Description
Liscloon, Donemana, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
Altinaghree Castle also known as ‘Ogilby’s castle’ or ‘Liscloon House’ was built by William Ogilby around 1860. It was a very modern castle for the period, constructed entirely of Irish cut stone and surrounded by a wall of the same material. The stone was transported by horse and cart from Dungiven. When finished ‘Ogilby’s Castle’ was vast and beautiful lavishly furnished and with a banquet room that was reported to be unequalled throughout Tyrone, boasting among its guests Bishops and politicians from London, Dublin and Belfast.
William’s son James Ogilby was to inherit this magnificent castle and surrounding lands. He fell in love with a factory seamstress named Mary Jane Jamieson. Sadly due to Mary’s lower class upbringing he was denied permission to marry her by his father & Mother. James ignored his parents’ objections & Married Mary in 1884. Shortly afterwards he turned his back on his family and his inheritance and moved to Australia with his new wife Mary to start their new life together without family objections & ridicule. In Australia James became a famous ichthyologist at the Australian Museum.
Unfortunately after only being lived in for under 30 years ‘Ogilby’s castle’ was abandoned by the end of the century and fell into disrepair & was stripped bare of its contents. The castle has been like this ever since….. It just shows that money and material objects aren’t everything as James Ogilby rightfully proved to his family, that love always comes first.
