Killyleagh Castle is a private family residence that is said to be the oldest inhabited castle in
Ireland. It has been the home of the Hamilton family since the 17th century
Plantation of Ulster and acquired its fairy-tale silhouette in the 1850s when the turrets were added, but it is mostly the same castle that the second Earl of Clanbrassil rebuilt in 1666. The castle hosts occasional concerts. In the past performers have included
Van Morrison,
Arlo Guthrie,
Jackson Browne,
Glen Hansard and
Bap Kennedy.
It was the birthplace of
Sir Hans Sloane, 1st
Bt. He began collecting plants and
birds' eggs on the shores of
Strangford Lough and his accumulation grew into a priceless collection that formed the nucleus of the
British Museum. He was also personal physician to
King George II and a slave owner.
Killyleagh's adjacent townland, Moymore, was the birthplace of William Carr, who emigrated to
Pittsburgh USA, became an entrepreneur and left his fortune "to his Irish relatives."[4]
Killyleagh is the home town of
David Healy, the retired
Northern Ireland football player. Healy is Northern Ireland's record goalscorer by a considerable distance, with 36 goals. The second highest total is 20 goals. He also holds the record for most goals scored in a European Championship Qualifying Phase, with 13 goals during the country's failed bid to reach
Euro 2008. Healy's former
Bury teammate
Trevor Carson is also from Killyleagh.