One of the finest fortified manor houses in the country

Rathfarnham Castle was built in 1585 by Adam Loftus, Lord Chancellor & Archbishop of Dublin. Loftus was described as an ambitious Yorkshire clergyman who later became Lord Chancellor of Ireland. In the late 18th century, the house was remodeled on a splendid scale employing some of the finest architects of the day including Sir William Chambers and James ‘Athenian’ Stuart. Chambers designed Buckingham Palace, Kew Gardens, St James’s Palace, Trinity University, and Casino Marino while Stuart is best known for his pioneering role in neoclassicism during the 1700s. Rathfarnham also has an extensive collection of family portraits by Angelica Kauffman (1741-1807), Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680), and Hugh Douglas Hamilton (1740-1808). It became a Jesuit College in 1913 before it was taken under the care of the Office of Public Works in 1987. The skeletal remains of a young woman were discovered in one of the hollow walls on the middle floor in 1880. It is believed that the remains were there for over 130 years!

Thanks to near tv community for excellent in-depth video on Rathfarnham Castle

Terenure native Ailbhe Reddy is a rising star in Ireland’s music scene. She’s known for her witty lyricism and incandescent alt-folk vocals. Reddy spent a year studying psychotherapy, which feeds into the wise observations and evaluations on her songs.