Overview
Delvin has a medieval castle built into its main street – the curved walls of two Nugent towers, five storeys of 15th-century stone, standing where the N52 and N51 cross. It’s the reason to slow down here, and it takes about two minutes to see, because you can only look at it from the roadside. The village itself is small (population 740 at the 2016 census) and sits about 20 km from Mullingar, which makes it more of a stop on the way to somewhere than a day in itself.
The name comes from the Delbhna, an early tribe who held the area long before the Normans arrived.
The castle and the Nugents
Delvin Castle began in 1181 as an Anglo-Norman motte-and-bailey, thrown up by Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath, for his brother-in-law Gilbert de Nugent. The timber fort on the motte was later replaced by the stone castle whose remains you see today, dating from the 15th century. It was a rectangular block with four corner towers, built to broadcast the power of the Nugents, who held the title Baron of Delvin and rose to become Earls of Westmeath.
Only the south and west towers survive, to their original five storeys. The lower floor was once vaulted and later divided into cells – which is the evidence behind the theory that the castle ended its working life as a gaol. It’s a state-owned National Monument in the care of the Office of Public Works, but it stands on private land with no public access, so the roadside view is the only one you’ll get.
A second, grander house, Clonyn Castle, was built south of the village in the mid-19th century by Lord and Lady Greville Nugent. It has changed hands several times and is now a private residence, also closed to visitors.
Golf and sport
On the edge of the village, Delvin Castle Golf Club runs an 18-hole parkland course and welcomes day visitors as well as members. Delvin also has a sports and leisure complex with a floodlit football pitch, a walking track and changing facilities – the walking track is the easiest thing for a casual visitor to use.
Delvin’s people
For a village this size, Delvin has a long list of people attached to it. Sir Thomas Chapman, father of T.E. Lawrence – Lawrence of Arabia – came from here. So did the nationalist politician Laurence Ginnell, and the actress Mary McEvoy, best known as Biddy in RTÉ’s Glenroe. The one worth knowing about before you visit is the novelist Brinsley MacNamara, who wrote The Valley of the Squinting Windows (1918), widely understood to be set in his native Delvin – a portrait of small-town watching and gossip that did not go down well at home.
Nearby
Delvin works as a launch point for some bigger Westmeath and Meath sights:
- Fore – Abbey and Seven Wonders – Benedictine abbey ruins and a cluster of local legends, about 12 km away.
- Lough Lene – a clear lake popular for wild swimming, near Collinstown, roughly 12 km.
- Trim Castle – the largest Anglo-Norman castle in Ireland, about 21 km east.
- Hill of Tara – the ancient seat of the High Kings, around 32 km away.
Getting there
Delvin is on the N52 and best reached by car; public transport is limited. The castle towers are free to view from the roadside – stay on public ground and don’t try to enter the ruins, which sit on private land. Green fees at the golf club vary by season, so ring the clubhouse for current rates and tee times. For accommodation, you’ll find more choice in Mullingar than in the village itself.