The castle at Kinnitty boasts a long, and one might say, turbulent history. Nestled in the heart of Ireland, the earliest recorded account of a settlement at Kinnitty dates back to the early 5th century, coinciding with the era of Saint Patrick. Originally, the site hosted a Druidic settlement, which was subsequently supplitted by a Christian monastery in the 6th century. The O'Carroll family, sovereigns of the ancient Kingdom of Ely O'Carroll, established the first castle on this site around 1209, constructing a Norman-style fortress.

Apart from the occasional eviction by the Normans, this early castle was occupied by the O'Carrolls until the 16th century, when it was confiscated by the English Crown during the plantation of Offaly.

In the 17th century, the castle was granted to Colonel Thomas Winter as a reward for his services in the Cromwellian wars. The Winter family sold the castle in 1764 to the Bernards, an Anglo-Irish family with their original seat in County Carlow. The castle remained with the Bernard family until the 1950s when it was purchased by Lord Decies. It later became the property of the Irish Government, which converted it into a school.

The castle lay vacant for over 10 years until it was purchased from the Government by the Ryan family in 1994. They lovingly restored the castle to its original splendor and transformed it into a luxurious castle hotel and event venue. It became famous for celebrity weddings in the nineties and the noughties. The Ryans owned and operated the property for 14 years.

Whiskey Celebration: Our fine Irish whiskey celebrates the tenure of the Ryan family at Kinnitty, rescuers of the majestic property from certain ruin, and commemorates their significant contribution to the castle's longstanding history.