Kinnitty Castle

Kinnitty Castle is located in the village of Kinnity, which is itself within County Offaly, Ireland. This location has a great deal of contradictory information about it amongst sources, but the original castle seems to date back to the times of the Norman invasion of Ireland around the year of 1209. The original castle burned down, but a new one was built. Over the years, the castle has been remodelled to be in a Gothic style. It was a victim of the IRA during the early 1900s and suffered fire damage yet again. The location has since been restored and currently operates as a hotel. The most well discussed haunting of this property is 'The Black Abbott', also known as 'The Phantom Monk of Kinnitty'. The staff members of Kinnitty Castle refer to this monk as 'Hugh', and they've said he appears to look like a living person and predicts future events.

History

Evidence of the first civilisation in Ireland can be found in a wet and expansive tract of land, located in County Offaly, called Boora Bog. This bog was used to harvest peat during the mid-20th century, also known as the 1900s, but scientists have discovered artifacts on what was once the banks of a large lake which dated back to 6800 BC. No permanent structures have been found in this area, but items such as arrowheads, axe heads, and blades were discovered. This indicates that there was a nomadic clan who lived and hunted near Lough Boora and the nearby Slieve Bloom mountains. These particular mountains are located south of Kinnitty Castle, which is itself in Central Ireland, and they are one of the oldest mountain ranges in Europe.

It's been said that the site of Kinnitty Castle was occupied as early as 350 AD when an Abbey was founded on the site by St. Finian (alternative spelling Finnian); a man who was a disciple of St. Brendan of Clonfert. However, it seems the date for the Abbey is incorrect. It's been said by the Saint Brendan Catholic Church that St. Brendan was born around the year of 484 AD, therefore St. Finian had to have been around following this date if he was a disciple of St. Brendan. What seems to be the more accurate history is that the Kinnitty Castle site was the site of a druidic monastery as early as the 5th century, also known as the 400s. It's said that this druidic site was a ceremonial ground which was built on a powerful leyline.

It seems this druidic site was then later replaced by a Christian monastery during the 6th century, also known as the 500s, when it's said Christianity first appeared in the area. Therefore, the 500s is seemingly when St. Finian of Clonard built his monastery here, not the 300s. Having done some further research into when Christianity arrived in Ireland, it seems this occured during the early 5th century, not during the 6th century. However, St. Finian is said to have died during 579 AD; therefore, if he is the one to have established a monastery on the site of Kinnitty Castle, then it would likely have been done between the years of 500 AD and 579 AD. There is information saying that the Danes destroyed this Abbey during 839 AD.

Further confusion around the abbey says that during the early 1200s, Augustinian monks arrived and established St. Finnian's Abbey on the castle grounds. The source claiming this also says that the walls from this abbey were incorporated into the castle and can still be seen today. It seems sources really can't agree on when this abbey was built, so I suspect this could be down to one of two things. Either there were two seperate abbeys on the site, the second being constructed years after the other was destroyed; or people are mixing up locations when writing about this abbey, possibly due to different abbeys in different locations sharing the same name. As I am not a historian, I cannot say for certain which of these details I've reported are correct; I can only tell you what sources have said and point out the potential inconsistencies and contradictions. If you are a historian and can point me to some reliable sources on the matter, please let me know and I will update the article accordingly.

The monks of the abbey were rumoured to bring the secret of distilling back from their travels around the Mediterranean. They quickly made this 'uisce beatha', translating to 'water of life', their own by adding native herbs and spices. This 'uisce', or 'whisky' as we call it, was not aged although it did pave the way for the centuries worth of brewing, distilling, and fermenting that have given Ireland fame. As for the origins of Kinnitty Castle, it has been said that the first castle was built around the year of 1209 by the O'Carroll family, and that this Castle was a Norman-style fortress built to protect the O'Carroll lands. However, there is further contradiction amongst sources on this point too. Some have said what I've just discussed, but others have said the original castle was actually destroyed during 1209 by the Normans while they invaded Ireland. Sources saying this have said they burned the castle down and, as a result, the first castle's history is lost to us.

The sources saying the original castle was destroyed during 1209 have said it was destroyed by Murtagh O'Brien. They've also said it was rebuilt during 1213 by the Normans as they wanted to establish feudal strongholds around the country. It has also been said that the O'Carrolls owned the castle until the 16th entry, also known as the 1500s, until it was confiscated by the crown; however, this also seems incorrect. What seems to have happened is the original castle was destroyed during 1209 by Murtagh O'Brien, the Normans controlled a version of a castle on the site around the time of 1213, and then the property was passed to the O'Carroll of Ely family after the Normans were driven out by this powerful clan. Again, I'm not a historian, so please do let me know if any of this is incorrect.

Sources have said that the castle was updated during the year of 1630 by William O'Carroll, and some sources have referred to this 'update' as a 'rebuild'. This makes it uncertain if it was a renovation of the castle, an extension of the castle, or a completely new build which was done. The O'Carroll family went on to have significant connections to America. Charles O'Carroll moved to America, dropped the O' in his last name, and planted the first seeds on what would be a thriving plantation in Maryland. Plus, Charles' grandson, also called Charles, is the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independance. He was considered to be the 'first citizen' by many of his day.

It was during the year of 1641 that the castle was confiscated by the English forces as part of the Plantation of Offaly, or 'Kings County', as it was renamed. Then, during 1664, the crown granted the castle to Colonel Thomas Winter as a reward for his services during the Cromwellian wars. Again, there is more contradicting information here regarding the year the crown passed on the property and who it was passed on to. Some sources have said what I've just discussed, but others have said Winter was granted 2,624 acres by King Charles II during 1663 instead of 1664. Sources claiming this have said the Winter family then sold the castle to the Bernard's of County Carlow during 1764. Some other sources have skipped over any mention of Colonel Thomas Winter, saying instead that the crown granted the castle to the Bernard family during 1664.

I suspect that at some point a source has mistyped, or misread, '1664' as '1764', or perhaps done this error the other way around. As the Kinnitty Castle Hotel website says that Colonel Thomas Winter was granted the land by Charles II during 1663, I am inclined to believe the location. This source also says the Winter family sold the building during 1764 to the Bernard family, and so I trust this to be the accurate sequence of events and dates. It's been said that while Winter owned the castle, he rebuilt it into a Georgian mansion with a 'fortified bawn', also known as an enclosed courtyard. The source claiming this has also said that despite the renovation, the castle was still associated with the O'Carrolls who continued to live in the location for several generations. As sources have been incredibly lacking on details regarding the O'Carroll presence at Kinnitty Castle, I cannot say how true this is.

What is known is that, for a time, Kinnitty Castle was instead called 'Castle Bernard'. It's implied that the change in name occured when the Bernard family took over during 1664. It's been said that it was during the 18th and 19th centuries, also known as the 1700s and 1800s, that the government began funding restoration projects all over the country. Possibly due to this, Sir Richard Bernard commissioned the architect Richard Morrison to redesign the castle to be in the Gothic Revival style. This redesign was completed during 1811. More work around the castle site was possibly done during the early 19th century, also known as the early 1800s, as inside the main gate is a tuderesque lodge. It's thought this lodge could be older than the main castle and that it is possibly dated to the 1800s. It's also been said that this lodge was designed by Samuel Beazley, and it presently seems to be both empty and falling into disrepair.

Possibly contradictory to what has been discussed about the redesign work, it's been said that 1811 was the year that Lady Catherine Hutchinson, Thomas Bernard's wife, commissioned the Pain brothers to extend the castle to be how it is seen today. Further contradictory to this, a different source has said the brothers were hired during the 1830s to add the Gothic Revival style. Some sources have also only mentioned James Pain's involvement, and not that of his brother George. James' designs can also be seen in both Adare Manor and Blackrock Castle. Few sources have mentioned Richard Morrison's involvement, so it's possible this isn't correct. As for the Pain brothers, their involvement seems to have occured between the 1810s and 1840s. For which is correct out of the 1811 and 1830s dates, I again cannot say; but one source has given a specific date saying that the castle was built during 1833. The specificity of this year could mean the redesign occured around this date, either starting or finishing during 1833.

A different structure which was built during the 1830s is the Kinnitty Pyramid which was built as a tomb for the Bernard family. This was built between the years of 1830 and 1834 by Richard Wellesley-Bernard and houses six coffins. The first contained Margaret, who died aged 24 during 1842 after being bitten by a rabid dog. The final person to be placed to rest here was Ellen Georgine who died aged 81 during 1907. Colonel Thomas Bernard, who died aged 75 during 1844, Major Scroope Bernard, who died aged 38 during the September of 1857, Leuitenant Colonel Richard Wellesley-Bernard, who died during 1887, and Colonel Thomas Bernard, who died aged 66 on the 13th of December 1882 are the four other people housed within the pyramid.

During the mid-1890s, it's said that Montgomery Hitchcock and his family lived in Kinnitty. His son, Rex Ingram, would then go to Hollywood and become a noted director of silent films. It has been suggested that the family lived within Kinnitty Castle, however this detail is unclear. With further research, it seems Montgomery Hitchcock was a rector in the village of Kinnitty and that the family did not live within the castle. It seems the family simply lived within the village. During the 1920s, the Irish Land Commission aquired the castle and the lands. They divided the property among local farmers. However, the castle was burned again during the July of 1922. The Irish War of Independance had occured during 1921, and so the Irish Republican Army (IRA) burned the castle, along with other 'big houses', for their connection to the Anglo-Protestant classes of the 18th and 19th centuries, also known as the 1700s and 1800s. Many castles were either blown up or burned down due to this, and most were unsalvageable so demolished.

It's been said that during 1927, a government grant of £32,000 was given to rebuild the castle. The differing date of 1928 has also been cited for this, and it's been said it was awarded to the Bernard family to begin repairs. More contradictory, and seemingly wrong information, from sources is that it was during this set of renovations that James Pain worked to give the location the Gothic Style. This is definitely incorrect as James Pain is said to have died during 1877. Sources have also said it's due to these repairs that the castle looks as it does today. The Bernard family lived within the castle until 1946 when it was sold to Lord Decies. More contradictory information is that sources claim the castle was bought by Lord Decies during the 1950s. Lord Decies is said to have sold the castle to the Government of Ireland, or more specifically the Department of Lands, on the 12th of December 1951; and after this the location was used as an agricultural college used for forestry training. This college closed during 1984, and it was proposed that the space would be used as an open prison. As the people of Kinnitty didn't approve of this idea, the castle was bought during 1994 by Con and Kathleen Ryan from County Limerick and turned into a luxury hotel.

Further contradictory information within sources says that Lord Decies sold the castle to the Ryan family who then opened it as a hotel during the 1960s. This appears to be false, as does the information that the location was bought by the Luimneach family during 1994 and that it was them who turned the location into a four star hotel. It seems Kinnitty Castle was definitely held by the Government of Ireland until they sold it to the Ryan family during 1994, and it was under the Ryan ownership that the castle became a luxury 37 bedroom hotel. I've also found information saying that during 1997, Coillte held a timber show here. Plus, a football team called Kinnitty Rovers play infront of the castle.

During 2007, Kinnitty Castle was the wedding venue for Boyzone's Shane Lynch. On Monday the 31st of August 2015, the Offaly Independant reported in an article about new ownership of the castle. In this article, they say Colin Breen announced that he and a small group of Irish and American investors have bought the castle. The article also detailed that Colin's partner in this venture was Derek Warfield, a founding member of the music group the 'Wolfe Tones'. Colin was the owner of 'Four Green Fields Irish Pub' in Tampa, Florida, and he was the founder of Kinnitty Castle Spirits.

It seems the ownership may have changed yet again in recent years to writing this article documenting the castle as on Thursday the 6th of March 2025, the Offaly Independant yet again wrote an article discussing the castle's ownership. In this more recent article, they wrote that the Hanly Castle Hotel Group had aquired Kinnitty Castle and that they would retain the existing management and team. The article also said that there were plans for significant renovation and refurbishment of all the state rooms and bedrooms. It seems at the moment there are still 37 en-suite bedrooms, and there is a 60 seater restaurant in the castle, decorated in the Georgian style, called 'The Sli Dala Restaurant'. There is also a library bar which contains a unique collection of books and journals, and there is a Louis XV style drawing room.

Hauntings

There is a rumour which says monks were tortured and killed in the dungeon of the castle, now used as a bar, and that their bodies are still buried in the courtyard. As there seems to be no historical basis to this information, I've decided to place it in this part of the article where historical basis may go completely out of the window due to the nature of hauntings commonly being spurred on by myth rather than history. The most discussed haunting of Kinnitty Castle is that of 'The Black Abbott', also known as 'The Phantom Monk of Kinnitty'; or 'Hugh' as he is known by staff. This monk is apparently seen by staff and guests wandering the castle grounds in his cassock. It's said that Hugh appears in solid form to the point where people mistake him for being a living person. It's also said that Hugh talks to people and makes accurate predictions about the future.

It's unclear if Hugh speaks to multiple staff in this way, but sources have reported on him speaking to one particular staff member who was called Margaret McCann. During 2007, Margaret provided the following quote to the Irish Independant: "He says that I remind him of someone called Mary Kelleher, though we don't know who she is... I'd consider him a friend, though I would be scared of doing wrong by him. But most of the time, he's there while I'm working and it doesn't bother me... He's also predicted a few events that have come true, like saying that the Hotel would be known globally, six weeks before (TV3's) Most Haunted asked if they could film here".

It's also been said that Hugh killed himself, hides cutlery, and that he likes weddings. A housekeeper has also apparently seen a monk, presumably Hugh, while cleaning a bedroom. When she looked into a mirror, she saw the monk's figure standing behind her. The monk has also been spotted in the banqueting hall and the dungeon bar. Other people have reported that the monk appears as a shadowy figure instead of as solid. Some sources have indicated that there is a seperate spirit who whispers predictions to staff in the Great Hall, however from Margaret's statement it's clear that this spirit is that of Hugh.

There is a lady in white who is reported to haunt Kinnitty Castle, and it's believed she is Lady Catherine Hutchinson. It's said she haunts the Geraldine Room. Also in this room is reported to be a child who's breathing can be heard coming from corners of the room. It's also said their footsteps can be heard running from one side of the room to the other. It's unclear if this is the same spirit or seperats to that of a little girl who is said to haunt the castle. This little girl supposedly died within the castle and can be heard playing and laughing.

A different spirit is that of a woman called 'Geraldine', and apparently the Geraldine room is named after her. She apparently haunts the top floor of the castle. The final spirit discussed by sources is that of a man who walks down the castle corridors. Other activity includes unexplained noises, cold spots, and objects moving on their own. The Elizabeth Room is also said to be haunted, but nothing in particular is discussed about this room, any activity, or the spirits supposedly within it.

Summary Of Hauntings

1. Hugh, a monk, vivid or shadow, makes predictions - banqueting hall, dungeon bar, bedroom

2. Lady Catherine Hutchinson (?), lady in white - Geraldine Room

3. A child, sounds of breathing, footsteps - Geraldine Room

4. A young girl, died in castle, laughs and plays

5. A man - corridors

6. Noises

7. Cold spots

8. Objects move

My Thoughts

Before addressing the hauntings, I need to make a point about how contradictory and all over the place the history documented in this article is. I don't think I've ever written about a location where it seems literally every detail is incorrect due to different sources being unable to agree on the history. I've tried my best to say what I personally think are the correct details, but it's difficult to know for sure because of how much contradiction is out there. So, this article serves as a perfect example of why these articles exist. They don't exist to strictly tell you the truth about locations, they're also to point out how much misinformation exists about them and so they act as a warning to highlight that no matter how reputable you believe a website, tv programme, documentary, film, or news agency is; they might be giving you incorrect information, and they might not even be aware they're doing it.

As for the hauntings, I find it incredibly interesting that there are few reports of paranormal activity here given it's a castle. However, the thing I find the most interesting is the report about what I describe as a 'living ghost'. I determine these spirits are ones who are so vivid that people can't distinguish them from being alive. I have theorised in the past that it seems these spirits seem to have a correlation to the location being close to some sort of natural body of water; for example a lake or a river. As of writing this sentence, I have not yet looked at the geography and so only know about the bog which exists a distance away. I'm aware that I may be experiencing a confirmation bias with this theory, so I have decided only to look into the geography now as I'm writing about this theory.

Immediately having looked at Google maps, I've discovered that the Camcor River runs directly behind the castle; a detail which seemingly supports my theory about 'living ghosts' and natural bodies of water being present. Due to this detail, I will place this location under the 'Locations Of Interest' tag on the database so thst it can be found with a bit more ease. I have debated in the past over if hauntings seem more legitimate if fewer of them have been reported, and I do feel that could be the case here. Certain ones such as Geraldine, the random man, and the young girl I'm not too sure on; but I wouldn't be surprised if the monk had something to it, especially as there is a quote from a staff member discussing it. I also think there could be a child haunting the property.

As for the staff member's quote, I do have to address that they could be biased towards the building. Therefore, it isnt outside of the realm of logic that they could have made up the monk in an effort to gain more visitors for the castle. After all, the presence of the paranormal is a huge tourism angle for locations to capitalise on. There is also a mental health perspective which could be questioned around the staff member possibly being the only one to hear the voice of the monk and interact with him in this way. This is all speculatory though, but still important to mention regardless. As I've said, I do think the monk could exist and I do think that it warrants further investigation.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading this article! Not only is this the most awkward one regarding contradictions, but it's also the only article I've had to stop writing partway through as the contradictions were giving me quite the headache. Everything has been documented as accurately as I can, I just had to write it over a couple of days instead of doing it all in one go. It's good finally getting to write about a location not in England, and there are a few more like this in the next couple of weeks; a couple of which will be in Gelderland, a province within the Netherlands. The next article will be published on Friday the 21st of March, and it will document someone's paranormal experience. The following article will be published on Monday the 24th of March and it will document a haunted location within County Monaghan.

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