Built by Suibhne, this oldest stone castle in Scotland belonged to the MacSweens, Lords of Knapdale, until the latter half of the 13th century. It is currently under the protection of Historic Scotland.
The past is a foreign country;
they do things differently there.
~ L. P. Hartley
The St. Suibhne Trust exists to honour the legacy of Captain the Chevalier Richard Mingo Sweeney of Bolger’s Park, Lt. RCN (R), Capt. CA (R), GCLJ, KMLJ, OL (1922-2015). As such, it continues the mission of the original St. Suibhne Trust, which he founded in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1972. This mission includes:
St. Suibhne Trust, Inc., d.b.a. The St. Suibhne Trust, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt public charity. It was incorporated in Maryland, U.S.A. on 4 October 2017. It originated in Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada when Capt. the Chevalier Richard Mingo Sweeney of Bolger’s Park (1922-2015) founded the original St. Suibhne Trust in 1972. After that, he worked tirelessly to further its mission to encourage and support a wide range of historical, genealogical, and heraldic publications, projects, and collaborative ventures. Originally named the St. Lazarus Trust, it was incorporated on 13 March 1972 and had its name officially changed to The St. Suibhne Trust on 8 December 1975.
Capt. the Chevalier Richard Mingo Sweeney of Bolger’s Park, Lt. RCN (R), Capt. CA (R), GCLJ, KMLJ, OL
R. Mingo Sweeney was born on 29 October 1922 in Trochu, Alberta. The Great Depression forced his family to migrate east and as a result they eventually settled in Bermuda. After that, in 1939, he joined the Canadian Army in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He later joined the Royal Canadian Navy and was commissioned a Lieutenant in 1942. He served as Gunnery Officer during the Battle of the Atlantic on board the K172 Corvette, HMCS Trillium. He was then given command of the Port Security Guard in St. John’s, Newfoundland from 1943-46. Following the war, he became involved in the Cadet Corps in Montreal, Quebec and attained the rank of Captain (Canadian Army).
The original St. Suibhne Trust engaged in many collaborative initiatives, including such projects as “The Wall of the Baronets of Nova Scotia.” In partnership with the Hector Centre Trust in Pictou, the St. Suibhne Trust played a leading role in producing a brilliant replica of the original Wall, which resides in Menstrie Castle, Scotland. Intended as a mobile exhibit, it consists of heraldic shields bearing the arms of the 109 Baronetcies of Nova Scotia. The portrait in the centre is of Charles I, King of Scotland and England.
Future projects of The St. Suibhne Trust include publishing our founder, R. Mingo Sweeney’s second novel, The Wild Boars of Zellberg, an epic tale in four books of historical fiction. The story follows two noble families vying for supremacy in a tiny European principality and spans three generations from the late 19th century through World War II.
