By Dan Walsh at Enniscorthy Castle
Not for the first time in its 800 year history Enniscorthy Castle is undergoing repairs to guttering and downpipes and the presence of scaffolding recently has highlighted the works.
The work is expected to take 13 weeks and the good news is that the castle will remain open to the locals, visitors and tourists for the duration of the rooftop repairs.
Building the 13th century Norman castle was commenced by Philip de Prendergast ca-1205. It was walled and trenched by Gerald de Prendergast between 1225 and 1228 and when Gerald in 1251 it passed to Maurice Rochford by his marriage to Matila Prendergast and was held by the Rochford family up to 1370 and later was occupied by the MacMurrough Kavanaghs, Kings of Leinster, who are best remembered as occupants of Ferns Castle.
Then along came Sir Henry Wallop in 1582 and it is on the record that “during his tenure the castle was put into a state of repair.” Oliver Cromwell came along next and laid siege to the castle while on his way to Wexford town.
In 1745, the first Earl of Portsmouth, a descendent of Sir Henry Wallop had repairs carried out to the building. Though restored from time to time the castle retained its characteristic Irish Castle shape – a rectangular keep with four circular towers at the four corners.
Between 1806 and 1812 the castle was restored as a modern residence by the Earl of Portsmouth. In 1900 it was sold to the Roche family from Woodville, New Ross, who had the building restored and enlarged as a residence for his son, Henry J. Roche as a wedding present and the Roches lived there until 1951.
When the castle became available for sale in 1961 Fr. Joseph Ranson persuaded the Governing Body of the Athenaeum to purchase it and convert it into a folk museum. It opened as the County Museum on Easter Sunday, 1962.
The present conservation work was badly needed and will secure the future of this historic building for future generations.
This project has received funding from The Heritage Council and the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage under the Historic Towns Initiative.
Source; The County Museum Enniscorthy; an illustrated history and guide compiled by Fintan Murphy, printed by Courtney & Hogan Print Ltd, 28 pages, illustrated, undated.
