Clonyn Castle also known as Delvin Castle, is situated in Delvin, County Westmeath some 18 km from Mullingar, in Ireland along the N52. The first castle[1] (now in ruin) is believed to have been built in 1181 by Hugh de Lacy the Norman, Lord of Meath for his brother-in-law, Sir Gilbert de Nugent. Sir Gilbert De Nugent originally from Nogent-le-Rotrou area France, came to Ireland with Hugh de Lacy in 1171. Gilbert settled on some land in Delvin and was granted the title Baron of Delvin.
The ruins of Nugent Castle[2] remain near the center of the city. In 1639 Richard Nugent, 1st Earl of Westmeath build another more recent castle, situated on the dominating ground, and now overlooking Delvin urbanised area today, may be referred to as either Delvin or Clonyn Castle.
In the post World War II period, the castle served briefly as a home for 97 Jewish children, most of them orphans of the Holocaust.
A golf course [3] open to the public lies behind the more recent castle, 500m from Delvin centre.