Athlumney Castle

About

Athlumney Castle (Irish: Caisleán Áth Luimnigh) is a tower house and fortified house and a National Monument in Navan, Ireland. The site remains accessible to the public; to enter, visitors need to place a deposit at the nearby B&B and receive a key.

Location: Athlumney Castle is located on Convent Road, to the southeast of Navan town centre, east of the Boyne.

History: Athlumney overlooks a key strategic point, where the Leinster Blackwater drains into the Boyne. The place name derives from the Irish for "Loman's ford", referring to Lommán of Trim. Archaeological digs uncovered an Early Christian souterrain. The motte at Athlumney was built in the years after 1172 when Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath granted the title of Baron Skryne to his ally Adam de Feypo; he in turn granted Athlumney to a relative Amauri de Feipo, who built the motte. The older part of Athlumney Castle is a tower house which was built in the 15th century. The newer part of the castle is a Tudor-style fortified house attached to the tower. This was built in the late 16th century or early 17th century. It had large corridors and its ground floor kitchen provided heat for the first floor rooms where the Lord...