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Last Updated: 2, Apr 2018 - 10:02 |
Turlough Park & The FitzGeralds
By
Patrick Butler
PHOTOGRAPHS and paintings are worth a thousand words. In this professionally written and professionally produced book the forty or so illustrations tell the story of the FitzGerald family of Turlough.
Patrick Butler, who lived there during its twilight years, and has a passion for the house and its history has set it all down in this publication.
It will stand the test of time and the test of accuracy. It is pleasant to read. The story is told in a bare, spare, and fair fashion – no imaginative trips, no fancy tales. Just plain history.
It links in the family with its Norman origins, they became a Anglo Norman Catholic family, backed the royalists against Cromwell, and with the words of Cromwell’s secretary ringing in their ears.. To Hell or to Connaught,.. They made their way across the Shannon and took up residence in Mayo. In order to maintain his lands during the Penal times, Thomas FitzGerard conformed to the Protestant Faith in 1717.
George Robert FitzGerard known as the Fighting FitzGerard is the most famous or infamous of the FitzGerards and his adventures are well described and at length. Given to disorder and confusion he was finally hanged in Castlebar.
The story of his life is compelling and unbelievable. It gives an insight into the turmoil in Mayo during these rakish times, the turmoil, the fighting, the pillage and the revenge. But these are good times in the story. There is a glow of the Edwardian ere, the after glow after the Second World War and then the sunset of the house.
It is well illustrated and well documented in this fine book.
Michael Mullen, Castlebar. July 2002.
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