Castle Oliver, located in County Limerick, Ireland, is approximately 175–180 years old, having been built between 1845 and 1850 by the Oliver-Gascoigne sisters. Designed by architect George Fowler Jones in the Scottish Baronial style, the structure replaced an earlier, ruined 17th-century house known as Clonodfoy.
The sisters commissioned the present castle in 1845. It was designed by the York architect George Fowler Jones in the Scottish Baronial style and built in a local pink sandstone, quarried on the estate.
has been fully restored. and craftsmen to ensure that the castle was restored to its former glory. It's only now when we can stand back and look at it, we can realise we probably were mad, but it's all worth it."
The origins of Castle Stuart trace back to 1625, when James Stuart, 3rd Earl of Moray, completed its construction. The Stuarts were a prominent Scottish family, deeply involved in the country's political landscape.
Undeterred, the Scots in 1548 betrothed Mary to the French King Henri II's heir, the Dauphin Francis, and sent her to be brought up at the French Court. It is said that the spelling of the royal family name of Stewart changed to Stuart at that time, to suit French conventional spelling.
Historic Setting: Castle Oliver Farm in Uppersunville, Ardpatrick offers a spacious holiday home housed in a historic building. Guests enjoy garden and terrace views, complemented by mountain vistas.
The oldest recorded Irish surname is widely considered to be O'Clery (Ó Cléirigh), appearing in historical records around 916-920 AD with the death of Tigherneach Ua Cleirigh in County Galway, making it one of the earliest fixed hereditary surnames in Europe. Before this, names were typically patronymic (like "son of"), but the O'Clery name marks an early shift to fixed, hereditary family names in Ireland, along with other early "Ó" (descendant of) and "Mac" (son of) names like O'Neill.
According to the 2021 Census there were 2,787 people living in Killyleagh. 51% were from a Protestant and 'other Christian religions' background, 37% were from a Catholic background and 12% were irreligious.
The cheapest time to go to Ireland is during the winter off-season (November to February), avoiding Christmas/New Year's, when flights and hotels are cheapest but days are short and weather is cold/wet, or the shoulder seasons (April-May, September-October) for a balance of lower prices, fewer crowds, and decent weather. Avoid peak summer (June-August) for the lowest costs due to high demand, though it offers the best weather and longest days.
By the late 17th century the Olivers were settled at Clonodfoy (later known as Castle Oliver), barony of Coshlea, county Limerick. Captain Robert Oliver was granted lands in the barony of Coshlea and in the barony of Clanmorris, county Kerry in 1666.
James Stewart vowed never to work with Donna Reed again after the initial poor box office performance of It's a Wonderful Life, blaming her perceived inexperience for the film's failure, though he later praised her as a marvelous actress, and they never made another film together.
The current Jacobite claimant is Franz von Bayern of the House Of Wittelsbach. This is the great-grandson of Ludwig III, the last King of Bavaria. Jacobites would today refer to Franz as James II, as he is directly descended from Princess Henrietta-Anne, the youngest daughter of Charles I.
