Hope Castle

Hope Castle, also referred to as Blayney Castle is an 18th century house situated in County Monaghan. It has taken many forms over the years, including a military barracks, hospital, convent and more recently a hotel, before it’s demise in 2010.

The site began as a defensive stone castle in 1621 and the Blayney’s proceeded to occupy it until after the 1830s. During this time the castle was seized by rebels fighting under Hugh Mac Patrick Dubh MacMahon. It was sold in 1853 to the Hope family who extended and embellished it.

The demise of the building came in 2010 when the house suffered an extensive arson attack, the fire spread rapidly throughout the ground floor, up the stairwell and into the upstairs rooms. The building was uninhabited at the time, but still contained many of the previous hotels furnishings.