Abandoned families - Denny - Contents

Tralee Castle, Tralee, Co.Kerry

Tralee Castle.
Painted by "Sarah Harnett" in 1824 (just before demolition).
This must be from the S side (the open, green side). The N side faces onto the street, built-up area.
In possession of Denny family.
See larger and full size.

Tralee Castle was the castle of Tralee town, Co.Kerry.
The entrance was around the NE side of what is now the junction of Denny St and The Mall / Lower Castle St.
The castle site would be a little to the SW down Denny St.
For exact position, see 1824 map.

It was originally built by John Fitzgerald, 1st Baron Desmond, who founded Tralee town, c.1216.
Seat of Earls of Desmond.
Tralee Castle was destroyed, along with Tralee town, in 1580 in the Earl of Desmond's rebellion.

Tralee Castle and town were granted in 1587 to Sir Edward Denny.
Tralee was burnt again in an insurrection in 1598.
Tralee Castle was restored by Sir Edward Denny in 1627.
The Catholic Rebellion began in Oct 1641. Tralee Castle was besieged in Feb-Aug 1642. It was burnt by the rebels after capture in Aug 1642.
It was restored by Sir Arthur Denny in 1653.
The castle and town were again destroyed in 1691 in the Williamite-Jacobite War.
It was restored by Col. Edward Denny after 1691.
Seat of Denny Baronets (cr 1782).

From entry of 23 Aug 1788 in [Rev. Daniel A. Beaufort's Tour of Kerry, 1788], on arrival in Tralee: "The entrance is very dirty, the town very rambling in its plan. Some good houses on the Mall, a broad street by Sir Barry Denny's frightful old Castle. A Square very small & irregular. The Church is large & decent but never painted. A large new Jail is building. Many houses building so that half the streets are in rubbish."
From entry of 25 Aug 1788: "We walked into Sir Barry Denny's house which is much better than it appears outside. The grounds behind are well wooded & have a pretty walk round them."

Tralee Castle was rebuilt 1804 by Sir Edward Denny, 3rd Baronet.
But it didn't really work and he moved out in 1807-1810.
Tralee Castle was demolished 1826. Nothing remains.
Sir Robert Arthur Denny, 5th Baronet sold off the remaining Denny estates in Co.Kerry by 1899.

Early maps

Map of Tralee, 1735.
From Denny collection.
See larger and full size.

"C" is the Abbey.
"D" is the Square.
"H" is the castle.
"K" is Tralee church.
"Q" (to the SE side of the castle grounds) is "The ahah!" This is what is normally called a ha-ha.

Close-up of the castle ("H").
See larger and full size.

Key to the map.
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Map of Tralee. Date sometime in 1743-1756.
Dedicated to Sir Thomas Denny, of Tralee Castle (knighted 1743).
Original in possession of Denny family.
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"A" is Tralee Church.
The street going at an angle is Nelson St (now Ashe St).
"B" is Tralee Castle. The entrance is opposite where Nelson St meets Castle St.
The map suggests Tralee Castle had a courtyard on Castle St and the castle building was a bit S off Castle St.
Note the extensive castle grounds to the S.
"C" is The Square.
See the map as published in [Smith, 1756].

Tralee Castle described on p.162 of [Smith, 1756].

Tralee Castle on 1795 estate map.
N is up.
Note the canal to the W.
See larger and full size.

Map of Tralee Castle, 1824.
Just before demolition.
The only really scientific map.
See larger and full size.
From Denny papers.

Maps after demolition

Site of Tralee Castle and grounds on 1829 to 1842 map.
Just after the demolition of Tralee Castle and creation of Denny St.

The castle entrance was opposite where Nelson St meets Castle St. About the E side of the top of Denny St.
The castle main block was a bit S of Castle St, to the W side of Denny St. Completely wiped out by Denny Street.
Note the castle grounds below it (now Tralee town park).
Note The Square to the NW.
Note Princes Quay and Day Place to the W.

Site of Tralee Castle and grounds on 1887 to 1913 map.
See modern satellite view.
See modern street view on Denny St.

Images of the castle

Close-up of Tralee Castle on the above 1795 map.
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Close-up of Tralee Castle in the above 1824 painting.
See larger and full size.

Tralee Castle.
Very similar to the 1824 painting above, though with minor differences.
Maybe a copy made by someone of the above painting. Or else an original, but made around the same time.
See larger and full size.
See other scan.
From [McMorran and O'Keeffe, 2005]. Picture credit Russell McMorran.
Used with the kind permission of Russell McMorran and Maurice O'Keeffe.

Tralee Castle (More)

References

Denny estate on p.157 of [O'Hea O'Keeffe, 2013].

Sources yet to be consulted

TRALEE CASTLE in [Houses of Kerry]
Charles de Montbret's visit to Tralee c.1790. He is unimpressed by Tralee Castle.
"The Antiquities of Tralee", Kerry Magazine, 1854-1856.
- Starts in vol.1 no.1.
- "The Walling of Tralee", vol.1 no.4, 1 Apr 1854. See p.49 and p.50 and p.51.
- Some of it republished on pp.109-116 of [Hickson, 1872].
- Short version republished as "Tralee Castle and Abbey", in Kerry Archaeological Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 11 (Oct., 1913), pp. 141-150.
"Tralee of the Dennys", pp.135-143 of [Hickson, 1872].
"Some old Tralee notes", by S.M., Kerry Archaeological Magazine, vol.5, pp.40-49, 1919.
- See pp.40-41 and pp.42-43 and pp.44-45 and pp.46-47 and pp.48-49.
- Reprinted in JKAHS 30 (1997), pp.82-89. Though it gives the wrong reference for the original.
"Tralee Castle", unpublished Ms by Sir Henry Denny, 7th Baronet. In 12 W 7/6 in [RIA].