Recalling the extraordinary history of Howth Castle, Peter Pearson makes a case for the state to purchase the castle and its domain, and provide an unparalleled amenity for the Irish public
The town and harbour of Howth, which was for a long time a quiet residential backwater, is now thronged with visitors, especially at weekends and during the summer, its waterfront restaurants and cafés packed with locals and visitors alike. Howth Head could almost be described as an island, being connected to the mainland only by a narrow sandy spit at Sutton, and projects out into the Irish Sea on the north side of Dublin Bay, close to the capital. It has been inhabited since ancient times and is known for its cromlech, archaeological remains, fishing harbour and Howth Castle, the ancestral home of the Gaisford-St Lawrence family. The St Lawrences have lived in the castle since the Norman period – an unbroken tradition of 800 years – and enjoy a unique cultural heritage. This is represented by the extraordinary castle and its architecture, the demesne with its trees and famous rhododendrons, the hill of Howth itself, the town with its ancient abbey and the fine harbour. All this, added to its proximity to the capital, would make Howth a precious amenity to the state.
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