Monivea Castle
Encyclopedia
Monivea Castle is a former O’Kelly tower house
, located near Monivea
in County Galway
, Ireland
. It was acquired by the ffrench
family, one of the fourteen Tribes of Galway
, who developed it further, enhancing the lands and building the Monivea Castle—all increasing the fortification around the original Norman tower.
Monivea Castle in its prime in 1876, occupied 10,121 acres of land, including the features of the tower house ruins, Monivea Castle itself, the ffrench Mausoleum and Monivea Woods. The demesne lands surrounding Monivea Castle were worked directly for the benefit of the landlord. Further outlying lands were rented out for farming. Estate farmers and domestic servants lived in the surrounding region, the town of Monivea taking shape from this initial population, homes and servicing merchant posts.
trees. Monivea Castle has two gate-lodges, one to the right of the main gate entry, where staff screened or welcomed visitors.
, the structure resembles a small castle, approximately 25-feet-wide by 30-feet-high, with crenellation along the roofline, and featuring a back, left turret
. Stone steps lead up to a gothic-archway and heavy oak door secured with decorative rod iron hinges.
Entering into the ffrench Mousoleum, strategically placed stained glass windows provide the only source of light and create a serene atmosphere. The building has no electricity. A central window, depicting the Resurrection, is set into the stone wall, behind the black and white marble altar bearing a carved Maltese cross. The east-facing triple-lancet stained-glass window is positioned so the rising sun lights upon the memorial sculpture. On each side wall, Munich-style stained glass
windows illustrate twelve of the fourteen Tribes of Galway. All of the intricately designed windows were created by Franz Mayer & Co.
—a famous German stained glass design and manufacturing company based in Munich
. Mayer of Munich, still in business today, was the principal creator of stained glass for Roman Catholic churches constructed during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, including St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome
.
Paired granite pillars guard the entrance to the barrel-vaulted chancel, four black marble pillars provide structural support. The mausoleum’s high-vaulted ceiling and granite gothic arches
shelter a life-size cararra marble
effigy of Robert Percy ffrench lying in state. Francesco Jerace, a Calabrian artist, sculpted a true likeness of Robert ffrench, lying on his back, feet to door, covered by white, rhythmically draped carved marble with an inscribed Maltese cross
. On the side of ffrench’s effigy is carved: “Il lui sera beaucoup pardonne car il a beaucoup aime.” He will be forgiven much because he has loved much.
, the estate of Monivea, once mainly bogland, has been reclaimed as useful land through the careful handling by successive generations of the ffrench family. Lime and sheep carcasses integrated into the soil provide nutrients to plants and trees, encouraging growth and subsequently stabilizing the soil. Robert Percy ffrench continued to develop the estate by acquiring more land, and planting an extensive parkland surrounded by five rows of large beech trees. Monivea Woods provided a forest home for wildlife, including fox, hare, squirrel and migratory birds. It was the site for regular hunts with the local Galway Blazers. Kathleen, who inherited Monivea Castle from her father Robert ffrench, enjoyed the excitement of these events, as well as walks and recreation in the peaceful woodlands.
Under the stewardship of the ffrench family, the property continued to flourish, and today, Monivea Woods is known for its unique flora
and archaeology
. The broadleaf forest
offers a natural habitat for Irish wild fungi, lichens, bryophytes and native plants. The trees provide nesting sites and song posts for birds, encouraging the habitat of larger species of birds such as Wood Pigeons, Sparrowhawks and Jays. Lower shrubs provide shelter for small mammals. Seed-bearing plants and forest insects supply an easy food source. Monivea Woods is regarded now as being one of the most environmentally diverse and vulnerable parts of East County Galway.
According to a 2002 report funded by Ireland’s Department of Environment and Local Government, “Only 9% of Ireland has any forest cover at all today and less than 1% of the surface of the island contains forest established before 1600.” Monivea Woods is not only an ecological achievement but a resource for continued development of Ireland's biodiversity.
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
, located near Monivea
Monivea
Monivea It was formerly part of the kingdom of the Soghain of Connacht. It is located approximately 30 km from Galway City and 9 km from Athenry. Monivea is known for its sizable forest, Monivea Castle which now lies in partial ruins, and a well-preserved mausoleum...
in County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It was acquired by the ffrench
Ffrench
Ffrench or ffrench is a surname, a variant of the name French.The originality of the name arrived from France, in the form of the Normans who landed in Bannow Bay, Co. Wexford, Ireland in 1169. The main areas apart from Co. Wexford where they settled, were Galway, Roscommon and Dublin.In some...
family, one of the fourteen Tribes of Galway
Tribes of Galway
The Tribes of Galway were fourteen merchant families who dominated the political, commercial, and social life of the city of Galway in western Ireland between the mid-13th and late-19th centuries. They were the families of Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D'Arcy, Deane, Font, Ffrench, Joyce, Kirwan,...
, who developed it further, enhancing the lands and building the Monivea Castle—all increasing the fortification around the original Norman tower.
Monivea Castle in its prime in 1876, occupied 10,121 acres of land, including the features of the tower house ruins, Monivea Castle itself, the ffrench Mausoleum and Monivea Woods. The demesne lands surrounding Monivea Castle were worked directly for the benefit of the landlord. Further outlying lands were rented out for farming. Estate farmers and domestic servants lived in the surrounding region, the town of Monivea taking shape from this initial population, homes and servicing merchant posts.
Monivea Castle
Monivea Castle resides in the midst of extensive woodlands, encompassed by a stone fence and five rows of enormous beechBeech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
trees. Monivea Castle has two gate-lodges, one to the right of the main gate entry, where staff screened or welcomed visitors.
ffrench Mausoleum
Set in a clearing amidst the trees of Monivea Wood, the ffrench Mausoleum and chapel was commissioned by Kathleen ffrench in honor of her late father, Robert Percy ffrench. In 1914, the Pope granted an indult, permitting official mass celebrations on special occasions and under special circumstances. Designed by architect Francis Persse (younger brother of Augusta Gregory), the mausoleum took four years to construct, at a cost of £10,000 (near two million in today’s economy). Built of rough-granite blocks quarried in WicklowWicklow
Wicklow) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census. The town is situated to the east of the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail...
, the structure resembles a small castle, approximately 25-feet-wide by 30-feet-high, with crenellation along the roofline, and featuring a back, left turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
. Stone steps lead up to a gothic-archway and heavy oak door secured with decorative rod iron hinges.
Entering into the ffrench Mousoleum, strategically placed stained glass windows provide the only source of light and create a serene atmosphere. The building has no electricity. A central window, depicting the Resurrection, is set into the stone wall, behind the black and white marble altar bearing a carved Maltese cross. The east-facing triple-lancet stained-glass window is positioned so the rising sun lights upon the memorial sculpture. On each side wall, Munich-style stained glass
Munich-style stained glass
Munich-style stained glass was produced in the Royal Bavarian Stained Glass Manufactory, Munich, in the mid-19th century.King Ludwig I of Bavaria planned for the first time in Continental Europe the revival of the art of stained glass and established in 1827 the “Königliche Glasmalereianstalt” /...
windows illustrate twelve of the fourteen Tribes of Galway. All of the intricately designed windows were created by Franz Mayer & Co.
Franz Mayer & Co.
Franz Mayer & Co. is a famous German stained glass design and manufacturing company, based in Munich, Germany, that has been active throughout most of the world for over 150 years...
—a famous German stained glass design and manufacturing company based in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. Mayer of Munich, still in business today, was the principal creator of stained glass for Roman Catholic churches constructed during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, including St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
Paired granite pillars guard the entrance to the barrel-vaulted chancel, four black marble pillars provide structural support. The mausoleum’s high-vaulted ceiling and granite gothic arches
Arches
-Places:* Arches National Park in the U.S. state of Utah* Arches, Cantal, a commune of the Cantal département, in France* Arches, Vosges, a commune of the Vosges département, in France-Other:* Arches of the foot...
shelter a life-size cararra marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
effigy of Robert Percy ffrench lying in state. Francesco Jerace, a Calabrian artist, sculpted a true likeness of Robert ffrench, lying on his back, feet to door, covered by white, rhythmically draped carved marble with an inscribed Maltese cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
. On the side of ffrench’s effigy is carved: “Il lui sera beaucoup pardonne car il a beaucoup aime.” He will be forgiven much because he has loved much.
Monivea Woods
Situated 17 miles east of Galway city, north of AthenryAthenry
Athenry is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies east of Galway city, and one of the attractions of the town is its medieval castle. The town is also well-known by virtue of the song "The Fields of Athenry".-History:...
, the estate of Monivea, once mainly bogland, has been reclaimed as useful land through the careful handling by successive generations of the ffrench family. Lime and sheep carcasses integrated into the soil provide nutrients to plants and trees, encouraging growth and subsequently stabilizing the soil. Robert Percy ffrench continued to develop the estate by acquiring more land, and planting an extensive parkland surrounded by five rows of large beech trees. Monivea Woods provided a forest home for wildlife, including fox, hare, squirrel and migratory birds. It was the site for regular hunts with the local Galway Blazers. Kathleen, who inherited Monivea Castle from her father Robert ffrench, enjoyed the excitement of these events, as well as walks and recreation in the peaceful woodlands.
Under the stewardship of the ffrench family, the property continued to flourish, and today, Monivea Woods is known for its unique flora
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
. The broadleaf forest
Broadleaf forest
Broadleaf forest can refer to:* Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests* Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests* Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests...
offers a natural habitat for Irish wild fungi, lichens, bryophytes and native plants. The trees provide nesting sites and song posts for birds, encouraging the habitat of larger species of birds such as Wood Pigeons, Sparrowhawks and Jays. Lower shrubs provide shelter for small mammals. Seed-bearing plants and forest insects supply an easy food source. Monivea Woods is regarded now as being one of the most environmentally diverse and vulnerable parts of East County Galway.
According to a 2002 report funded by Ireland’s Department of Environment and Local Government, “Only 9% of Ireland has any forest cover at all today and less than 1% of the surface of the island contains forest established before 1600.” Monivea Woods is not only an ecological achievement but a resource for continued development of Ireland's biodiversity.
Controversy
Upon the death of Kathleen ffrench in 1938, with no heir apparent, she bequeathed Monivea Castle, including the estate to the Irish Nation. Kathleen's Will states:| "I give devise and bequeath to the Irish Nation the demesne of Monivea with the Castle including Kilbeg and Currendoo, the bogs, reclaimed lands and plantations, on condition that no parcel of these remains of my former estate shall ever be sold or the old trees cut down unless they fall to pieces." |