Under Land Reform Acts which began in the late 19th century, the landlord/estate system was abolished and the land redistributed among the neighboring farmers. When Cornelious O'Callaghan, the landlord who built the castle, died in 1857, the estate passed to two sisters, Lady Constance Butler and Lady Beatrice Pole Carew, who were some relation to him. In 1934, they sold the estate to the Shanbally Estate Company, and in the 1950s it was bought by the government.
The farmer who was to get the property on which Shanbally Castle stood didn't want the castle. Instead of substituting another parcel and restoring the roof, the government razed the castle, which it didn't want to maintain anyway. Locals still regret the loss of this historical and architectural gem which could have been used as a hotel, tourist attraction, conference center, or historical monument. It also would have held sentimental value to the descendents of those who worked there. |
