Why a former US Navy man gifted castle to the nation
THE extraordinary story of how an American millionaire gave a castle to the nation has been told in a new documentary.
Master of Glenveagh Henry Mcilhenny reveals the philanthropist was motivated by a sense of atonement after hearing of the evictions that took place for the estate to be built a century before.
The former US Navy officer fell in love with the site – now the centre piece for Glenveagh National Park in the rugged Derryveagh Mountains in West Donegal – before the Second World War.
He bought the estate which became a mecca for artists, photographers and writers. Mcilhenny himself lived every summer for 40 years in the castle while spending the rest of the year in Philadelphia where he was curator of its acclaimed Museum of Art.
At the height of the Troubles the authorities feared Henry might be kidnapped and held to ransom – or the castle raided to raise money for arms.
His agent Julian Burkitt said: “It didn’t deter him coming but he was nervous towards the end.
“The guards used to come out and spend time at Glenveagh at night because they had information that it was in for a raid.
“Special Branch were there waiting with their Uzi machine guns. I remember it well.”
A combination of the Troubles, the expense of running the estate and old age persuaded Henry to leave Glenveagh in 1983.
He gave the castle and gardens to the nation on the condition that all the people he employed would keep their jobs.