The mission of the OPW- Maynooth University Archive & Research Centre at Castletown is to collect, preserve, promote and make available for research archival collections relating to Irish estates.
About Us
The OPW- Maynooth University Archive and Research Centre at Castletown was founded in 2008 when the Centre for the Study of Historic Irish Houses and Estates at Maynooth University (Director, Prof Terence Dooley) and the Office of Public Works came together in collaboration with Maynooth University Library to create a facility for the care and study of archives and other sources relating to the history of Irish country houses, landed estates and the decorative arts. The Archive and Research Centre is located on the second floor of Castletown House in Celbridge, Co. Kildare. It was officially launched on 13 November 2008 by President Mary McAleese.
Built between 1722 and 1729 for William Conolly, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and the wealthiest commoner in Ireland, Castletown House is Ireland’s largest and earliest Palladian style house. After decades in the care of Desmond Guinness and the Castletown Foundation, it passed in 1994 to the ownership of the Irish State. The Office of Public Works has since refurbished Castletown, and in 2007 reopened it as a major cultural and community resource.
Images: Mark Reddy, Trinity Digital Studios
Is é bunchuspóir Ionad Cartlainne agus Taighde Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí – Ollscoil Mhá Nuad i mBaile an Chaisleáin bailiúcháin chartlainne do thaighde a bhaineann le heastáit Éireannacha a bhailiú, a chaomhnú, a chur chun cinn agus a chur ar fáil.
Eolas Fúinn
Sheol an tUachtarán Mary McAleese Ionad Cartlainne agus Taighde Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí – Ollscoil Mhá Nuad i mBaile an Chaisleáin ag fáiltiú ar an Déardaoin, 13 Samhain 2008. Bunaíodh iad le go mbeadh sé níos éasca aire a thabhairt do chartlanna agus d’fhoinsí eile a bhaineann leis an stair atá ag eastáit Éireannacha agus staidéar a dhéanamh orthu, ar na tithe a bhí ag gabháil leo agus orthu siúd a bhí ina gcónaí iontu. Déantar taighde ar na healaíona maisiúla a éascú ann chomh maith. Comhoibriú spreagúil agus nua idir Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí agus Ollscoil Mhá Nuad atá san áis seo. Tá an Chartlann agus an tIonad Taighde lonnaithe ar an dara hurlár de Theach Bhaile an Chaisleáin, Cill Droichid, Co. Chill Dara.
Tógadh Teach Bhaile an Chaisleáin idir 1722 agus 1729 do William Conolly, Spéicéir Theach na dTeachtaí in Éirinn agus an comóntach ba shaibhre sa tír. Is é an teach Pallaidiach is mó agus is sine in Éirinn é. Tar éis na blianta faoi chúram Desmond Guinness agus Fhondúireacht Bhaile an Chaisleáin, cuireadh faoi úinéireacht Stát na hÉireann é in 1994. Tá athchóiriú déanta ag Oifig na nOibreacha Poiblí ar Theach Bhaile an Chaisleáin, agus sa bhliain 2007 athosclaíodh é mar mhóracmhainn chultúrtha agus phobail.
Íomhánna: Mark Reddy, Trinity Digital Studios
