Conolly's Folly
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Conolly's Folly (Irish: Baois Uí Chongaile), a.k.a. The Obelisk or originally The Conolly Folly is an obelisk structure located near Celbridge and Maynooth, both in north County Kildare, Ireland.
It was built beside The Castletown estate (containing Castletown House), which contains two follies, both commissioned by Katherine Conolly, the philanthropic widow of Speaker William Conolly to provide employment for hundreds of the poor of Celbridge when the famine of 1740-41 was at its worst. The Obelisk was built in 1740 after a particularly severe winter. As a folly, it filled the view (vista) at the back of Castletown some 2.5 miles (4 km) away.
Designed by Richard Castle, it is 42 metres (140 feet) high and is composed of several arches, adorned by stone pineapples and eagles, topped by a massive obelisk pillar. It was restored in 1965 by the Irish Georgian Society, and marks the grave of Mariga, first wife of the Hon. Desmond Guinness of Leixlip Castle.
The name Conolly is used, rather than the more common spelling Connolly, as it was the spelling used by William Conolly and by all his descendants. It derived from the Gaelic 'Ui Conghaile'.[1][2][3]
It is currently undergoing restoration work as it has fallen into disrepair.
[edit] See also
- The Wonderful Barn
- Nearby towns of: Maynooth, Leixlip and Celbridge
- Kildare History and Society 2006 ed. Nolan W. & McGrath T., at pp.327-348. ISBN 978-0-906602-57-7
[edit] References
- ^ William Conolly - Dictionary of National Biography
- ^ Lewis's Topographical Directory of Ireland, 1837 - irish-architecture.com
- ^ The Conolly Papers - Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
[edit] External links
- Paintings of the Obelisk
- Fantastic Follies (Photos of well known Irish Follies)
- Description of the Obelisk
- Tourist Guide, with Description of Connolly's Folley
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