Castle Otway /Cloghenane Castle
Originally a Fogarty towerhouse, it was appropriated by Colonel John Otway. His descendant Thomas Otway built on the Queen Anne facade attached to the tower. Of note, Letitia Otway, a daughter of Thomas Otway was the mother of the infamous Hanging Judge, John Toler aka Lord Norbury.
A grant of lands to Colonel John Otway on 19/10/1666. Despite some different spelling the townlands are easily recognised. (virtualtreasury.ie)
Castle Otway at nearby Cloghonan - One of eight lithographs by Thomas Picken from original drawings by Frances Emilia Crofton 1854. The lithographs were bound and sold in aid of Leitrim Protestant Orphan Society.
Castle Otway with flag flying. The Queen Anne style house dating from 1750 built by Colonel Thomas Otway attached to the medieval tower house of Cloghonan Castle granted to John Otway in 1665
The Lord and Lady in a Brougham or Landau carriage make their way to the castle while an overseer, whip in hand, berates some peasants for being there...perhaps!
Unknown provenance - sketch of Castle Otway - (NLI)
Jasper Joly engraving of Castle Otway - circa 1850 - (NLI)
Close up of Castle Otway and Deerpark with Ha-Ha and Gates - (NLI)
The Castle Otway Harp reputed to date from circa 1700 but the actual origin is unknown. Its also known as Patrick Quin's Harp, it currently resides in Trinity College, Dublin
Remains of the main doorway into the Castle
Castle Otway before the destructive fire
Old photo of Castle Otway with the Fan Gate from the Ha-Ha later to be used at the Rectory in Templederry
The solid looking ruins of Castle Otway still have the power to awe & inspire as they sit resplendent in the local pastureland.
One story tells of a kitchen fire which got out of control and caused the destruction. Another and more likely tale was that it was set alight during the Civil War by the I.R.A. Nearby Kilboy House suffered the same fate on 04/08/1922. The Pritties of Kilboy and the Otways were connected through marriage.
Some of the architectural marvels that form parts of the structure of Castle Otway from arches and pediments to still existing undercrofts. I have never seen this time of decorative pebblework inset in the mortar between stones before.
Gate Lodge to Castle Otway with Octagonal tower attached
Architectural embellishments on windows with tower to the rear
Fishscale pattern slates on the roofs showing the quality of workmanship
Ruins of Castle Otway National School and Masters House (1896)
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