In 1974 a housing estate began to be built on part of the grounds of Castletown House, Ireland’s premier ‘great house’ and its finest example of Palladian architecture. Objectors to the housing development at the time saw it as an ugly intrusion on the largely intact 18th century demesne which they felt should be preserved along with the house. However the Demens lands were broken up in the mid 1960 and a 694 house housing estate was built insides the Celbridge gates of the Domaine.  Residual disdain for the housing development can still be detected. No reference is ever made to the fact that the design of the housing development at Castletown was an imaginative departure from the endless lines of identical ‘little boxes’ that characterised Irish housing estates of the period. No hint that an entire generation has since grown up in the estate and greatly contributited to the history of the place.  Also, little is written of the fascinating early Elizabhten and Jacobein owners of the land. Although they have left few traces on the landscape there is quite a rich and untapped sources scattered in different liberies.  There is also the possibility that the OPW can in time do some archeology work on the remaining ruins hidden by the centuries.      So, a book telling the story of three different groups of people who lived here from 1588 to 2008.  The original Anglo Norman owners, the Dongon’s, were the first.  They were followed by the Ascendancy owners, the Conollys, and then, finally the modern owners, the 694 householders of the modern estate. 1. The Dongon owners 1588-1700,   2. The Conolly owners 1700-1965, and  3. The 694 present owners 1965-2008 The book will be published in 2010  we are seeking funding for it at present. More about this soon!

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