Maynooth Castle

Maynooth Castle

Seat of the great FitzGeralds

In the town of Maynooth, in County Kildare, stand the ruins of a castle that was once at the very centre of power in Ireland. Maynooth Castle was the chief stronghold of the FitzGeralds, Earls of Kildare, who for a long period were the most powerful family in the country — so powerful that they ruled Ireland almost like kings in the name of the English crown.

A powerful family

The FitzGeralds built their great keep at Maynooth in the early 1200s, and over the following centuries they expanded the castle into a grand and important stronghold. From here the Earls of Kildare governed much of Ireland, leading armies, holding court and wielding enormous influence. At the height of their power, the FitzGeralds were almost unchallengeable, and Maynooth was one of the most important castles in the land.

The castle was not only a fortress but a centre of culture and learning, with one of the finest libraries in Ireland.

The Silken Thomas rebellion

The castle's most dramatic moment came in 1535. The young FitzGerald heir, Thomas — nicknamed "Silken Thomas" for the silk worn by his followers — rose in rebellion against King Henry VIII of England, believing his father had been executed (in fact he had not). The rebellion shook Ireland.

The king's forces marched on Maynooth Castle and besieged it. Using cannon, they battered the great walls until the castle fell. What happened next became infamous: although the garrison had surrendered, the defenders were executed. This grim betrayal became known, with bitter irony, as the "Pardon of Maynooth" — a warning of how dangerous it was to defy the crown.

The rebellion ended in disaster for the FitzGeralds, and their long dominance of Ireland was broken.

Decline and ruin

After the fall of Silken Thomas, the power of the FitzGeralds was shattered, though the family survived. The castle was damaged and later repaired, but Ireland's continuing wars eventually left it in ruin. Its great keep and gatehouse, though broken, still stand as a reminder of the family that once ruled Ireland.

A historic site today

Maynooth Castle is now a free and open historic site, cared for by the state, in the heart of the university town of Maynooth. Its great keep and gatehouse can be explored, and displays tell the dramatic story of the FitzGeralds and the siege that broke their power.

Visiting today

Visitors can explore the ruins of the great keep and gatehouse, learning the rise-and-fall story of the mighty FitzGeralds and the dramatic siege of 1535. The castle stands beside the historic university town of Maynooth, with its old college and pleasant streets. Historic and dramatic, Maynooth Castle tells one of the most important stories in the history of medieval and Tudor Ireland.