Historic Offaly castle goes on the market

IF you have ever wanted to live in a castle, now is your opportunity.

The historic Clonony Castle near Shannon Bridge in Offaly is on the market for an undisclosed sum on Daft.ie

Described on the site as ''Superb, Dramatic, Enticing;'' The Historic Castle has been a prominent landmark since the late 1490's when constructed by the MacCoughlan Clan.

According to Daft.ie the castle is three storeys high with an entrance in the west wall with a machicolation above it. It has all the features of a tower house of this period such as a murder hole, base batter, mural passages, spiral staircase, gun-loops, round-headed, ogee-headed and flat headed windows, and garderobes.

The lands amount to approx 3 acres. The castle consists of an Entrance Hallway, Kitchen, Large Dining room/ Reception Room, Side Sitting area within window alcove;

First Floor; Living room with two separate alcoves, one currently used as a bedroom/study, the second as a kitchen area.

Second Floor: Master Bedroom, Bathroom, Shower: Study, Ladies Chamber. The castle is a few miles from Clonmacnoise.

This Medieval Irish Castle is rich in history and folklore, having been seized by Henry VIII in the early 1500's and subsequently granted by him to Thomas Boleyn, in a strategic move whilst making him Earl of Ormond, thus conferring the title of Countess on his daughter Anne, elevating her to a titled position suitable for Henry VIII to then marry her. However when Anne of Boleyn fell dramatically out of favour, part of her family fled to Ireland and the relative safety of Clonony Castle, where her nieces Mary and Elizabeth remained for the rest of their lives, and where they are reputed to be buried.