites of the Boyne Valley include Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Loughcrew, Fourknocks and the Hill of Tara. Neolithic communities built these sites over earlier sacred spots and it is suspected that they were used for a combination of different purposes, including use as burial tombs, sacred temples and astronomical observatories. The nearby towns of Slane or Navan make ideal bases from which to explore the area.Dublin City (30 minutes)
Dublin is a lively cosmopolitan city brimming with culture. You could spend your time strolling the streets soaking up the atmosphere, relaxing in its cafes and bars or you could check out its myriad historical, literary and cultural delights. The 8th century illuminated manuscript, the Book of Kells, must be viewed. It is on display at the impressive Trinity College, Ireland's first university (founded 1592) in the heart of Dublin. For the rest of your time, it is up to you how much you want to pack in. Phoenix Park, twice the size of New York City's Central Park, Georgian Dublin around Stephen's Green, the National Botanical Gardens, National Museum, Kilmainham Jail and the Hugh Lane Municipal Art Gallery are all highly recommended stops on your tour. Then there's the Guinness Storehouse and Jamieson Distillery. A visit to Dublin's Temple Bar to experience the lively Dublin pub culture is a must, though many of Dublin's best bars can be found outside this area in the streets and laneways around Grafton Street, the shopper's street of choice.We value your privacy! We will never share your details with anyone else.
