Williamstown Castle
Williamstown Castle is a castle in Williamstown , a district of Blackrock , which in turn is a suburb of the Irish capital Dublin in the county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown . Today it belongs to a private, Catholic boys' international Blackrock College .
history
The castle, now simply called "The Castle" by boarding school students, was built in 1780 on land that Counselor William Vavasour had leased from the FitzWilliams , later from the Pembrokes . It is similar in appearance to other large houses in the area, such as Willow Park or Castledawson , but a later owner, Thomas O'Mara , had the building and its surroundings significantly redesigned: he had battlements put on and turned it into a castle.
O'Mara was an election worker for Daniel O'Connell , who occasionally dined at Williamstown Castle. For years a portrait of the politician adorned the room that is now the prayer room.
In 1860 the Congregation of the Holy Spirit founded Blackrock College and the castle has since served as accommodation for around 100 of the 13-18 year old boys. Boarding school students are only allowed to leave the castle with permission.
Individual evidence
- ^ Blackrock College Boarding School History . Archived from the original on July 3, 2013. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
Coordinates: 53 ° 18 ′ 17.1 " N , 6 ° 11 ′ 29.4" W.