Little Island and Waterford Castle

Little Island is in an estuary of the river Suir downstream of Waterford and contains about 310 acres.

Old Chronicles describe a "Great Island" that contained 700 acres and stretched as far as Dunbrody and Campile stream. This "Great Island" was attached to Co. Kilkenny until it became cut away by the tides of the river Suir leaving "Little Island".

In early times the island housed a Lazar House for the cure of leprosy. In the 13th Century it was owned by a merchant Henry the Briton (and known as Henry's Island) it was later owned by the Ormondes and the Fitzgeralds. The Fitzgeralds built an ancient castle, a Norman Keep with strong stone walls. In the 15th Century a second castle was constructed this structure was enlarged over the years and in 1900 it was remodelled and modernised and had large wings added to it.

In the 18th Century Mary Frances Fitzgerald, an extravagant socialite lived in the castle, her son Edward is famous for his translation of Omar Khayyam's Rubajyat in 1859. Mary Fitzgerald (the great great niece of Edward) was the last Fitzgerald to own the castle, she married an Italian Prince, Prince Caracciolo and settled in Dublin. In 1958 she sold the island and castle to the Igo family from Rhodesia, who produced fruits, the island passed to the Farren brothers and was bought by Roger Shipsey in 1987 Eddie Kearns bought the island and developed it into a luxury hotel. 

The Castle and Island are now privately owned and have been operating as the luxury Waterford Castle Hotel and Golf Club since 1988. Today the interior is Baronial and lavish Edwardian - Elizabethan with walls of Portland stone and Gothic arches.

Further Information

A Guide to Irish Country Houses Mark Bence-Jones

Egan's Guide to Waterford 1894

National inventory of Architectural Heritage Click here images

Waterford Castle website click here

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