Calista's latest Hollywood name to pay us a visit ...

The former Ally McBeal star made a surprise visit to the temple in Huntington Castle in Clonegal during a recent visit here.

Calista, who is best known for her role as a lawyer in the comedy drama TV series and in the more recent Brothers And Sisters visited the 400-year-old castle with her son Liam and her parents Kay and Ronald.

Dungeons

Castle owner Alex Durdin Roberston says 11-year-old Liam donned a 17th-century suit of armour during the visit which was " a perfect fit because people were much smaller in those days".

Alex said the American actress was particularly "amazed" by the Temple of Isis in the castle dungeons which was set up by his 95-year-old aunt, who lives in the castle and who herself is a High Priestess of Isis.

"The visit was a complete surprise. We don't even open for the summer tours until June 1. Friends had recommended that they visit and we got about an hour's notice. Luckily everything was ready for the summer."

Alex and his wife Clare took the group on a one and a half-hour tour of the castle building and its extensive gardens with its 500-year-old yew tree walk.

The grounds also include restored 17th-century carp and stew ponds, ornamental lakes and a new adventure playground for both children and adults. Actor Harrison Ford who is married to Calista Flockhart was unable to make it to the castle where visitors have included Mick Jagger, Michelle Pfeiffer and Stanley Kubrick who used the castle for scenes in the movie Barry Lyndon.

csheehy@herald.ie