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"..And so 'Tulach Mh‹r', meaning 'Big Hill', in reference to the area behind the junction of Cormac street and O'Moore street, became 'Tullamore'..." from a Brief History of Tullamore Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland The county town of Offaly, Tullamore is the biggest town outside Dublin on the Grand Canal. With an attractive town square and the magnificent Charleville Forest Castle, Tullamore is well worth the visit. See a map.
The Castle was designed in 1798 by one of Ireland's leading architects of the day, Francis Johnston. This magnificent building was almost lost through vandalism while it stood vacant during a large part of the 20th century. The main rooms with their spectacular ceilings have for the most part survived the onslaught. The Castle is now occupied and the owners are lovingly attempting to preserve and restore it to its former glory. More on the architecture of the castle here. Unlike many gothic castles built later by the Victorians, Charleville Forest is quite compact rather than a rambling ediface with many wings. True to its time, it is basically a large scale Georgian house with added castellations and towers
In 1765 ownership of Tullamore and 20,000 acre estate passed to Charles William Bury, who was responsible for much of Tullamore's growth. In 1785 a fire caused by a hot air balloon destroyed much of the town and facilitated its orderly development. More on the Phoenix Festival here. A new addition this year to the annual revelry is the MOR festival - a two day Electronic Art and Music Fest set on the grounds of Charelville Castle. The arrival of the Grand Canal in 1798 eventually connected Tullamore to Dublin and rivers of the Shannon and Barrow. In 1835 Tullamore became the County Town of Kings County (Offaly). More on the Grand Canals here.
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