Rappa Castle

Rappa Castle is a castle located in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland.

History

Rappa Castle was held by the Bourke family and was granted to a Cromwellian soldier named Crofton. [http://www.landedestates.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-show.jsp?id=229] fact|date = September 2008 In the 17th century William Knox (born 1630) married a Crofton of Rappa Castle. The castle remained the home of the Knox family until the 1920s. [ [http://books.google.co.uk/books/pdf/A_Genealogical_and_Heraldic_History_of_t.pdf?id=KikAAAAAQAAJ&output=pdf&sig=ACfU3U1pGjQ7sJ0VXidMd6Jgu7IEOvGRWw] Burke, John (1838): "A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, Enjoying Territorial Possessions Or High Official Rank: But Uninvested with Heritable Honours", R. Bentley, p. 580 (Oxford University)]

The Knox family left the castle after the Irish rebellion and the Castle came into the possession of William Gillespie. The Gillespie family which included 13 children lived in the castle until the upkeep became too much. William Gillespie built a new home for the family in front of the house where the family lived until 2001. The remains of the castle stand behind the housefact|date = September 2008.

References