This site has witnessed centuries of Irish history, from medieval monastic lands to plantation politics and Georgian grandeur. The lands first appear in records when Sir Robert Dillon received them in 1569, along with the nearby monastery of Abbeyshrule. By 1604, they’d passed to William Taaffe as part of a royal grant that included territories confiscated from the O’Farrell clan. The plantation system continued in 1620 when Robert Dillon received extensive lands here, though his grant came with strict conditions; he was forbidden from adopting the title of the Great O’Farrell, paying tribute in the Irish manner, or dividing the lands according to the traditional Gaelic custom of gavelkind.

The site’s most dramatic period came during and after the 1641 Rebellion, when Sir James Dillon’s castle at Ballymulvey was confiscated and subsequently granted to the Molyneaux family, before passing to the Shuldhams. The Civil Survey of 1654 to 1656 described it as ‘a castle in good repaire’, and the Down Survey map shows it as an impressive structure with multiple chimney stacks, positioned strategically along the highway from Longford to Dublin. The 18th century house that replaced or incorporated the earlier castle became a social hub for the local gentry; the poet and playwright Oliver Goldsmith, who was related to the Bryanton family, stayed here several times during the 1740s and 1750s.

Today, visitors can explore the substantial ruins of the Georgian house, built around 1730, which appears to incorporate fragments of the earlier castle in its thicker walls. The walled garden remains particularly impressive, with its coursed rubble limestone construction and finely carved ashlar gate piers testament to the craftsmanship and resources required to maintain such an estate. Though the house was already in ruins by 1914, these remnants offer a tangible connection to the complex layers of Irish history; from Gaelic lordships through plantation, rebellion and the Georgian ascendancy. The site also includes associated features like a fish pond and earthworks, making it a fascinating spot for anyone interested in how political upheaval and changing fortunes literally shaped the Irish landscape.