Maynooth Castle, National monument and medieval castle in Maynooth, Ireland
Maynooth Castle is a medieval stone castle in the town of Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland, and is listed as a national monument. The surviving sections include a gatehouse and a solar tower, both of which still stand within the town center.
The Fitzgerald family built the castle around 1203 on land granted to them after the Norman invasion of Ireland. In the 16th century, the castle went through a major siege during the Reformation period, after which it was never fully restored.
The castle was the main seat of the Fitzgerald family, one of the most powerful dynasties in medieval Ireland. Today, visitors can see the combined coats of arms of the Fitzgerald and Boyle families carved into the stone walls, marking a change in ownership.
The castle stands right next to Maynooth University and is easy to reach on foot from the town center. Opening hours change by season, so checking ahead before your visit is a good idea.
After the fall of the castle in 1535, when the garrison surrendered and was then executed, the phrase 'Maynooth pardon' entered the English language. It became a way of describing a surrender where no mercy was actually given, and the phrase survived for centuries.
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