Update 4th April 2016
We are very excited to announce that we have just launched a new crowdfunding campaign with Indiegogo to help us finish the last major structural repairs required at Tullaun castle. Once this work is complete, we hope that Tullaun castle will finally have the opportunity to "earn its keep" and so be able to contribute funds towards its restoration.
Thank you once again for everyone who has helped us come this far.
For more information please click this link https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/let-s-help-this-irish-castle-earn-its-keep
Our campaign is now over and we are delighted that, thanks to the wonderful support we received, we have now inserted beautiful new leadlight windows, repaired, repointed, whitewashed the walls and restored the magnificent fireplace in The Great Hall at Tullaun castle. There's still more work to do so if you're disppointed that you missed our campaign but would still like to join us as we continue to breathe life back into Tullaun castle then please visit our website www.tullauncastle.com/support/
Castles were originally built to protect their inhabitants, now it's our turn to protect our castle!
Hi! I'm Sonja and welcome to our campaign. Tullaun castle, also known locally as The Black Castle, is a magnificent 16th century fortified tower house built by the O'Kennedy clan, who were the ruling Gaelic Chieftains in this part of Tipperary, around 1550.
Derelict and abandoned, my husband Kevin and I bought Tullaun castle in 2007 and this makes us its custodians for this brief period in its history. We are passionate and committed to the restoration and preservation of this building and would like to offer you a unique opportunity to join us on our restoration journey, help make history and leave behind a lasting legacy. We are also very excited that our restoration journey is being filmed for a future television programme (filming commenced May 2013).
Tullaun castle has Recorded Monument status and we had hoped for some funding or support from the relevant Government bodies but unfortunately either no funds were available or where there were funds available, remarkably Tullaun castle didn't qualify. Disappointed by this, last year we started work with the funds we did have available. Although not without its challenges and difficulties, we succeeded in putting a new roof on the castle, carried out all the external masonry repairs and my husband Kevin spent 6 months re-pointing the entire exterior of the castle (please see before and after image below).
Our efforts last year really transformed the fragile and crumbling appearance of the castle. We had hoped to complete the battlements, as for us they are the crowning glory, a unique defining feature that really make these buildings command the landscape. Unfortunately, our funds didn't stretch that far but to complete the battlements is one of our long-term goals.
In the short-term however, with your support, we'd like to take on the more manageable task of restoring The Great Hall. Unchanged since the 16th century with its stone-vaulted ceiling, ancient fireplace and mullioned windows, The Great Hall is truly evocative of a bygone era and restoring it is an important step into breathing new life into the building and re-connecting with its ancient past.
We need your help to make this vision become a reality. We have already committed to this project and have a proven track record in the sympathetic restoration of old buildings so your donation and support is safe in our hands. In 2011 we were honoured when we won Period Living magazine's Best Restoration Award (Britain and Ireland) for the restoration of our 300 year old traditional thatched farmhouse (please see link below).
http://www.periodliving.co.uk/homes-gardens/readers-homes/restoring-thatched-cottage
How you can help
Your much appreciated donation and support will provide the traditional materials and time-honoured skills required to complete The Great Hall. This will include the installation of large wooden beams and antique floorboards on the original stone corbels, a handcrafted door, all masonry repairs and repointing, the installation of leadlight windows and repair to the ancient fireplace. The funding required is 18,000 euro and we hope, with your support, to complete all works mentioned by the end of 2014.
The impact of your donation and support will not only ensure that Tullaun castle's history has a future, it will also have a lasting effect on the local environment, community and architectural heritage of Ireland. If you have an interest in castles, history, architectural heritage or if you have a connection to Tipperary, Ireland, the Kennedys or even if you don't, but think this is a worthwhile cause, we'd love your support. It's not every day you can be part of something that will still be around in another 500 years!
Thanks very much for looking at our campaign and we hope you'd like to join us. All funds kindly received will directly contribute to the restoration of Tullaun castle.
Other ways you can help
Even if you can't make a donation you can still really help by:
telling your family and friends about our campaign
sharing our campaign on Social Media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn,
visit our website www.tullauncastle.com
our Facebook page www.facebook.com/tullauncastle
our link igg.me/at/tullauncastle
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/a-new-dawn-for-tullaun-castle