[Castle Redwood. Lorrha, Co Tipperary, Ireland. Photo source: Tipperary Tourism.]

This photo is of Castle Redwood. It’s not a ‘castle’ in the popular sense, the way most are depicted in movies. It’s a Keep, intended to hold the owners in safety during an attack. Walls are nearly ten feet thick, slot windows for defending archers and parapets to throw rocks down on the angry crowds during a siege.

It was originally constructed by the Normans in 1210. It was in ruins for centuries, until a branch of the modern Egan family reconstructed it.

I first knew this place as Castle Egan. I don’t recall who related that name to me, but my best guess is my father. And it would have been during my visit to Ireland with him and my uncle in that important year of 1984.

A woman currently owns it, Ms Coleesa Egan. Somehow, someplace she and I share a common ancestor. I haven’t linked her branch with mine yet on Ancestry, but I’m going to try.

You see, dear readers, Mariam and I will be spending the night (24 August) in the castle, with Coleesa in her rooms and us in ours.

Oh, and it has a reputation of being haunted. I am not necessarily a believer in the paranormal, but I love a good ghost story.

And I found this while I was checking facts about the castle:

[Screen shot of an online article in the Irish Mirror, 5 December 2023.]

Faithful readers, I will be back with a blog post about our night in Castle Redwood. Perhaps on Monday when we are safely in a large hotel in Dublin.

Or maybe later…