Our Story
From a Norman castle to a family-run home in the heart of Kildare Town.
Watch
Join Kildare historian Mario Corrigan for a short film about the buildings, the families and the characters behind The Silken Thomas.
Timeline
1172
Strongbow establishes his power base at Kildare. The first fortification of Kildare Castle is probably his.
1537
Thomas FitzGerald, "Silken Thomas", is executed with his five uncles after his rebellion.
1757
Rocque's map shows a house, garden and stable on the site of today's Virginia Lodge.
1798
Stopping the mail coaches signals the start of the Rebellion. The post office stands on Market Square.
1853
Griffith's Valuation records Virginia Lodge with the Cleary family of The Leinster Arms Hotel.
1922
The Burke family, who set up the Tote in Ireland, lease Virginia Lodge from the Duke of Leinster.
1996
Kildare Castle is occupied for the last time. Its last remaining tower still stands today.
2007
Kildare's old post office closes. The Postmaster's House next door is now part of The Silken Thomas.
Three Historic Houses
Today our guest rooms are spread across three historic buildings, all within a few steps of The Silken Thomas on Market Square: The Silken Rooms beside Kildare Castle, the Georgian Virginia Lodge, and the old Post Master's House.
The Silken Rooms Virginia Lodge Post Master's House
1172 · The Norman Castle
The prosperity and location of Kildare made it an attractive prize for plunderers and power-hungry magnates, and it became an important site in the early years of the Norman invasion of Ireland. Once the Normans reached the frontier town of Kildare, on the edge of their territory, they quickly set about building defences, and these developed into the Castle of Kildare.
The first fortification was probably built by Strongbow, Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke (died 1176), who established his power base at Kildare in 1172. He is famously remembered in the name Claregate Street, although another suggestion is that it comes from the Irish Sráid na Cléirigh, the road of the clerics. The stone castle is credited to his successor, William Marshall, Earl of Pembroke.
The castle was last occupied in 1996, at least on its ground floor. Today the last remaining tower is known simply as ‘The Castle’ and is owned by Joe and Marie Flanagan, proprietors of the Silken Thomas and Lord Edward Guest House. The bungalow next door is still occupied, and is now The Silken Rooms.
Stay at The Silken Rooms1537 · The Name Above the Door
One of the most colourful characters of the FitzGerald dynasty was Thomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Kildare, son of Garrett Óg FitzGerald, Lord Deputy of Ireland. Hearing that his father had been put to death in London, Thomas led an unsuccessful rebellion against the King. He and his five uncles were executed in 1537. He is remembered as ‘Silken Thomas’ because of the silken plumes worn by his followers.
His half-brother Gerald was smuggled to safety on the continent, but was eventually restored to his lands and titles as 11th Earl of Kildare. He became known as the ‘Wizard Earl’ because of his interest in alchemy.
Lord Edward FitzGerald, military leader of the United Irishmen, lived for a time in Kildare Town with his French wife, Lady Pamela, and a bronze bust of him stands on Market Square. There's a superb view of the castle's sole remaining tower from the entrance to the Silken Thomas car park.
Before 1837 · A Georgian House
This beautiful ivy-covered, two-storey house stands as you cross from Market Square northwards towards the laneway to the site of the Norman castle. Today it is an end-of-terrace house, but it was most likely detached originally. It was built in the Georgian style some time before the first Ordnance Survey map of 1837, on the site of an earlier house.
Rocque's map of 1757 shows a dwelling house, garden and stable here in the possession of Francis Browne, while Sherrard's map of 1798 shows the site leased by Patrick White from Richard Hethrington, with a dwelling house, back house and yard. The stable was probably leased to Lord Edward FitzGerald.
Around the time of Griffith's Valuation in 1853 the property belonged to the Cleary family, who owned The Leinster Arms Hotel. In September 1922 it was leased from the Duke of Leinster by the Burke family, who famously set up the Tote system in Ireland. It was offered for sale in 1952 and again in May 1963, and in modern times was home to the Conlan family, who started the Chilling Company in the 1940s, until it was acquired by the Flanagan family as guest accommodation for the Silken Thomas.
Stay at Virginia Lodge1798 · The Town's Communication Hub
The small red-brick building on the south side of Dublin Street was Kildare's old post office. It closed in 2007 and has since been renovated as a youth space, known as ‘The Hive’ and ‘In Sync’ Kildare Town Youth Project.
In 1798 the post office was listed in Market Square, close to the site of the modern Leinster Arms. By 1838 it was on Claregate Street, one door up from the Police Station on the corner of Bangup Lane, and by 1872 the Telegraph Office had moved to Dublin Street South, possibly around 1853 when the Police Barracks was built.
The impressive two-storey building next door, the Postmaster's House, testifies to the importance of the position. In a world without radio, phones or internet, the mail coaches carried post and people throughout the country. Indeed, the signal for the start of the 1798 Rebellion was the stopping of the mail coaches. After a spell as apartments, it now provides guest accommodation for the Silken Thomas.
Stay at Post Master's House
Kildare Footprints
Download the Kildare Town walking tour and heritage trail, and discover the castle, Market Square and the streets around The Silken Thomas.
Download the PDFStay in one of our historic houses, or join us for dinner on Market Square. Call +353 45 522 232 or book online.
