Munster Express Online

Gáirdín an Ghorta and the Aghaviller Historical and Cultural Society hosted a talk by Ms Jane de Montmorency-Wright on the history of Castlemorris House on Thursday, August 19th, at the visitor centre, Gáirdín an Ghorta, Newmarket, Co. Kilkenny.

The large attendance heard Ms de Montmorency-Wright give a very good talk on her family’s involvement with Castlemorris House, assisted by her daughter Caroline Sutherland (who treated us to many photographs of the house).

In its day in the mid-19th century, it was one of the finest (and largest) houses in Ireland at that time and compared well with Bessborough in Piltown.

Built around 1751 in the parish of Aghaviller, the Castlemorris estate was previously known as “Diore Lia” (a grey wood). Formerly home to the Morres and de Montmorency families, the family vault can still be seen in the local churchyard.

The churchyard also contains the remains of an ancient round tower. Built to protect the occupants and valuables of monastic settlements from Viking raids, these towers dot the Nore valley.

In 1924 the house was sold to the Land Commission. In the early 1930s it was unroofed and a demolition sale took place. Many parts of the house can be found in houses around the country.

The house itself was finally demolished in 1978. The grounds now merge with other Coillte woods, totalling approximately 2,000 acres in the district. Ms de Montmorency-Wright gave an excellent talk and should be complimented for her extensive research into her family and their association with Castlemorris.