Killua: A History

by Andrew Hughes

From Georgian mansion to neo-Gothic castle to picturesque ruin – no structure has embodied the rise and fall of the Anglo-Irish Ascendancy quite like Killua. Formerly the seat of the Chapman baronets, here the myths and mysteries of Chapman origins are unveiled, links with Sir Walter Raleigh and Lawrence of Arabia are explored, and the scandals and triumphs of political and military careers are plotted against the turning points of Irish history. Early Christian churches, medieval monastic orders, tales of Knights Hospitallers are all set in context, as Killua Castle, rescued from the brink, faces a new and hopeful future.

Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Born in Co. Wexford, ANDREW HUGHES was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. A qualified archivist, he worked for RTE before going freelance. It was while researching his acclaimed social history of Fitzwilliam Square – 'Lives Less Ordinary: Dublin’s Fitzwilliam Square, 1798-1922' – that he first came across the true story of John Delahunt that inspired his debut novel, THE CONVICTIONS OF JOHN DELAHUNT.

Andrew Hughes lives in Dublin.