tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70485715661082791752024-03-06T19:34:05.551-08:00David HicksDavid Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.comBlogger85125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-7549892249691724602023-10-29T13:27:00.002-07:002023-10-29T14:07:54.354-07:00<p style="text-align: center;"> <b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 36pt;">A Shared Ancestry</span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 36pt;">The Knox & Kirkwood </span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 36pt;">Family's Forgotten Heritage</span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFGrgLwg-8j9GFNACnvFB9LL1wdtERAkLmwD2B4w9ZAtmEgBwWHestw7xzaRN7zM-tmz1_BkdhHgmNEDyq4fyhH8E4fEQLGd7-CdDfEg5bsSRuunoEI0eyseS9onlRmO-_o5vlKfy3133Z3uCTEZFRLELAy-Lw6TsgIJkZUKanEMAMWBrl_evdRow9LXI/s2880/20231029_141255.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFGrgLwg-8j9GFNACnvFB9LL1wdtERAkLmwD2B4w9ZAtmEgBwWHestw7xzaRN7zM-tmz1_BkdhHgmNEDyq4fyhH8E4fEQLGd7-CdDfEg5bsSRuunoEI0eyseS9onlRmO-_o5vlKfy3133Z3uCTEZFRLELAy-Lw6TsgIJkZUKanEMAMWBrl_evdRow9LXI/w400-h400/20231029_141255.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color:;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">Myself David Hicks with Dennis Regan at Rappa Castle Demesne, once home to the Knox family</span></span><br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="auto" style="background-color:; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In 2016, I wrote a lengthy and extensively researched piece on my blog about the Kirkwood family of Bartragh Island found in Killala Bay, Co. Mayo. Little did I know at the time that I would uncover a forgotten story of a forbidden marriage associated with the Island dwelling family and find a long-lost cousin of my own. This month, Dennis Regan and his wife Andrea travelled to Mayo to explore the townlands once associated with the Knox and Kirkwood families. Dennis’s great, <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>great grandmother was Emma Louisa Knox of Rappa Castle, a sister of my great, great grandfather Captain Annesley Arthur Knox. </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF4FmCdcUhXpdPiuaprOvlza7ev6tTp1pfmT94ZeH1ImVM0HX9WMx_5NGvueW1AclkVc7GGClNa8-RUkWvqrR0iO_XElQuGfvJQWFTFm5sQL23v8NdsxjbzAIG4FjGhhGQXIs8i4SQOJ5mozWDh1SZ93FTO9lF-Xhib-ZenWGODZ2p3QQCIy1hLdMkOFS/s2880/20231029_200231.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1452" data-original-width="2880" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaF4FmCdcUhXpdPiuaprOvlza7ev6tTp1pfmT94ZeH1ImVM0HX9WMx_5NGvueW1AclkVc7GGClNa8-RUkWvqrR0iO_XElQuGfvJQWFTFm5sQL23v8NdsxjbzAIG4FjGhhGQXIs8i4SQOJ5mozWDh1SZ93FTO9lF-Xhib-ZenWGODZ2p3QQCIy1hLdMkOFS/w400-h201/20231029_200231.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">Rappa Castle, once home to the <br />Emma Lousia Knox and her brother Captain Annesley Arthur Knox</span></span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="auto" style="background-color:; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">In September 1864, Charles Knox Kirkwood of Bartragh Island, late of the Royal Artillery and eldest son of Captain Charles Kirkwood, married the third daughter of Annesley Knox of Rappa Castle. The marriage took place at the nearby, but now derelict, Ballysakeery Parish Church found in Mullafarry. Charles had his brother John as best man and the bride was given away by her brother, Annesley Arthur Knox. After the ceremony the whole group left for further celebrations at Rappa Castle located nearby in Ardagh in Crossmolina. The marriage produced a number of children including Norah Blanche Kirkwood who was born on Bartragh Island in 1875 however her mother died two years later in 1877. Emma Louisa is buried near her former home, Rappa Castle near Ardagh, Crossmolina . In later years Norah's father would not countenance her marriage to a local man, William Knox. Norah's father thought William was of a lower station and a Catholic. A marriage of this nature was not socially acceptable at the time, as Norah was a Protestant. William was born in 1871, the son of John Knox and Margaret Cunningham of Cooneal. In the 1890's, Norah disobeyed her father’s wishes, left Bartragh Island, married William and emigrated to New Haven Connecticut never to return to Bartragh. </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color:; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N_bJp0UCCToFzRadzBuYGZGzFf67ElP9aVCF5T0mpPb3voYnsTxLebGbuVnULTRVGiUGIRYKqZ7VWdnQK0wmB4bzDD71yGzJX2ni1FSFN2kYSs3K0RXfnciAo5M19dnQZF8S3TYe7NzsLPr3ayVWVoPSaBDpjw191_WX5BrLYxF9pEwtPIbhqzr0ruOt/s2880/20231029_141856%20(1)6.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4N_bJp0UCCToFzRadzBuYGZGzFf67ElP9aVCF5T0mpPb3voYnsTxLebGbuVnULTRVGiUGIRYKqZ7VWdnQK0wmB4bzDD71yGzJX2ni1FSFN2kYSs3K0RXfnciAo5M19dnQZF8S3TYe7NzsLPr3ayVWVoPSaBDpjw191_WX5BrLYxF9pEwtPIbhqzr0ruOt/w400-h400/20231029_141856%20(1)6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">Norah Blanche ( nee Kirkwood) and William Knox <br />together with the house on Bartragh Island</span></span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="auto" style="background-color; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Captain Charles Knox Kirkwood died on Bartragh in 1926 and is buried on the island having never seen his daughter again. Norah and William made a happy life in the US where William became a mounted policeman and had a successful career. William died in 1944 and Norah in 1958. Norah kept in touch with her sister Maud in Ireland who visited her in the US in later years. In 2017, because of my blog post Dennis Regan from Connecticut contacted me and told me this amazing story about his great grandmother. Over the years we have exchanged research and during his recent visit to the area, I was delighted to show him buildings and places associated with ancestors which included Moyne Abbey, the Rappa Castle Demesne, the town of Killala and a number of churchyards where Kirkwood ancestors are buried. I was delighted to facilitate Dennis in this regard, who was an enthusiastic explorer joined by his wife Andrea and their friend Tom from Co. Clare. Dennis, who has impaired vision was accompanied by his wonderful guide dog Myles. A memorable day for all, when a shared ancestry helped make friends on either side of the Atlantic.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color:; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color:; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Please find a link to my 2016 article on Bartragh Island below:</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color:; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a class="x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x6umtig x1b1mbwd xaqea5y xav7gou x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 xe8uvvx xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r xexx8yu x4uap5 x18d9i69 xkhd6sd x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz xt0b8zv x1fey0fg" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdavidhicksbook.blogspot.com%2F2016%2F06%2Fbartra-house-bartra-island-killala-co.html%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR171LhB33LqeiD4877AyAeNlZX0vC44IMewtLrrlcjAktA-OB4hhqzSVvc&h=AT21Mk9ZSVkb60379qABkfPsMrfTXPrD2rrsbHiw-BxYYh3ARL3XbRbpS6XdO7MONFXbsCj9uIX9ngE4Q_hxJfg9giZAC9KUA7ZPJ1MVbEiL0R-FH4dNNnFe1l5AoR6PoUhp&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT3ntcVig2TVuJDnv3T8zdEdlj0vUsheqHO583Ggt5g0w1IWATXaEs4VbmchMuDMYeVHjSkeMEoXsekwFGCPyBrXfWptJA9n87GSmWylHJm5Rjjq1_Tp6qFHTVoBEXupcKJdUJ9P9JsCw9PiQnUatAybQF3MojdztKTH1Wg" rel="nofollow" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: transparent; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">http://davidhicksbook.blogspot.com/.../bartra-house...</a></span></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color:; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LrluY_u-by9AubUdmZJ84iWjjx5s7TXOw3OuEbmBtZB-WkfVqEuHza089juQqiayKJIitJpbMY34kDjOiJqsFEymFRRrUlp8RA9sq1FpgGE9dkDXyqh71Ny_wJhEzScDJDjlmNgOZF-NGFXH2fcAIAkYHC1u7Uajdkz33B4HbudBziFIaHmfrTfSkIJk/s2880/20231029_141708%20(1)5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LrluY_u-by9AubUdmZJ84iWjjx5s7TXOw3OuEbmBtZB-WkfVqEuHza089juQqiayKJIitJpbMY34kDjOiJqsFEymFRRrUlp8RA9sq1FpgGE9dkDXyqh71Ny_wJhEzScDJDjlmNgOZF-NGFXH2fcAIAkYHC1u7Uajdkz33B4HbudBziFIaHmfrTfSkIJk/w400-h400/20231029_141708%20(1)5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">Dennis Regan, his wife wife Andrea and Myles the dog together with myself, David Hicks in Moyne Abbey, <br />near Killala, Co. Mayo. This Abbey has a long association with the Knox Family and was once <br />the childhood playground of Norah Blanche Kirkwood</span></span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div dir="auto" style="background-color:; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; text-align: justify; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 36pt;"><br /></span></b></p>David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-46741911047601915782023-07-08T08:36:00.017-07:002023-07-15T01:38:26.072-07:00<p><br /></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><b></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 36pt;">A Shared History </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 36pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 26pt;">The Monuments of Ballina, Co. Mayo</span></b></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6TqJJZjCX22PsnxMxtje3S-E_wcG-2DEl3zt0tblCyifD28UXj7zUMau58VfVaAOygvm8csBsj54icwteVTvXLs7_6Y01GoX5LD5JeZr20monbCqzQuToH6Jx21jzMKgPejsukrhe5UO5loAebRsDKi0FkL0sV0E64WxE6jQQuP-SONf2kw8Ihwl9Ff_/s4186/DSC_2947.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2791" data-original-width="4186" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi6TqJJZjCX22PsnxMxtje3S-E_wcG-2DEl3zt0tblCyifD28UXj7zUMau58VfVaAOygvm8csBsj54icwteVTvXLs7_6Y01GoX5LD5JeZr20monbCqzQuToH6Jx21jzMKgPejsukrhe5UO5loAebRsDKi0FkL0sV0E64WxE6jQQuP-SONf2kw8Ihwl9Ff_/w400-h266/DSC_2947.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Copyright ICHC</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">This year marks 125 years since two
public memorials were planned for the town of Ballina in Co. Mayo. In this West
of Ireland town, in the year of 1898, these monuments represented two different
communities that co-existed in the town, Protestant and Catholic. Ireland in
the 19<sup>th</sup> century was governed by a British Administration from
Dublin Castle while rural towns, like Ballina, were policed by the Royal Irish
Constabulary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 1798 Centenary Memorial,
also known as the Humbert Memorial, was intended to mark the centenary of an
uprising against British dominance of Ireland. It was mainly supported by those
of a Catholic and nationalist background. However, in April of the same year,
the tragic death of a local Protestant landlord instigated the construction of
another memorial to commemorate his life, the Vaughan Jackson font. Now in a
small town in the West of Ireland, two communities from different sides of the
religious divide were planning and raising funds for memorials that represented
different aspects of the town’s past. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is an interesting dichotomy of the public attitudes to these memorials at this
time. The 1798 Centenary Memorial was elaborate in design, but the committee had
trouble raising funds despite money being collected in the wider area outside
of Ballina. The Vaughan Jackson Memorial was a more measured affair and
appeared to have no problem raising funds among the landed classes around
Ballina alone. There appears to have been apathy to the 1798 centenary memorial,
as it was often damaged and neglected in the years that followed its
construction. The completion of the monument missed the commemoration date of the
centenary and was not complete until 1899, a fact that is often overlooked.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4_Uqd3qar2fDeA23HpB2huqZ46BBKXr2LF93deTrUOhF9_v7Zbi453MhSWtDWuE3_vCYZIHM_C3q6693UczCp2OGm31qtnbgQMoVOYsBOyVvlnUeXdqgEuYb-MuONAk7pzjTXFY1vr83uZBXtTUP_fC2DYJn7cK8B7cpx_CPVpyJtvCY01bVBmFccbr2/s2880/20230715_084756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2880" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR4_Uqd3qar2fDeA23HpB2huqZ46BBKXr2LF93deTrUOhF9_v7Zbi453MhSWtDWuE3_vCYZIHM_C3q6693UczCp2OGm31qtnbgQMoVOYsBOyVvlnUeXdqgEuYb-MuONAk7pzjTXFY1vr83uZBXtTUP_fC2DYJn7cK8B7cpx_CPVpyJtvCY01bVBmFccbr2/s320/20230715_084756.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1798 Centenary Memorial shown today and in the early 1900's</td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The 1798 Centenary Memorial once
dominated the entrance to Knox Street from the lower end of the town of Ballina.
This memorial recalled the failed rebellion of 1798 when the United Irishmen,
with military support from the French, led by General Humbert, tried to
overthrow the British establishment in Ireland. French Forces landed in Killala
Bay in August 1798, which was seen as the date that would be used to celebrate
the centenary. Today, while still an important piece of the town’s architectural
and social heritage, the Humbert Memorial has now been side-lined near a
carpark, sandwiched between two supermarkets in the town. From its inception,
it appears that the monument suffered a number of setbacks, from design
changes, to disagreements over location and its construction. A memorial of
this nature was essentially an act of defiance against those who ruled from
Dublin Castle, as it celebrated a previous attempt to overthrow the British
occupation of Ireland. The story of the 1798 Centenary Memorial begins in October
1897, with a meeting of the Ballina ’98 Centenary Committee held in the town
hall. Subscriptions were already donated, amounting to £5, which were handed in
at this time. A site for the monument and what form it should take would be
discussed at a later meeting. At the end of October, another meeting took place
in Arthur Muffeny’s Hall where Muffeny was appointed to the chair, which was greeted
with loud applause from those present. Arthur Muffeny was a Ballina business
man who was one of the driving forces behind the construction of the 1798
Centenary Memorial. He was a contemporary of Charles Stewart Parnell and
Michael Davitt, sharing many of their values in terms of the political and
social environment of the time. He was a vocal opponent of the cruel landlord
Harriet Gardiner and served two terms in prison for his opposition of landlordism
and their evictions. He had a number of shops in the town of Ballina as well as
a large car and coach factory on the Killala Rd. which is said to have employed
30 people. He also established a saw mills off Pearse St., built a number of
houses in the town and established the Town Hall. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In December 1897, the Ballina ‘98 Centenary
Committee held a meeting in the Town Hall, chaired by Arthur Muffeny. During
this meeting, they discussed the possibility of inviting Maud Gonne to deliver
a lecture on 1798 in Ballina to mark the centenary the following year. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnWSi7MzXzVSGHJUArMznBC8PJxCMwakesCK_72gZjk9ZKWYorYVYJcZ4od8YbCv255NiV5Y1GD8dU9gwnPM5q9BhTJ9x7GuWwDjXYdNsJR1FhBaCTNQkE_iVI1P68FaHjuOYe2imhtiPO-5nq8iAMplGwTSB1Tsv4FsDGSpz9URAlXm4-ueVOihDlXIQ/s1570/925_Purser_S.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="945" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwnWSi7MzXzVSGHJUArMznBC8PJxCMwakesCK_72gZjk9ZKWYorYVYJcZ4od8YbCv255NiV5Y1GD8dU9gwnPM5q9BhTJ9x7GuWwDjXYdNsJR1FhBaCTNQkE_iVI1P68FaHjuOYe2imhtiPO-5nq8iAMplGwTSB1Tsv4FsDGSpz9URAlXm4-ueVOihDlXIQ/w241-h400/925_Purser_S.jpeg" width="241" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maud Gonne painted by Sarah Purser in 1890<br />Image Copyright The Hugh Lane Gallery</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The 1798 Centenary Memorial in Ballina
was closely associated with Maud Gonne, a well-known female figure in early 20<sup>th</sup>
century Irish History. She appears to have been closely involved at various
stages of the memorial’s inception and development. Gonne played a public role
in the struggle for Irish Independence and was a vocal figure in the fields of politics
and civil rights. She was born in 1866, British by birth, born at Tongham
Manor, Surrey. Her father was a captain in the army and the family resided in
Ireland during her childhood. Maud was later educated in France, where she
encountered a French politician who had anti-British leanings and encouraged
the young woman’s hostility to the British domination of Ireland. She became one
of the most prominent activists and conducted tours of Europe and the US
promoting Irish Independence. It was after a tour of the US in 1897, that she
threw herself in to the centenary commemorations for 1798 in Ireland. Also at
this time she became aware of the plight of the poor tenants in the West of
Ireland and used public events to attack the British establishment for their
lack of action. Therefore Gonne’s encouragement of the construction of the
memorial, in my opinion was a contradiction. For Gonne to encourage the
expenditure of funds in this manner, in a small West of Ireland town was
particularly insensitive to those that lived in poverty in close proximity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maud was a wealthy woman and a renowned
beauty, when W.B. Yeats met her in 1889, he was entranced and remained close
over the years. In late December 1897, Maud Gonne sailed from New York on the
White Star Liner, Majestic, to be present at Frenchhill, three miles outside of
Castlebar in Co. Mayo. The gathering at this site, in January 1898, was to
prepare for the celebration of the centenary of 1798 during the summer. This
site was chosen as it was the spot where French soldiers, aided by the Irish,
routed out the English battalions. Ten thousand people from all over Mayo attended
this event. It was here that Mr. T.B. Kelly, the honorary secretary of the
Ballina 1798 Centenary committee, approached Maud Gonne. At this gathering, it
was agreed that Gonne would pay a visit to Ballina in early March, to deliver a
lecture in the town hall about the history of 1798. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Coko-WxWoUlKES9Tnq1Wl4lIlB1Tpv2ccZ-Bl-7NZ3Yg6FGV0xLn_gopbuhhsEnUPcHz1iSq6oG-qfKDUqPCh0We0zO957zn62wIClhhzMt8ps_YB8wE8XL90p3wpB3_mrLJfHnr5DkP7yFGq1L-EDUZmnL_2fZuBdIcUsfiugj_e44I8ue-hWD1iJnT/s873/Maud%20Gonne%20Talk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="873" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Coko-WxWoUlKES9Tnq1Wl4lIlB1Tpv2ccZ-Bl-7NZ3Yg6FGV0xLn_gopbuhhsEnUPcHz1iSq6oG-qfKDUqPCh0We0zO957zn62wIClhhzMt8ps_YB8wE8XL90p3wpB3_mrLJfHnr5DkP7yFGq1L-EDUZmnL_2fZuBdIcUsfiugj_e44I8ue-hWD1iJnT/w400-h258/Maud%20Gonne%20Talk.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Advertisment for Maud Gonne's lecture in Ballina in March 1898</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In Ballina in early March 1898, during
a meeting of the 1798 Centenary committee, plans were finalised for the
forthcoming visit of Maud Gonne. Now the time had come to choose a site for the
monument, firstly an area around the centre of Knox’s Street was initially
suggested but was dismissed due to there not being adequate space. At this
time, it was thought that the memorial would only be 12 to 14 foot in height,
which hints that the design for the monument became more elaborate as plans
progressed. The committee would liaise with William Patterson Orchard, the
county surveyor, in relation to a proposed site. Another area suggested was in
front of the ‘’pig market’’ and that the monument should be positioned in the
Market Square. The site of the monument eventually chosen was at Lower Knox
Street and the entrance to Brook Street. It is said that the original site on
which the monument stood was granted by the Grand Jury, owing to the eloquence
of Mr. Coolican, a member of the committee. Later it was often argued if the Grand
Jury had the right to grant the permission for the possession of the site in
the first place. Funding for the statue was collected by public subscription by
the 1798 Centenary Memorial Committee in Ballina and the wider area. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PAGdYoas7hNJEqAlaWMRnH-fV8h9yluCG1h9HD1lRVOy9iSXiTZAHOR2Ef4rPCeS3JK5BuQjuBqgZnGyIN4iVOQKallVxEg1uu7GpgLPXnO-fYdVIAR90fkLGL_bNM8o2fXA295zleFL5PZYCGvU5J_KFRx4Uw5GNp6r3Z5iYR-tuy4yMS3au4ixEY1f/s1093/Humbert%20Statue.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1093" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7PAGdYoas7hNJEqAlaWMRnH-fV8h9yluCG1h9HD1lRVOy9iSXiTZAHOR2Ef4rPCeS3JK5BuQjuBqgZnGyIN4iVOQKallVxEg1uu7GpgLPXnO-fYdVIAR90fkLGL_bNM8o2fXA295zleFL5PZYCGvU5J_KFRx4Uw5GNp6r3Z5iYR-tuy4yMS3au4ixEY1f/w400-h245/Humbert%20Statue.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower Knox St. soon after the construction of the Humbert Memorial in 1899<br />Copyright The National Library of Ireland</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Tragic events in 1898 would now bring
about the construction of another public memorial for the town of Ballina.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">On the night of the 8th April 1898, George James Vaughan
Jackson was returning home from Ballina where he had been doing business during
the fair day. As he turned his horse and trap off the main road at Rehins, he
encountered <i>'a light from a travelling caravan'</i> which
was drawn up near the side of the road close to the railway bridge. As he drew
closer it appeared to be an ' <i>encampment of peddlers'</i> who had
a cart piled high with baskets, beside which they had lit a fire. As his horse
was a young animal, George alighted from the trap and intended to remove the
horse from the shafts to lead it past the obstruction in the road. The horse
bolted, broke its reins resulting in the shafts of the trap breaking free and
striking George on the side of his body, knocking him to the ground. Once he
regained his feet and being unable to find his horse, he walked the two miles
to his home, Carramore House. There he was met by his sister, whom he assured
that nothing serious had happened to him but the following morning he was
feeling extremely unwell. The local doctor was sent for and it was found that
George had serious internal injuries from which he would die the next day. It
is said that he passed away after ' <i>bidding a most affectionate
farewell to his mother and sisters'</i>. His large funeral cortege extended to
over 140 horse drawn vehicles which left Carramore House and made their way to
the family burial plot in the </span>Crossmolina Church<span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> yard. </span><span style="background: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">One month after the passing of George, it was proposed that a
memorial would be erected in his honour. In May of 1898, a meeting was held in
the Moy Hotel in Ballina town, where there was gathered '<i> the
friends and admirers of the deceased'</i>. It was the members of the North Mayo
Hunt who first intended to erect a memorial. However due to the volume of
support from the people of Ballina for the project, the subscription for the
memorial was opened to the public. Several donations came from the landed
classes, with contributions from numerous persons including members of the Knox
Family, such as Miss Knox-Gore, Major Saunders Knox-Gore, the Perry-Knox
Gore’s, Captain Kirkwood, together with Jacob Beckett, R.W. Orme, W.
Fetherstonhaugh of Glenmore, R.L. Petrie, Dean Skipton, Archdeacon Jackson, the
managers of a number of banks in Ballina, and Arthur Muffeny donated five
shillings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Firstly it was proposed that
a monument would be erected over his grave, however it was then considered that
as ' <i>he was buried in a remote place....that very few of his friends
could have an opportunity to see it</i>'. Then it was suggested that the
memorial should be placed in St. Michael's Church in </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ardnaree, <span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">Ballina, however there were a number
of objections to that proposal. Eventually it was decided that a water fountain
would be erected in the town and that the fountain should be of benefit to both
people as well as horses. It was proposed that the fountain should have a
statue or the likeness of George placed upon it, however it was agreed that
until funds were accumulated, the design of the fountain could not be decided
upon. As an illustration for the enthusiasm for the project, by the end of this
initial meeting in May 1898, £67 12s had already been accumulated. This was in
contrast to the 1798 Centenary Memorial which appeared to be struggling to
gather funds. </span><span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwWmryGYzNWmWSKfJ2s0oe8yXRgETaiKeP0a5Xv_QMpL5B4yPLbIq8HaCmfz2rDiHcCCxFWzRvbyPJ3GmxaT2gKhxk-KjpftKU7UaGc6Sq-U_jOkzQoxDYy3XOhSLJrooNIIEMI-5IaFo5Bb0b5Fae5vZlskiH81WjWXjkoRTNOj5mBc62UHpnTOqwdD1/s753/Sketch.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="565" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTwWmryGYzNWmWSKfJ2s0oe8yXRgETaiKeP0a5Xv_QMpL5B4yPLbIq8HaCmfz2rDiHcCCxFWzRvbyPJ3GmxaT2gKhxk-KjpftKU7UaGc6Sq-U_jOkzQoxDYy3XOhSLJrooNIIEMI-5IaFo5Bb0b5Fae5vZlskiH81WjWXjkoRTNOj5mBc62UHpnTOqwdD1/w300-h400/Sketch.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An sketch of the moment prior to construction </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As planning for the construction of
the 1798 Centenary memorial proceeded apace, Thomas Dennany, of Glasnevin, a
sculptor and monument builder, was chosen. He would design the memorial and
also supervise its construction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An initial
ambitious design was prepared and put before the committee which was approved.
However, by May 1898, the committee met again and considered another design
received from Mr. Dennany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appears
that Dennany had concerns in relation to the cost of the monument and had simplified
the design to reflect this. Arthur Muffeny was at a loss, as the changes to the
design were not requested. It was agreed that the original design was
unanimously approved and would be the choice to proceed with. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This did nothing to allay the concerns about
cost, which now began to plague the project. This concern prompted the decision
that local committees would be set up to collect money towards the monument in
surrounding towns in Mayo and Sligo. <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Collections would be made in Foxford, Swinford, Ballycastle, Enniscrone,
Easkey, Dromore West, Ballyhaunis, Castlebar and Westport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By July 1898, the order was placed with Mr.
Dennany by the committee to proceed with the proposed design, despite concerns
about the mounting costs. In the following months, the funds for the completion
of the monument were still lacking. Therefore, it was agreed by the committee to
publish a list of subscriptions of those who had contributed to the monument, in
the hope it might encourage those that had not contributed. At the time, it was
noted that there was still a deficit of £49 which included money owed to the sculptor.
The outlay on the monument included £140 to Mr Dennany for constructing the
monument and £27 for foundations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
today’s terms, the monument was incurring costs amounting to nearly £20,000. Despite
the best efforts, the monument would not be complete by the end of 1898 and
therefore the committee had missed the celebration of the important date.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeBcNiLxxiHUzhUjLd4U9V_-SUuAXQ1j-_kuUg7rmexzX0HtONwrYWNYwDHHzOCz3lvlODH0pcfE2KNM5w11XJbfj5L7_HrA1IDDJ43IQLEYpBBbjJA9Vj7Uydi1TVTQMA-AqbepqaAcTniBFM6l33Zi94XpzRXfJs7607rpKYVIuy4OlhuXRJ3_N6wbj/s800/31204098_9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="800" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeBcNiLxxiHUzhUjLd4U9V_-SUuAXQ1j-_kuUg7rmexzX0HtONwrYWNYwDHHzOCz3lvlODH0pcfE2KNM5w11XJbfj5L7_HrA1IDDJ43IQLEYpBBbjJA9Vj7Uydi1TVTQMA-AqbepqaAcTniBFM6l33Zi94XpzRXfJs7607rpKYVIuy4OlhuXRJ3_N6wbj/w400-h301/31204098_9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">T.H. Dennany, markers mark on the monument </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text1;">It
was decided that the laying of the foundation stone for the 1798 memorial would
placate the naysayers and would be completed in August 1898. Maud Gonne wrote
to the committee asking to </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">be informed
of arrangements for the centenary gathering in Ballina, in August, for the
laying of the stone. She requested details so she could invite a French
delegation to mark the occasion and cement the bond between the two countries.
By September 1898, £118 had been collected and it was noted that it was still £20
short of Mr. Dennany’s contract alone. It was also discussed that the concrete
foundations and proposed railings would add an extra £50 to the overall cost. <span style="color: black; mso-themecolor: text1;">Due to the deficit in funds, plans for
the incorporation of a drinking fountain, lighting and railings were abandoned.</span>
At this time, Maud Gonne had given an additional £5, bringing her total
donations to £8 7s 6d. The list of subscriptions to the 1798 memorial makes
interesting reading, there are several anonymous donations, such as ‘’A
Nationalist Friend’’, ‘’ A ’98 Man Claremorris’’ and ‘’An Admirer of Maud
Gonne’ ’together with several Parish priests’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The foundation Stone was laid on Sunday 23<sup>rd</sup> August 1898 at
Lower Knox Street, Ballina by Maud Gonne. She and a French delegation had arrived
at Ballina Train Station the day before and stayed at the Moy Hotel. Nationalists
from Mayo, Sligo and Roscommon packed the town to see Maud Gonne and French
delegates arriving by train. The welcoming party at the station was headed by
Mr. Arthur Muffeny, Chairman of the Centenary Committee. The following day a large
crowd was present, as the distinguished group made their way from the Moy Hotel
to the site of the 1798 Monument. The foundation stone was placed in position
and Arthur Muffeny presented Miss Gonne with a silver trowel to apply mortar to
bed the stone. After this was complete, Miss Gonne struck the stone with three
taps of a wooden mallet and declared it laid. In the evening a banquet was held
in the Moy Hotel at which Maud Gonne, the French delegation and over 100 people
were present. The site of the monument had been squared and raised to five
feet, composed of concrete with a substantial foundation which extended to six
feet below the road surface. It was later reported that Mr. Arthur Muffeny came
in for criticism because the base of the monument was laid in concrete instead
of cut stone, which deteriorated in later years. It would be May 1899, before
Maud Gonne would return to Ballina to assist at the unveiling of the completed
1798 centenary memorial. The monument has some similarities to the statue
erected in Sligo town between the junction of Market Street and Castle Street. However,
the Sligo statue was substantially smaller in scale but was surrounded by
railings and lighting, something that was never completed for the Ballina
Memorial. The Ballina memorial had missed the deadline of the centenary of 1798
and a result of grandiose plans, not enough money had been collected to allow
for it to be completed as originally intended. In 1901, two years after the
completion of the monument it was reported that a concert had taken place to
clear the debt accumulated during its construction. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZif5-YC1utck1isZBZMMIUOvOOojyFnOYEE9PYzJh-qriExWPlK-m50syLJosFzHiYusfl1gB6kv12B4U2Jpuhv78wb_0UvY_1LWu8gIm338lXJEaGnWfbpXh3MymVTDUtD7_E9_mviuxL1dsUHsCYyRgCC5-DKVu0ECDUQhSZSqPA-lAyKfbeZZ6Aezn/s1449/Statue%20Sligo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="983" data-original-width="1449" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZif5-YC1utck1isZBZMMIUOvOOojyFnOYEE9PYzJh-qriExWPlK-m50syLJosFzHiYusfl1gB6kv12B4U2Jpuhv78wb_0UvY_1LWu8gIm338lXJEaGnWfbpXh3MymVTDUtD7_E9_mviuxL1dsUHsCYyRgCC5-DKVu0ECDUQhSZSqPA-lAyKfbeZZ6Aezn/w400-h271/Statue%20Sligo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1798 Monument in Sligo with railings and lighting</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The completed 1798 Centenary monument,
made of limestone, is composed of a plinth on a stepped base. The plinth is inscribed
on four sides in Irish and English commerating the events and people of 1798.
From this plinth extends a polished pink granite column, either side of which
are two draped flags carved in stone. Atop the whole confection stands a female
figure, the Maid of Erin, representing Ireland with an Irish wolfhound by her
side. She holds a sword in one hand and a shield in the other, emblazoned with
a harp and shamrocks. She stands atop a pedestal which rests on two joined
hands (like a Claddagh ring) above which are inscribed the words ‘’United We
Stand’’. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A plaque on the monument
informs the passerby that the memorial was ‘’Erected by the Voluntary Subscriptions
of The Priests and People of Mayo and Sligo’’. The Maid of Erin Figure has a striking
resemblance to the figure atop, The Manchester Martyrs’ Monument, in Ennis Co.
Clare, designed by Patrick J. O’Neill of Dublin. This monument was erected in
1881 to honour the controversial hanging of three men in Manchester in 1867. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In terms of the Humbert memorial in Ballina,
it is incredible to think, that at the time of the unveiling of the 1798
memorial, some of the sons and daughters of those who took part in the
rebellion were still living in the community. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhRG6iq7rH173X5eufpU1l2iMbqVYli0DHd4pBdqjBHUGTeqeFYgMTWtD7kgqO9xv5snhH5MdjwTNMEUrpG8-DRN4cEnRANAnCaimoj1sBgruMjMa2plQcsHLWg6SHr6EGZd7sdO9A7Xg9xO48c0ha9_i2_ePCYZ-hkbA3EhO8-YdMThrUm3UHM0MUolX/s4344/DSC_3006.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2896" data-original-width="4344" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhRG6iq7rH173X5eufpU1l2iMbqVYli0DHd4pBdqjBHUGTeqeFYgMTWtD7kgqO9xv5snhH5MdjwTNMEUrpG8-DRN4cEnRANAnCaimoj1sBgruMjMa2plQcsHLWg6SHr6EGZd7sdO9A7Xg9xO48c0ha9_i2_ePCYZ-hkbA3EhO8-YdMThrUm3UHM0MUolX/w443-h294/DSC_3006.JPG" width="443" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Vaughan Jackson Memorial Font<br />Copyright ICHC</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">By March 1899, the Jackson Vaughan memorial committee met
again and discussed a design for the memorial fountain, proposed by Harrison
& Co., </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Great Brunswick
St., Dublin<span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> which was to be made of limestone. The committee had earlier
contemplated a design made of metal but due to budget implications it was
rejected. At this meeting it was proposed that as well as having a trough for
horses, that a trough should also be integrated for use by dogs. I had thought
that this was something that wasn't included in the final design, but if you
look at the fountain today you will see the lower troughs for the use of dogs
are found nearer the ground under the main troughs.</span> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;">By June of 1901, a decision had been made on the final design of the
Vaughan Jackson memorial fountain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr.
E.E. Atkinson wrote on behalf of the Jackson Memorial Committee requesting the
permission of the Urban Council to erect the memorial, which was given. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6xl8nfljrtXGwe-ZWXHZJMadoUZxpYolkZ2epiBOGInOSVsKrWASZXC4CQaG_gS95reSazfe48XHvgaSWJb1xmjhoixvXIzBkpemqwhrFCeh21u10yyFP78tlu_vq92mgldE4cz4p_wDHluI_zkvV7xk-Qh9qvq2B7lLs_8dDy8qH7NFohhTaQT6J8Rc/s3248/DSC_3009.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2165" data-original-width="3248" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6xl8nfljrtXGwe-ZWXHZJMadoUZxpYolkZ2epiBOGInOSVsKrWASZXC4CQaG_gS95reSazfe48XHvgaSWJb1xmjhoixvXIzBkpemqwhrFCeh21u10yyFP78tlu_vq92mgldE4cz4p_wDHluI_zkvV7xk-Qh9qvq2B7lLs_8dDy8qH7NFohhTaQT6J8Rc/w281-h187/DSC_3009.JPG" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Decorative elements of the Jackson Vaughan Font<br />Copyright ICHC</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BJYkcjPoXKQyt6dOREXiBkBpKj7UxxLx8EameLMeikEtEN79wESyjouNXqNW4nEClNCzkBpQ4qReoxuDG20K980SGuQfgyfGbImqfOgozfR5RrPo-f869BXBSyoE-wZ4hyPOAY7a5dACfuW1hxXfqvM3EWs7rL0TpDNUvDj-6GiiQSs1oPavm4WwNkFq/s1600/DSC_2867.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BJYkcjPoXKQyt6dOREXiBkBpKj7UxxLx8EameLMeikEtEN79wESyjouNXqNW4nEClNCzkBpQ4qReoxuDG20K980SGuQfgyfGbImqfOgozfR5RrPo-f869BXBSyoE-wZ4hyPOAY7a5dACfuW1hxXfqvM3EWs7rL0TpDNUvDj-6GiiQSs1oPavm4WwNkFq/w172-h256/DSC_2867.JPG" width="172" /></a></div></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt;">In
August 1901, the fountain was completed by the contractors opposite </span><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt;">'Baxter's
Corner'</i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt;"> in the town of Ballina. It was made
of Aberdeen granite, cost £184.00 and stood on a hexagonal concrete
foundation. It was made by Scott & Rae, Bothwell
St., Glasgow and was erected in Ballina under the supervision of
their very capable representative, Mr. Robert Taylor. The company of Scott and
Rae were established in Glasgow in 1881, it appears they had
completed a number of public drinking fountains in their native Scotland and
usually worked in pink granite. The fountain is composed of three large
drinking troughs for either ' </span><i style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt;">cattle or horses</i><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt;">', and rising from
the centre is a red and grey granite column diagonally carved and topped by a
grey granite ball. Above one of the troughs is a bronze shield having an
engraving of a horse. Above another trough was a tablet with the inscription:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;">'To the memory of</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;">George James Vaughan Jackson</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;">Carramore, Ballina,</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><i><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;">Who died on the 10th day of April 1898'</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;">On either side of this main plaque were smaller
tablets with the inscriptions ' <i>Erected by public subscription' </i>and<i> 'He
passed from among us in the prime of life, respected and beloved by all</i>'.
However the fountain wasn't fully completed at this time as the Memorial
Committee did not have the funds to undertake a number of works themselves. The
entire cost for the project came to £184 (which would be about €25,000 in
today's money) but the fund had only raised £179, however the contractors in an
act of generosity remitted the difference. Now that the fountain was in place,
it was still necessary that guard stones should be erected around the monument
to protect it from damage from cart wheels for which the committee had not the
funds. Therefore the committee asked the Urban Council if they would be
in a position to complete these works and in early photographs of the memorial
we can see that these were indeed put in place.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE;"><br /></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyssjp6Fa20BgUDls0fSp-7PtYhOxXa2COMl1q4topwvL8vpydJ-XGMyCnTL4B0sFgQ3wKqqem97lNwkoJIeBhLSHgFtAE5TFswPQ-dmWhd9uTDxO3CCyZJ_fPQzxqrKW1Qwi1UJfkV6ilO9prBfP1gkfowrkC_oRcDi-rBlGQpTZ9lB0XVJZBMM02iw6/s905/98%20Monument.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="905" data-original-width="679" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyssjp6Fa20BgUDls0fSp-7PtYhOxXa2COMl1q4topwvL8vpydJ-XGMyCnTL4B0sFgQ3wKqqem97lNwkoJIeBhLSHgFtAE5TFswPQ-dmWhd9uTDxO3CCyZJ_fPQzxqrKW1Qwi1UJfkV6ilO9prBfP1gkfowrkC_oRcDi-rBlGQpTZ9lB0XVJZBMM02iw6/w300-h400/98%20Monument.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The 1798 Centenary Memorial soon after its construction<br />showing the damage to the base.</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In June 1903, the Humbert memorial monument
was damaged when a number of men threw rocks at it. The memorial at this time
was still in the care of the committee who erected it and it had not been
vested in the Urban Council. The handle or shaft of the sword of the statue
that stood atop the memorial had been damaged and its repair amounted to £65.
£200 had been spent building the memorial but no railing had been put around
the base as originally planned. The railing surrounding the monument was still
an issue in 1924, the plinth of the memorial was being damaged by children and
again the idea of putting railing around it was discussed to give the memorial
a more ‘finished appearance’. In 1931, it appears if the public reverence for
the monument was waning as it was reported that several of the foundation
stones for the monument had been broken and required repair. Also, someone had
hung an old tyre from the statue which also needed to be removed. By 1942, it
was reported that the monument looked dirty due to nearby building work and
should be cleaned, again the suggestion of erecting a protective railing was
mooted but never acted upon. Now the location of the monument was beginning to
cause issues in terms of traffic, however relocating it at this time was
dismissed due to cost. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDlmuEl-Q251PdT0AsWC_cW3QJ7Yj07DJ-gUHmHCxCmas-fX8SCGloU2xYAjwyLCW8wVMtJcBi9rNR60IeBc3gBGtUWvleodr3JKGiJxH78i2m42qZQW81lUFjKTdwmG3hKM9XcoogrF8dEIct5Z80yxizLh6fvOToNq-I7isE5wlrQ7pASrfYdJceIsy/s607/Missing%20Shaft.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="607" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDlmuEl-Q251PdT0AsWC_cW3QJ7Yj07DJ-gUHmHCxCmas-fX8SCGloU2xYAjwyLCW8wVMtJcBi9rNR60IeBc3gBGtUWvleodr3JKGiJxH78i2m42qZQW81lUFjKTdwmG3hKM9XcoogrF8dEIct5Z80yxizLh6fvOToNq-I7isE5wlrQ7pASrfYdJceIsy/w400-h293/Missing%20Shaft.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>The 1798 Memorial showing damage that occurred to the<br />sword in 1903</div><div>Copyright The National Library of Ireland</div></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext;">As the town of </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ballina<span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"> changed around
both monuments, it became necessary to relocate them. In 1968, it became
necessary to move the Vaughan Jackson monument 12 feet further back from the
edge of the road. The font was moved again in 1983 to its current location. T</span>he
Humbert Memorial was also relocated in 1986, it was seen to be a hazard to
traffic entering the town. After it was relocated to its existing position
within the town, the monument was rededicated by Sean MacBride S.C. in August
1987, over eighty years after his mother had unveiled it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mother, Maud Gonne had married an Irish Soldier
and Republican, John MacBride in 1903. She converted to Catholicism in order to
marry Mac Bride, however the marriage was not a long one. Sean was born soon
after, however Maud and John ended their marriage after his birth and divorced.
After following in his mother’s footsteps, unveiling the monument in Ballina,
Sean would pass away a few months later in September 1988.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></o:p></p>David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-15235027944625683512023-03-09T23:19:00.005-08:002023-03-09T23:28:21.959-08:00<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 36pt; line-height: 51.36px;">Belgarriff House</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 28pt; line-height: 39.9467px;">Belgarrow, Foxford,</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 28pt; line-height: 39.9467px;">Co. Mayo</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo5dvz9kOK8NVEKT22Nrd8z75kJ7ZVOdBma6l1FZPXKXvEepeA2mx-pfGyKRNgyxIp8imBou6fKhny1QLjEl431QA4x8_1hQKBAdsiCO8XaGc6sJQgQaioxFEw8AP_zZmlOmzyekx2OZW3-830-R0tMndKOE_MuQbhlqwxXsEoH8_HpKnhXfe26B4tg/s3987/IMG_20230309_175200.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3987" data-original-width="3983" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo5dvz9kOK8NVEKT22Nrd8z75kJ7ZVOdBma6l1FZPXKXvEepeA2mx-pfGyKRNgyxIp8imBou6fKhny1QLjEl431QA4x8_1hQKBAdsiCO8XaGc6sJQgQaioxFEw8AP_zZmlOmzyekx2OZW3-830-R0tMndKOE_MuQbhlqwxXsEoH8_HpKnhXfe26B4tg/w400-h400/IMG_20230309_175200.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">The saying is often bandied about ‘’ hiding in plain sight’’, but Belgarriff
House near Foxford in Co. Mayo is a fine example of this adage. A house whose
inhabitants once dominated Foxford town now lies forgotten and shrouded by
trees and ivy. Now a ruin, this once fine
house was obliterated by the bureaucracy of the Land Commission over seventy
years ago. Still referred to in the locality as Knox’s, it is another empty
shell to add to the long list of properties occupied by this once dominant
family. The man most associated with this house, John A. Knox, was driven by
his social ambitions and lived in several fine houses during his lifetime. Some
survive today but unfortunately his last home, Belgarriff in Foxford, is an ivy
clad ruin with few distinguishable features. The social ambitions of John A.
Knox meant that he and his young family moved numerous times between the 1870’s
and 1890’s before settling in Foxford. The question must be asked, was it his
choice of wife and her exclusion by the Killala branch of the Knox family that
led to their choice of Belgarriff in Foxford as their eventual home? It is also
possible that this exclusion led to an estrangement between John and his wife
in later years. Furthermore, in the 1930’s Belgarriff was rocked by scandal, as
the once lofty position of the Knox Family did little to shield them from the
letter of the law when a family member, who was a clergyman, was jailed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUGvBhvtSvAWIVwYs10sKLxrldtMpyu-WBke0oMV6gqp0vNKMKuKzmbmc1ddARHJQZjc1ouRVoDd-tyrxkOfadF5GzJZyP9bcSfNldlyu9v5EYIU4jjNTB1xes2Pp__d1tDUtufnxC_yfvT4_Vxa2b36LXCublpjBYogUwF7UjJs7LQ_5MdcDHZ7BCw/s1019/Map%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="1019" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUGvBhvtSvAWIVwYs10sKLxrldtMpyu-WBke0oMV6gqp0vNKMKuKzmbmc1ddARHJQZjc1ouRVoDd-tyrxkOfadF5GzJZyP9bcSfNldlyu9v5EYIU4jjNTB1xes2Pp__d1tDUtufnxC_yfvT4_Vxa2b36LXCublpjBYogUwF7UjJs7LQ_5MdcDHZ7BCw/w400-h243/Map%2001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">An earlier house on the site, Dove Hall shown on the 1829 to 1841 Map<br />Copyright OSI</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">The story of Belgarriff House, situated in the townland of Belgarrow, begins
in the early 18th century when the Evans family settled in Ballinrobe, in Co. Mayo.
In the 1830’s, the Evans' estate in Mayo was centred on the parish of
Killasser, in the barony of Gallen. These lands may have come into the
possession of the family following the marriage of Francis Evans to a daughter
of John Gardiner of Farmhill. They owned
lands in the townland of Belgarrow where a predecessor of Belgarriff House stood,
a house known as Dove Hall. This house situated here was leased to a Mr Strogen
in the early 19th century, </span><span lang="EN-GB">Dove Hall was known to be the home of Captain Strogen who was
a member of the North Mayo Militia. After 1867, Dove Hall became known as
Belgarriff, the then home of John Locke Evans. He was in residence in
Belgarriff from July 1865 and a member of the Grand Panel of the Mayo Assizes,
by July 1868 Belgarriff is the home of John Ogle Evans. It is said that a new
house was built on the site in 1870, but I wonder if it is around 1867 that the
new house was developed and the name of the property changed with the ownership
of John Ogle Evans. This house is labelled Dove Hall on the 1st edition
Ordnance Survey map, however, a larger house named Belgarrow or Belgarriff
House, is shown on the 25-inch edition of the 1890’s map. The house was found
at the end of a long avenue that is quarter of a mile long. However, this was
never meant to be a private avenue and once continued past, Belgarriff and
linked in with another road. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBUd1595OqFU-M5uOjyMCfJvHIiTui0r7dEn8d5P1wEurggqt52mok_UPU78i1yEXQN6utdW6U_5u2cRE71FGN0K8LQrKuDmLiTrvufqknfQLPoSF3OzSN2z3Tfsdsg80lG4AvrwOFUVawuFdofVtl6Hj-xtk4WamEL9y7w6VT8XmmghcHwvdfzfXLg/s949/Map%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="583" data-original-width="949" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBUd1595OqFU-M5uOjyMCfJvHIiTui0r7dEn8d5P1wEurggqt52mok_UPU78i1yEXQN6utdW6U_5u2cRE71FGN0K8LQrKuDmLiTrvufqknfQLPoSF3OzSN2z3Tfsdsg80lG4AvrwOFUVawuFdofVtl6Hj-xtk4WamEL9y7w6VT8XmmghcHwvdfzfXLg/w400-h246/Map%2002.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">Belgarrow or Belgarriff House shown on the 1897 to 1913 Map<br />Copyright OSI</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">In February 1870, it is noted that Mr. John Durkan
is retiring as the bailiff of the estate for Mr. Evans, the agent at this time
was Mr. Mc Dermott. He had recently been appointed as the agent for the estate,
he originated from Cloongee House, and his new employer was his father-in-law. By
November 1871, the estate of John Ogle Evans appeared in the Landed Estates
Court for sale, heavily indebted. It is possible that the construction of the
new house of Belgarriff indebted John Ogle Evans to such a degree that it brought
about the sale of the estate lands. Several lots were sold but the sale of the
lands at Belgarrow was adjourned. In July 1873, it was advertised in the press
that several lots of land belonging to John Ogle Evans would be offered for
sale again, Lot 7 comprised of 475 acres in Belgarrow. In June 1874, an attempt
was again made to sell lands of the Evans estate, including the lands of
Belgarrow, again the sale was adjourned with the highest bid received being in
the amount of £3,000. By the late 1890’s, the Evan’s family were still in
residence in Belgarriff, by </span><span lang="EN-GB">May 1896,
an auction was held at Belgarriff House to auction furniture and the outdoor
effects of Mrs. Evans. One year later, in February 1897, Eliza Evans of
Belgarriff was charged with being drunk and disorderly. She was returning home
from Miss Sheil’s public house in the town of Foxford when she stopped at a
neighbour’s house to verbally abuse her. This drew the attention of a local
member of the constabulary and led to a court appearance. Owen Devany, a
servant in the employment of Mr. Evans, recalled that he had locked up the
doors of the ‘’ big house at Belgarriff’’ on the evening in question. He came
into town to show his employers the way home with a lantern. It is noted in
this report that Eliza’s husband was John O’ Evans, who at the time was a
feeble old gentleman. In another court appearance by Eliza in 1897, she stated
that she had married her husband in 1891. This court case related to the
seizure of a cow due to the non-payment of income tax. At this time Eliza confirmed
that there was a mortgage on the estate and that there was a receiver ‘’over
the property for the last four years’’. The cow was worth £18 but was seized
over a debt of £3, the bailiff confirmed that it was the only thing of value on
the estate. When Mr. Evans was served with the first notice for payment of the
income tax, he said he could not afford to pay it. By the time of the receipt of
the last notice, it was implied that the receiver would pay it. It was also
noted during this court appearance that the house and the lawn were still in
the possession of Evans himself, and not the Court of Chancery, however this
was later disproven. In May 1897, the demesne
of John Ogle Evans known as Belgarriff was advertised for lease by J.M. Mills,
The Receiver, Killala.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8hWMWoo8_S9JO_2qRYLmEMJms4roE6v10zfaZ4PCv2Aa206_mWR6fuvHugCl9JtM33PW8N_ZVP7K6dNxUlRPluWpK9vkN1mDGEevGXlitvLo5rBPyCu58SIMu4fuTJEj68hUcy1iT2reLI63G9POat6k31k_X2mREyZ7Q8sN5GLlSghnyqAvw65BXQ/s4753/IMG_20230309_145748.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3168" data-original-width="4753" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB8hWMWoo8_S9JO_2qRYLmEMJms4roE6v10zfaZ4PCv2Aa206_mWR6fuvHugCl9JtM33PW8N_ZVP7K6dNxUlRPluWpK9vkN1mDGEevGXlitvLo5rBPyCu58SIMu4fuTJEj68hUcy1iT2reLI63G9POat6k31k_X2mREyZ7Q8sN5GLlSghnyqAvw65BXQ/w400-h266/IMG_20230309_145748.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">The possible entrance front of Belgarriff House, dating from 1867 to 1870<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: ;">Between 1897 and 1901, Belgarriff House
came into the possession of John Anthony Knox. He was the son of J</span><span lang="EN-GB">ohn Knox, who died in Killala, Co. Mayo in 1874
aged 72. He is listed as being late of The Lodge in Killala, and his will was
proved by his son John Anthony Knox, also of The Lodge, Killala. </span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">John Knox
was a brother of Henry A. Knox of Palmerstown and James A. Knox of
Crosspatrick. He had resided for a time in a house known as Broadlands on the
Killala Road, however he did not own it, it was rented from the Knox Gores.</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">John’s son and future owner of Belgarriff, John
Anthony Knox married Margaret Carroll from Ballysakeery, in Dublin in November
1875. She was the daughter of Francis Carroll who was a farmer. She was
described as an ‘’excellent’ wife but due to the strict class distinction at
the time, it was felt that John had married beneath him, therefore his wife was
not received by local society. After initially living at The Lodge in Killala
where their children were born, they moved to a nearby house, known as
Ballybrooney.</span><span lang="EN-GB"> On the 20<sup>th of</sup> March 1876, James Annesley Knox
was born, the son of John Anthony Knox and Margaret, the birth was registered
in Killala. This was followed by another son on the 22<sup>nd </sup>of September
1877, when Godfrey Fitzroy Knox was born. In October 1878, a daughter Harriett Adelaide Knox
was born but unfortunately, she died in February 1884, at Ballybrooney. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO6g51LALsyfCQaSEWxs_9ZpS6uccb81itw3u1D0XlPgPfz6ut0Nr1FuEUuASisGEw70Uqfp93IU8QD3uNTyoMcixhEEXqD9q8vluBPtonX1CS9tPMw4m-u0tDU45jscC0EbjNQOrQWnkG6dOZUHsFZf0dCFdmV8ws2DEzfRewkCMAuCUL_l3Uq_o9g/s2195/The%20Lodge%20Killala.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1646" data-original-width="2195" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDO6g51LALsyfCQaSEWxs_9ZpS6uccb81itw3u1D0XlPgPfz6ut0Nr1FuEUuASisGEw70Uqfp93IU8QD3uNTyoMcixhEEXqD9q8vluBPtonX1CS9tPMw4m-u0tDU45jscC0EbjNQOrQWnkG6dOZUHsFZf0dCFdmV8ws2DEzfRewkCMAuCUL_l3Uq_o9g/w400-h300/The%20Lodge%20Killala.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">The Lodge, Killala, where John A. Knox lived at the time of the death of his father<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">She was
aged only five and is recorded as being the daughter of a gentleman, she died
due to diphtheria. </span><span lang="EN-GB">In February 1893, John A. Knox instructed Isaac
Lenehan, Auctioneer, Ballina to dispose of his effects at his residence
Ballybrooney House, Killala. It mentions in the advertisement that he is
leaving ‘’this part of the country’’. John had decided that if local society
would not accept his wife, he would move to Dublin and see if his social
ambitions would have more success. Unfortunately,
his wife failed at charming the polite society of Dublin and became a pariah on
the social circuit. Her husband’s temper ensured that he locked her out of
their house on more than one occasion in disgust. It is said that John Anthony or Johnny Knox,
as he was known, was described in the Knox family as ‘not being right in the
head’, which may account for his behaviour.</span><span lang="EN-GB"> When John A. Knox and his wife
Margaret did not find Dublin society very amenable to them, they returned to
Mayo and purchased Belgarriff House and estate near Foxford in Co. Mayo. As the
Killala area in the 1870’s was dominated by the Knox Family, one wonders if it
was John’s own family who would not accept Miss Carroll rather than those whom
he described as ‘’society’’. This may have influenced his decision to move to
Dublin and their eventual choice of Belgarriff in Foxford. While it was close
enough to his family based near Killala, it was also far enough away. </span><span lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nyFwfbUoGMh77VPcStFb96MB3J9XRwokNmQbdZEK9Sb8zDKUhxt8V4IJLjovlWmja7wlSOmTp1gfNZqa8o_E-ku8EZjZrp4TMFAIe0KdSRhdMFWLvwsq8QPFCAuN3rpUT0NO2CjDDnETFWfcM5pRYzNNTr2E1PUY9VlgF8IgaixE0F1paatu8CPkDA/s3648/Ballybrooney.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2594" data-original-width="3648" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nyFwfbUoGMh77VPcStFb96MB3J9XRwokNmQbdZEK9Sb8zDKUhxt8V4IJLjovlWmja7wlSOmTp1gfNZqa8o_E-ku8EZjZrp4TMFAIe0KdSRhdMFWLvwsq8QPFCAuN3rpUT0NO2CjDDnETFWfcM5pRYzNNTr2E1PUY9VlgF8IgaixE0F1paatu8CPkDA/w400-h285/Ballybrooney.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">Ballybrooney House, Killala where John A. Knox lived until 1892<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">By the time of the 1901 census, John
A. Knox is living in Belgarriff, aged 50, with his wife Margaret, aged 45, and
their sons, James A., aged 24, and Godfrey F. aged 22. There are two female servants
resident in the house, the head of the household is John A. who lists his
profession as a Private Gentleman. The house is listed as having eight rooms,
five windows on its entrance front and is owned by John Knox rather than being
leased from the Evan’s estate. By 1903, the Knox Family were establishing
themselves at Belgarriff as Mrs. Knox had placed an advertisement in the local
press looking for a maid. In 1904, a herd of Hereford Cattle was commenced on
the estate by John A. Knox. The
Hereford’s of Belgarriff House were known throughout the country and won numerous
prizes at county shows. In 1916, it was reported in the ‘’Skibbereen Eagle’’ that
John A. Knox was in possession of a very fertile cow. She produced her first
calf in 1905, for the following six years she produced a calf each year,
followed by four years producing twin calves, after which she produced one calf
for the next three years. This amounted to 17 calves in 11 years, which John A.
was proud to boast. By 1911, John and Margaret are still in residence in
Belgarrow, however, their sons are no longer present. It is noted that they are
married 35 years and that they had three children but only two are living. In
October 1920, their son, James Annesley Knox of Belgarriff married Margaret
Emily Glover of Foxford, in the Parish Church of Toomore, Co. Mayo. It is noted
that he is the son of a gentleman, and she is the daughter of a Clerk of the
Petty Sessions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKdatI47r8Dk64-Pab6afmHVIcAjTfUOU5irChhDIgtmw3wCpgBXa0j9UJwKJ7mgoudIDzwDxeRmFDMd4Kpd5ALYMkAoxemE-ZF7eWNdxPVuHJftGgqiSomEXkuMj9jJ1En8s6JCRLfyYo2KfS7IhBsWxLy6gavZjYJRFNKmQ20RmXZuOaZZmF9WTIw/s2498/IMG_20230309_175139%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2498" data-original-width="2496" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKdatI47r8Dk64-Pab6afmHVIcAjTfUOU5irChhDIgtmw3wCpgBXa0j9UJwKJ7mgoudIDzwDxeRmFDMd4Kpd5ALYMkAoxemE-ZF7eWNdxPVuHJftGgqiSomEXkuMj9jJ1En8s6JCRLfyYo2KfS7IhBsWxLy6gavZjYJRFNKmQ20RmXZuOaZZmF9WTIw/w400-h400/IMG_20230309_175139%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">One of the many fireplaces of Belgarriff House<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">In December 1937, John Anthony Knox
died at Belgarriff with his eldest son, James, present. His death certificate
lists his age as 89, but other records point to John A. being 87 at the time of
his death. A headstone in nearby Craggagh Cemetery notes that John A. Knox of
Belgarriff House, died 30<sup>th</sup> December 1937 aged 90. His headstone
erected by his youngest son Godfrey F. Knox. John A. Knox was a widower at the
time of his death, but no details are recorded for the earlier passing of his
wife on this headstone. However, Margaret Knox, died in Carrowhubbuck in
Enniscrone, Co. Sligo aged 78 in December 1932. Present at the time of her
death was Bessie Greer, who owned Moy Salmon Lodge also known as Orme’s Lodge
in Enniscrone. Margaret’s son Rev. Godfrey F. Knox was a clergyman in nearby Kilglass
and this would explain his mother’s presence in a lodging house in Enniscrone. In
Mullafarry Graveyard outside Killala, there is a headstone to Margaret however
it states that her place of death was at her ‘’son’s residence, The Rectory,
Enniscrone ‘’. One is under the impression that there was an estrangement in
the family between John A. and Margaret considering that they are buried in
different graveyards, miles apart. Margaret Knox, nee Carroll, obviously
returned to be buried in Mullafarry as she was originally from nearby Ballsakeery.
Godfrey was responsible for putting up headstones over the graves of his
parents, but the wording on his mother’s memorial is more affectionate than
that of his father’s. John Anthony Knox’s will was administered in London in
1938 to his son James Annesley. His estate in England amounted to £ 242.00 but
was re-sworn in the amount of £ 3,485.00. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthOe6kiH1o1ENq_EH21YQhS7guBuXZPUVV1sw8u2S03LYZvyXgcjN-gZmsYoU5FBAGpoD9SEdmBi66LBZyQhOpf6w7Cbt5b9nVb1OdqciesTo28MopFQ0Q4_SIsq5_rON_-Ap-LnUlKxf5poxYLe6TjPkVTK7x7WbvT8cxPTsWgg_iDdpytt1x1c_ZQ/s3842/IMG_20230309_150413.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="3842" data-original-width="3840" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhthOe6kiH1o1ENq_EH21YQhS7guBuXZPUVV1sw8u2S03LYZvyXgcjN-gZmsYoU5FBAGpoD9SEdmBi66LBZyQhOpf6w7Cbt5b9nVb1OdqciesTo28MopFQ0Q4_SIsq5_rON_-Ap-LnUlKxf5poxYLe6TjPkVTK7x7WbvT8cxPTsWgg_iDdpytt1x1c_ZQ/w400-h400/IMG_20230309_150413.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">Some surviving features of the interior of Belgarriff House<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">John A’s youngest son, Reverend
Godfrey F. Knox of Kilglass Rectory was involved in unacceptable behaviour that
would result in him being jailed for six months in 1933. One of the reasons
given at the trial for his current mental state was the recent death of his
mother. In 1934, it appears that Reverend Godfrey F. Knox travelled to the US
after his release from prison. Two years later, Reverend Godfrey F. Knox
arrived in Liverpool, England in February 1936 having departed from St. John
New Brunswick in Canada. By 1939, he was living in Devon, but had adjusted the
year of his birth from 1877 to 1884, however, he left the month and date the
same as it appeared on his birth certificate,e which is the 22<sup>nd</sup>
September. Godfrey Fitzroy Knox died in the Hotel Woodburn in Torquay in April
1957, despite being named as a clergyman, his profession is listed as a clerk.
He left an estate of over £3,300 which was left to members of the Knox family
at Palmerstown, Killala.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnO_8LwjecQ2mY64zhZNJyXazQ0tDOGgzr15y9aARRDnV4bx8t4wYZbRnN4yW4k9V-hX5kbJHAl7YF-Ik8yQzkuHUcrhrS3cdoUTU383syZO6dzjPFqXNV9aZ0vHq-__SoNBhNVx5X3FAaydU_IvcV9hfaQlGimIikpypR8qSJ5XYE5KLH-yJTusuk-g/s759/GF%20Knox%20Headline.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="759" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnO_8LwjecQ2mY64zhZNJyXazQ0tDOGgzr15y9aARRDnV4bx8t4wYZbRnN4yW4k9V-hX5kbJHAl7YF-Ik8yQzkuHUcrhrS3cdoUTU383syZO6dzjPFqXNV9aZ0vHq-__SoNBhNVx5X3FAaydU_IvcV9hfaQlGimIikpypR8qSJ5XYE5KLH-yJTusuk-g/s320/GF%20Knox%20Headline.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">A news report from the time of Rev. Godfrey F. Knox sentencing <br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">Tragedy would soon strike the
remaining members of the family in Foxford, when the eldest son of John A, James
Annesley Knox, died suddenly at Belgarriff House on 23<sup>rd</sup> December
1939, aged 63. James and his wife Margaret never had any children and Godfrey had
never married, meaning there was no generation to take over the estate. In
1949, Belgarriff House and Demesne were advertised for sale by Mrs. Knox, James
Annesley’s widow. The lands associated with the house extended to 89 acres. The
house is described as having contained on the ground floor, a drawing room,
dining room, breakfast room, hall, staircase, and back hall. On the floors
above there were four principal bedrooms and three large attic rooms. In the
rear return of the house there were storerooms, a pantry, kitchen with yard and
out offices. It was noted that the house is of ‘’ fine architecture’’ and that
the ground floor ceilings are 11ft high. It appears that the house did not sell
so in 1951, The Minister for Lands informed the Dail that the Land Commission
had instigated proceedings for the acquisition of lands in the possession of
Mrs. Margaret Knox at Belgarriff, Foxford, formerly known as the Evans estate.
Mrs. Knox objected to this acquisition, but her objection was disallowed,
possibly because she had no one to take over what remained of the estate. Margaret
Knox died on the 13<sup>th of</sup> January 1953 at Brookside, Foxford, the
widow of James Annesley Knox of Belgarriff House, she was buried with him in
nearby Craggagh Cemetery. The death of Margaret ,who had no direct descendants,
ensured the end was nearing for Belgarriff. The contents of the house were auctioned
in March 1953 which extended to a vast number of items including a baby grand
piano and a half size billiard table. In February 1954, the trees that
surrounded the house were sold on behalf of the Land Commission. Over 170 trees
were offered for sale that would produce over 250 tons of timber. In January
1953, the Land Commission offered Belgarriff House, Foxford, for sale for demolition.
In the sale advertisement, the house is simply described as a two storey,
slated dwelling house with timber windows and doors etc. The out offices and
even the sheds were also offered for demolition. One finds it hard to fathom
the actions of the Land Commission and feels they were motivated by ignorance
and vengeance. Belgarriff was a manageable size, when it was pulled down it was
described as being in perfect condition. One gentleman wanted to purchase the
house as a fishing lodge, but was thwarted by the Land Commission. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUnzbXAC2rjUAEzNkdDlizlZNblv5cHTVXIwph2o0bBhDPCa6LKVcNQSnuj_VQhLT12o6xxSvsTkrVGc6zCRHS1GLQx2YBEea-Z8ZIH5cuezPL0YK1bFU16OsyUlHfecUUDLYRNQik_IvbphMfrtZTActJkQWJ49ltCtx6ZFyI9YRiHK7SFH1Utbydg/s746/FB_IMG_1678046137240.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="746" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUnzbXAC2rjUAEzNkdDlizlZNblv5cHTVXIwph2o0bBhDPCa6LKVcNQSnuj_VQhLT12o6xxSvsTkrVGc6zCRHS1GLQx2YBEea-Z8ZIH5cuezPL0YK1bFU16OsyUlHfecUUDLYRNQik_IvbphMfrtZTActJkQWJ49ltCtx6ZFyI9YRiHK7SFH1Utbydg/w386-h400/FB_IMG_1678046137240.jpg" width="386" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="line-height: 14.2667px;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><b>Advertisement</b></span></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: 10pt;"><b> for the sale of Belgarrriff House in 1949</b></span><br /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Copyright ICHC</b></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">Today the ruin of Belgarriff
endures, but one wonders for how long, as the destruction of the demolition
sale is clear. A local man told me, there
was an abundance of staff that worked in the environs of the house, including a
group of men who ensured Belgarriff was supplied with turf from a nearby bog.
This was necessary as the house had ten fireplaces that required fuel, the
house had no electricity prior to its demolition and was lit by oil lamps. It
is my assertion that the new house, Belgarriff, that was built between 1867 and
1870 incorporated a portion of the original Dove Hall. The rear return appears
to be older and does not have as fine stonework as the front section. The front
block also had internal brick walls, some of which had twisting flues
incorporated for the numerous fireplaces. The entrance front of the house is
recorded as having five windows, the front door facing Nephin. There was a wide
entrance hall which in turn led to a rear hall, where a dog leg staircase was
illuminated by a curved headed window on the half landing. Rooms either side of
the front hall included a drawing room, dining room and breakfast room, while
on the first floor there were four bedrooms. From my investigations it appears
that the ancillary area’s such as kitchens were accommodated in the rear return
that was possibly part of the earlier house, Dove Hall.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTu_K72kGvuVbWSDJ0p_lf5omIu68WaDWAU-Ddl98J7_CuDSuWYugx8yKNKTKXqrHShucawHzLAWlLDicVtftbm7HbK_Uhqn5Z7lqdHG45Gh1V_d1FVOTLtt2-UOwe6Al_9RSBrD2lEc18xDNav4oVVY83wsnTFi_FbuEoY1AMAgr7GpONP3y0JRS6Eg/s3648/IMG_20230305_133021.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTu_K72kGvuVbWSDJ0p_lf5omIu68WaDWAU-Ddl98J7_CuDSuWYugx8yKNKTKXqrHShucawHzLAWlLDicVtftbm7HbK_Uhqn5Z7lqdHG45Gh1V_d1FVOTLtt2-UOwe6Al_9RSBrD2lEc18xDNav4oVVY83wsnTFi_FbuEoY1AMAgr7GpONP3y0JRS6Eg/w400-h300/IMG_20230305_133021.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">This junction shows the different phases of construction of the house.<br />On the right we have the later 1867 block with the finer stonework, and <br />on the left, we have the rougher earlier stonework possibly of Dove Hall.<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">Apart from the ruins of Belgarriff,
there is one unique survivor from this house. A clock that once graced the
drawing room of the Foxford mansion which remains in the possession of a local
family. After the death of Margaret Knox, the clock passed to her sister, a
member of the Glover Family. After her death in 1966, the contents of her home
in Foxford were sold. Due to the poor state of the house at the time of the
auction, only a few people could be accommodated for the sale of its contents
due to the condition of the floor in the room. After the sale, the local man
who had purchased the clock was approached by Major Aldridge of Mount Falcon,
he wished to purchase the clock for multiples of the final bid of £2. His
desire to have the clock was due to it having originated from the Knox House in
Foxford known as Belgarriff. His offer was declined and today the clock is
still extant. In the rear of the clock is recorded the date it was purchased,
13<sup>th</sup> August 1887 from Ganter Brothers in Dublin. This date would
mean that the clock not only travelled to Belgarriff in Foxford with the Knox
Family, but it also spent time in Ballybrooney House near Killala, between 1884
& 1892, before their time spent in Dublin.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4kBeucWmDQpFk4Dx9vLvnC5TsQAKPXtv0wVyOVklnMKtq1jxs1vJLjwxhECvoThAhgDQqWRPXsI_vopN4wt1I-32Ghya3_GK5Vswpj0Q7lQRoeiAZ7xjpoVXmUe0aC9IJdcm8qA56ICE7j9Mut5zUknCHbGhHg4T-Q2m5CEqV6DPsHi8BaDPVnEoDA/s6000/IMG_20230309_122859.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4kBeucWmDQpFk4Dx9vLvnC5TsQAKPXtv0wVyOVklnMKtq1jxs1vJLjwxhECvoThAhgDQqWRPXsI_vopN4wt1I-32Ghya3_GK5Vswpj0Q7lQRoeiAZ7xjpoVXmUe0aC9IJdcm8qA56ICE7j9Mut5zUknCHbGhHg4T-Q2m5CEqV6DPsHi8BaDPVnEoDA/w148-h223/IMG_20230309_122859.jpg" width="148" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBv15s0Nir3pKSc6FOD3zfqRe5Ggcr6WTuztLj-KsBYcAFH5ghwQ5xz47tRj8Ig7A-o6VtzU6KnsOXxU5DjttA8SJzxeEp5O1taVU_d3AaMJp9VrmeHJSl9OSOgRBPcyhudlICw4TW-A_d_hOM1BhSncfHh6zh1EfYNNnWgc_JTrQdiIXdfdAChq9l-w/s4141/IMG_20230309_122940.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2760" data-original-width="4141" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBv15s0Nir3pKSc6FOD3zfqRe5Ggcr6WTuztLj-KsBYcAFH5ghwQ5xz47tRj8Ig7A-o6VtzU6KnsOXxU5DjttA8SJzxeEp5O1taVU_d3AaMJp9VrmeHJSl9OSOgRBPcyhudlICw4TW-A_d_hOM1BhSncfHh6zh1EfYNNnWgc_JTrQdiIXdfdAChq9l-w/w332-h222/IMG_20230309_122940.jpg" width="332" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">A clock that originated from Belgarriff House<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB">To end this story, I am always
amazed by the social ambitions of members of the Knox Family in Mayo in the
late 19<sup>th</sup> and early 20<sup>th</sup> century. John A. Knox was a member of a generation who
thought their lifestyle and entitlement would last forever. John A. lived
through a period of major change in the history of Ireland during which there
was intense upheaval in the lives of the landed classes. The Land War, the Land
Acts, Civil War, the foundation of the Irish State and the First World War
ensured that people like John A. Knox were cast adrift in a changed nation.
Gone were the days of the infallible landlord and their entitled families and
no longer would the name of Knox hold sway over local politics. Like most
houses of the Knox family, a few decades after John’s death, his home would be
a ruin, his immediate family all dead and their way of life consigned to
history.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOX7UaMOwdf1GG9B1zLRkMKVqTMBkhFPmgxhNxlS0EBHRQvAszXJMA1AznUNtgMpLN4rh-UJ_00fzWNj8gzHJzL-ttb8ZfKX3UEYDjTbx3edC87UTdbutgdn1FWM-pUR4RXmKU74sv8IQVvBA3JXOqrFUn5rkQhtgJ4ptB1Z4IDzCQCZrYlLwGqU6Ecg/s3533/IMG_20230309_151019.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3533" data-original-width="3531" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOX7UaMOwdf1GG9B1zLRkMKVqTMBkhFPmgxhNxlS0EBHRQvAszXJMA1AznUNtgMpLN4rh-UJ_00fzWNj8gzHJzL-ttb8ZfKX3UEYDjTbx3edC87UTdbutgdn1FWM-pUR4RXmKU74sv8IQVvBA3JXOqrFUn5rkQhtgJ4ptB1Z4IDzCQCZrYlLwGqU6Ecg/w400-h400/IMG_20230309_151019.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="line-height: 14.2667px;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: 10pt;"><b>The rear hall that </b></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><b>accommodated</b></span></span><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: 10pt;"><b> the staircase of Belgarriff House</b></span><br /><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Copyright ICHC</b></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 28pt; line-height: 39.9467px;"><br /></span></b></p>David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-51112823912865469342023-03-03T13:55:00.003-08:002023-03-03T14:28:16.335-08:00<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 36pt; line-height: 51.36px;">Monksfield House</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 28pt; line-height: 39.9467px;">Co. Galway</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5sVHuPo_ywcIP6PXYDZS4yHVatrO1SSUSxqfHkYTdQpEc2iJFr-Y9ZtHXFdJQeoun0KAS9D4Nd9ssA8YJG-5PwtajbjW3jbVGJvF7BnDkqoEki2l42KWnfJain7tfbX32XGEudbEhN4eEGM2r0II_KTFix00A92-Ybm0MytBxkYG9Bkr8Np4rYpeTg/s2703/IMG_20230224_202521%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1617" data-original-width="2703" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5sVHuPo_ywcIP6PXYDZS4yHVatrO1SSUSxqfHkYTdQpEc2iJFr-Y9ZtHXFdJQeoun0KAS9D4Nd9ssA8YJG-5PwtajbjW3jbVGJvF7BnDkqoEki2l42KWnfJain7tfbX32XGEudbEhN4eEGM2r0II_KTFix00A92-Ybm0MytBxkYG9Bkr8Np4rYpeTg/w554-h331/IMG_20230224_202521%20(1).jpg" width="554" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-IE" style="background:">One of the most intriguing ruins that I have seen in several
years is Monksfield, found in the countryside of Galway outside Loughrea. Very
little is known about this house and despite days spent pouring over reference
material, few facts</span><span style="background-color"> have presented themselves in relation to the history of this house that is
235 years old. I am writing this post in the hope that others, may know and share more about this history of this unique structure. Also possibly because of its
size, its apparent structural stability and the number of surviving details – a
restoration could be contemplated. Please note that this house is located on private property and is not accessible to the public.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45rtiW7A_0Bj4v5nQ99eXli1RC7lPGl4CFG_lcey6M3UneJqMU5Vu6f0rocFpboOdrA_4mcLrwg7GhXqB0GleF_Ce25lmBlMfMKWr32FFVMdAzjWShWsuE403e_ggrvDXlSovjpxmjC55Ywk4XQbRM88PSP1Y7V5-y8l3ct-WKU9ztydXcEIaJ_pXnw/s3081/IMG_20230302_144124.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2098" data-original-width="3081" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45rtiW7A_0Bj4v5nQ99eXli1RC7lPGl4CFG_lcey6M3UneJqMU5Vu6f0rocFpboOdrA_4mcLrwg7GhXqB0GleF_Ce25lmBlMfMKWr32FFVMdAzjWShWsuE403e_ggrvDXlSovjpxmjC55Ywk4XQbRM88PSP1Y7V5-y8l3ct-WKU9ztydXcEIaJ_pXnw/w435-h296/IMG_20230302_144124.jpg" width="435" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">Monksfield House in Galway dates from 1788<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-IE" style="background">The Morgan family acquired the
Monksfield estate during the 17th century and were Cromwellian settlers of
Welsh origin. Monksfield eventually came into the ownership of the
Shawe-Taylor family in the 1850’s after they had acquired an interest in the
property from the Morgans. The Shawe Taylor Fmaily owned the nearby Castle Taylor Estate located near Ardrahan. Monksfield was noted as being the seat of the
Reverend Henry Morgan when the house being built in 1788. A three
storey over basement house, described as having neat offices and a handsome
garden with orchard. Architecturally Monksfield bears a similarity in
scale and style to Longfield in Co. Tipperary, a house constructed around the
same period which is still in use as a private home. Another house that shared architectural
similarities with Monksfield is New Park in Co. Kilkenny which burnt down in
the 1930’s. It is the central projecting bay and the arrangement of
the upper section that is strikingly similar. In my opinion the detailing of the door surround and windows on the central bay of Monksfield indicates the hand of a talented architect.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-IE"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwsiR3AMqsEjPyqt5wSIqo1yaCC8CQwp1jaGiH4HFYCZkWKDO_isUdWDiNcI-2ejzbEMHiDvsHWlOEPXbz2ryEnC-AyoF1LULr2D0bQUemUThF4f1i0g2WYfIAvw2CWhOuxjpLmcbbIMy9d1k9e-siT9gowlgrTls20nZETbOS830noO86xMEoGey1Q/s537/IMG_20230302_153101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="537" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgwsiR3AMqsEjPyqt5wSIqo1yaCC8CQwp1jaGiH4HFYCZkWKDO_isUdWDiNcI-2ejzbEMHiDvsHWlOEPXbz2ryEnC-AyoF1LULr2D0bQUemUThF4f1i0g2WYfIAvw2CWhOuxjpLmcbbIMy9d1k9e-siT9gowlgrTls20nZETbOS830noO86xMEoGey1Q/w256-h188/IMG_20230302_153101.jpg" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZu5uWymLRG4Vlz_vR_0anPbmn3lTKBmob59Efyhp2wlQ4ZH4U2CJdKiC1q_43q2idDiFYbELBXmEBBDOnt29pOCH7dCIiM1hSVeHXvsZwZW7IWCvQL06CdHmde36Y2NFC5mGpRDw0SlBfc08FQMMwX0JStdq6MEWhd37p8-yD7vyxopI0TG9Pq9jicw/s1911/IMG_20230303_082335.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="1911" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZu5uWymLRG4Vlz_vR_0anPbmn3lTKBmob59Efyhp2wlQ4ZH4U2CJdKiC1q_43q2idDiFYbELBXmEBBDOnt29pOCH7dCIiM1hSVeHXvsZwZW7IWCvQL06CdHmde36Y2NFC5mGpRDw0SlBfc08FQMMwX0JStdq6MEWhd37p8-yD7vyxopI0TG9Pq9jicw/w261-h188/IMG_20230303_082335.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Longfield House in Co. Tipperary, shown left, and New Park House,
which once stood in Kilkenny, shown right, both share several similarities with
Monksfield in Galwa</span></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">y</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-IE">In June 1820, the wife of Charles Morgan of Monksfield died and in May 1833, Francis Morgan of Monksfield is recorded as having passed away.<span style="background"> In 1837, it is stated that Monksfield is the seat of Captain. Morgan. </span>In June 1854, James P. Byrne, a
solicitor, married Minnie, daughter of the late Rev. Henry Morgan of
Monksfield.<span style="background"> In 1852, the estate at Monksfield appeared for sale as an Incumbered Estate by
the Court of Commissioners. The sale included the house and demesne lands
extending to nearly 520 acres which the Morgans were obliged to sell due to
indebtedness.</span> In July 1852, it is recorded in ‘The Galway Vindicator’
that the lands of Monksfield and the mansion house which cost £3,000 to build were to be
sold. The lands of the demesne were offered with the house and
a further 159 acres were offered in a second lot. The sale of both lots
realised a price of £11,335 a<span style="background">nd the estate now became the residence of Thomas
Shawe-Taylor.</span> At the time of the 1901 census, the house is being lived in by Michael Tarpy and
is listed as having fourteen windows in its entrance front. The house is listed as having six outbuildings and is owned
by W.S. Taylor. What is interesting to note is that seven people are listed as
living in only two rooms of this large house. The household consists of Michael
aged 55, who is living in the house with his wife Sara, three daughters, a son, and
a servant. Unfortunately, Michael Tarpy, a farmer, late of Monksfield died on
the 10<sup>th</sup> July 1910 and left an estate valued at £56.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-IE"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lsWiW_7zwtGc_C6oKA4dFmsulKo6QjBs9L5Lvr-W4J4i8PokHwQbXoxuBVFi9X8CLmchu-hLI6NCwvjwxf5cPCjEtF5xRDfwyni6QUMyp4oGxvA8wfhZFu4aXqYgpSByTviCDp-NcP-njSua7dyORtvd5YMrugnk0am0j_26Mh6Y4p-B0vwT6r-IJQ/s2672/IMG_20230302_144054.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1980" data-original-width="2672" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lsWiW_7zwtGc_C6oKA4dFmsulKo6QjBs9L5Lvr-W4J4i8PokHwQbXoxuBVFi9X8CLmchu-hLI6NCwvjwxf5cPCjEtF5xRDfwyni6QUMyp4oGxvA8wfhZFu4aXqYgpSByTviCDp-NcP-njSua7dyORtvd5YMrugnk0am0j_26Mh6Y4p-B0vwT6r-IJQ/w451-h334/IMG_20230302_144054.jpg" width="451" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">Monksfield House in Galway dates from 1788<br />Copyright ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-IE"><span style="background: ;">In 1906, it is recorded that Monksfield was owned by Walter Shawe Taylor and was valued at £14.The
estate was sold to the tenants around 1908 and its lands divided. The house
continued to be occupied well into the twentieth century but is now a ruin
surrounded by farmland. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-IE"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9jEV32PsFcvaEUEvH3EVEmx5Y8IKl2vpPHw2BlsDgXhXWSvhNyTNk4wqUheSv-BH8zwqIUSBoGK7o8cM1NHYnllL3ptO7OccrhcHm7XX3LmDnjM1P6rHK2vpy2DW17_vi7_XsEEG7Qk783xQgQNL5kJO5v-1OVZ557QOvWV3cAyVeRz6k_zKa2wrfA/s944/Monksfield%2002%20Map.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="509" data-original-width="944" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9jEV32PsFcvaEUEvH3EVEmx5Y8IKl2vpPHw2BlsDgXhXWSvhNyTNk4wqUheSv-BH8zwqIUSBoGK7o8cM1NHYnllL3ptO7OccrhcHm7XX3LmDnjM1P6rHK2vpy2DW17_vi7_XsEEG7Qk783xQgQNL5kJO5v-1OVZ557QOvWV3cAyVeRz6k_zKa2wrfA/w462-h250/Monksfield%2002%20Map.jpg" width="462" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">Monksfield House shown on the 1829 to 1841 Map<br />Copyright OSI</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-IE"><span style="background:">Some information can be gleamed from old maps in the
collection of the OSI. On the 1829 to 1841 Map, the house, its outbuildings and
walled gardens appear to be in good repair and there is a carriage way leading
to the front door. However, by the time of the 1897 to 1913 Map, the
carriageway to the front of the house is not illustrated and the outbuildings
to the rear no longer have roofs. Is this an indication that the fortunes of
the house had changed, and its decline had begun ?. Looking at current aerial photographs, some of the walls belonging to the walled garden have survived together with the remains of some of the outbuildings. Along the main road, a single solitary cut stone gatepost survives indicating the presence of a once grand house. In April 1986, Monksfield
House, described as an 18<sup>th</sup> century ruin appeared on the market with
55 acres.</span><span style="background:"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-IE"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLPnPVQ1WB9umzzWb3GOOtP9iqTxnWaQWndBeV-TDRlKtL4Ab7DSBofx5EkqlTkGsk6j-t3_bJWrcZhAJhz0oT_42EDa9fYIlwHmYFKprEZqAFajFZiytPx9JmTb0UTCrPAQVbzHcR8noYCIUoccey92R4MYm7BtKUIbTg61WIDod89h6oIw-HhqOzQ/s941/Monksfield%2001%20Map.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="559" data-original-width="941" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheLPnPVQ1WB9umzzWb3GOOtP9iqTxnWaQWndBeV-TDRlKtL4Ab7DSBofx5EkqlTkGsk6j-t3_bJWrcZhAJhz0oT_42EDa9fYIlwHmYFKprEZqAFajFZiytPx9JmTb0UTCrPAQVbzHcR8noYCIUoccey92R4MYm7BtKUIbTg61WIDod89h6oIw-HhqOzQ/w465-h276/Monksfield%2001%20Map.jpg" width="465" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;">Monksfield House shown on the 1897 to 1913 Map<br />Copyright OSI</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN-IE" style="background">As I have stated at the beginning of this piece, this is a
fascinating house that I would be interested in learning more about, so if you
wish to get in touch, my email is davidhicksbook@gmail.com</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN-IE" style="background:"><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p>David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-64757003979882483672022-08-19T05:12:00.041-07:002022-08-22T12:55:20.441-07:00<p style="text-align: center;"> <b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 36pt; line-height: 107%;">Westport
House</span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 28pt; line-height: 107%;">Evaluation
and Evolution<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKrYnuiV_f4LUWNsq_0OJbd1fpP-bRrdZy7OlBRIzpC1RDaW07cdLMKXsrDIbdabWRonhpCMrghKNvaUWxvayc-YEv3wRSmWAL0iKTKQH5ZRbYkbVC2SkxIiwTZCSuntsV0ii1EzdEkCqz3GcKVhtOmtXSrt67ogiZ8xFY3CSGu1jMTnoDrWH572iCQ/s5650/Westport%20House%20Entrance%20Front.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3330" data-original-width="5650" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKrYnuiV_f4LUWNsq_0OJbd1fpP-bRrdZy7OlBRIzpC1RDaW07cdLMKXsrDIbdabWRonhpCMrghKNvaUWxvayc-YEv3wRSmWAL0iKTKQH5ZRbYkbVC2SkxIiwTZCSuntsV0ii1EzdEkCqz3GcKVhtOmtXSrt67ogiZ8xFY3CSGu1jMTnoDrWH572iCQ/w467-h276/Westport%20House%20Entrance%20Front.jpg" width="467" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The Entrance Front of Westport House, Co. Mayo dating from 1730,<br />the work of the architect, Richard Castle<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">After
any prolonged period of decline, the road back to robust health is a long one,
evident with the continuing restoration of Westport House in Co. Mayo. After
decades of ineffective repairs and compromised finances, the fabric of the
house was on the brink of being beyond rescue. Water was penetrating the
building through many avenues, all of which had to be quickly stemmed when the
Hughes Family took over the estate in 2017. Moisture ingress was evident
through the walls, around the windows, chimney stacks, leaking through damaged
roof lights and overflowing from badly designed valleys. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwjYaonzx9MeT2tE2pGUuGufU3H89agry-FHjn5yWG3an7UdOF4Uupi0DYHApydHbJ3f3qSTA3pPTpNTli7oI1g6pKne0pROWpgtuFCwrxVulLDdirD5ohSsNpuWFy-AAEF-RBdJDxpB93-YqgIs1hrB31lzlA0TBYrituS7IIghW_l_RKCJxXs1b-Q/s2160/Collage_20220819_143937.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1620" data-original-width="2160" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwjYaonzx9MeT2tE2pGUuGufU3H89agry-FHjn5yWG3an7UdOF4Uupi0DYHApydHbJ3f3qSTA3pPTpNTli7oI1g6pKne0pROWpgtuFCwrxVulLDdirD5ohSsNpuWFy-AAEF-RBdJDxpB93-YqgIs1hrB31lzlA0TBYrituS7IIghW_l_RKCJxXs1b-Q/w444-h333/Collage_20220819_143937.jpg" width="444" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Photographs showing the central glazed roof light before works were completed in 2007 </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">and also after </span></b><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">further works were completed in 2021 </span></b><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Copyright: ICHC</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Photo Credit of Before Photo: DL Martin and Partners</span></b></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Water was attacking
the house on all sides, damaging and degrading the precious interiors designed
by the best architects of their day. The house was also plagued by a lack of
ventilation, damaged plasterwork, structural issues, cracking and subsidence. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">It
is now one year since my first visit when the house was a hive of activity and
shrouded in scaffolding. I have now returned to review progress, the scaffolding
is gone, the roof is complete and watertight, thus allowing the decay to be
arrested and finally reversed. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxdz1DRM-saxh7HX9XxVIFxcyJ8TDno4rtZB4v5fgo49b3v9qiDoy-BpGNUIFi7qMHNtaGH3saWf75BaEC7BpBMamkU0YUiMeNpt96TwR-fUP0H8PcOMhv2W2WY6YIqbBCfFhQEzDIvAZr3aIr-sHqeuz5qn97gbvKeK3HB1-Qt3Ba8d6QbfXSMkK7g/s2160/Collage_20220817_190432%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="2160" height="441" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRxdz1DRM-saxh7HX9XxVIFxcyJ8TDno4rtZB4v5fgo49b3v9qiDoy-BpGNUIFi7qMHNtaGH3saWf75BaEC7BpBMamkU0YUiMeNpt96TwR-fUP0H8PcOMhv2W2WY6YIqbBCfFhQEzDIvAZr3aIr-sHqeuz5qn97gbvKeK3HB1-Qt3Ba8d6QbfXSMkK7g/w441-h441/Collage_20220817_190432%20(2).jpg" width="441" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;"><b>Westport House shown in above in 2019 and below 2021 </b></span></span><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">However, there is no quick fix here, there is no
60-minute make-over for this historic house. Sodden walls and plasterwork will now
be allowed time to dry out, slowly, thus leading to more issues such as cracks
appearing and historic wall finishes flaking. This reaction is expected, now
that the water ingress is stemmed. The next phase of works is being planned and
adapted as the house is being observed and evaluated as it reacts to the
changes brought about by the last phase of works. Westport House is about to
undergo a transition, for years this was a country house and family home that
just happened to be one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mayo. Now
that the house is secure, in terms of its external fabric, it must now evolve.
The future of this great house must now be considered in terms of accessibility,
presentation and interpretation. As with any visitor attraction, it must be
developed to create an immersive experience with innovative means of informing
visitors about the history of the house, the Browne family and the estate. This
and the continued restoration of the house is the challenge for the years ahead
for the estate and its owners.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgEyNpVviwqc0HyKGIZhqA3SUlRVLizlexazwewyBZMkaTJZ7wNdei9SxoG-zWjDR6Wc_CAH6rMDkuANRDwLRTF5LlNmL1n00fc_A-8al69q_TjRuXCCnVL14cSXFAUJjI83cm2KhF_mVap8EVMVwVnU6oo89-hLxtOLev_4kyDLQPP2UrEwZ-sxUSA/s1440/4XGYWB74GW3TU5FGCM6JXU6I64.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1440" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgEyNpVviwqc0HyKGIZhqA3SUlRVLizlexazwewyBZMkaTJZ7wNdei9SxoG-zWjDR6Wc_CAH6rMDkuANRDwLRTF5LlNmL1n00fc_A-8al69q_TjRuXCCnVL14cSXFAUJjI83cm2KhF_mVap8EVMVwVnU6oo89-hLxtOLev_4kyDLQPP2UrEwZ-sxUSA/w446-h251/4XGYWB74GW3TU5FGCM6JXU6I64.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif" style="color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px; font-weight: bold;">Westport House in 1912 , here we can see the Italianate gardens to </span><span style="font-size: 11.88px; font-weight: bold;">the <br />Garden Front of the house situated below the terraces. </span><span style="font-size: 11.88px; font-weight: bold;">Copyright: ICHC</span><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Entrance Front of Westport
House was built for John Browne, later the first Earl of Altamont, to a design
by the architect Richard Castle (also known as Cassels) in 1730. An impressive feat
for the 21-year-old Earl who initiated the construction of Westport House and
created what is now the entrance front. The Browne home was possibly built on
the site an earlier house and is believed to encompass the cellars of an O’Malley
castle. The barrel-vaulted ceiling in the entrance hall is thought to be one of
the only internal elements from the 1730’s house that has survived which was
designed by Castle. Castle also designed Hazelwood House in Sligo which shares
many similarities with its Mayo Cousin, particularly the decoration and arrangement
of the main entrance door surround. For nearly 200 years after this, the Browne
Family extended, adapted and changed both the house and garden. Leaving us with
the great architectural legacy that is Westport House and the wider estate. <o:p></o:p></span></p></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6n7vZ6UojApXydRZ5zaDZp-8UDEVr8kZeSDIvnB4UpKfP0csEajhhv89OvwprT-riphD8F2eVZ6PnK-TcKqlj8C8cT_sRl6RZc4AcL8x3KjqHrFd7_Tyy9nJKaukpipubgDkZEOrajFrLZrQTyiWzrDSpYubetFztJFFSKfsMuuHR0Wop44025JwGw/s5120/DSC_2682%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5120" data-original-width="3413" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6n7vZ6UojApXydRZ5zaDZp-8UDEVr8kZeSDIvnB4UpKfP0csEajhhv89OvwprT-riphD8F2eVZ6PnK-TcKqlj8C8cT_sRl6RZc4AcL8x3KjqHrFd7_Tyy9nJKaukpipubgDkZEOrajFrLZrQTyiWzrDSpYubetFztJFFSKfsMuuHR0Wop44025JwGw/w301-h453/DSC_2682%20(2).JPG" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: color: #182e04; font-size: 11.88px;"><span background-clip:="" background-image:="" background-origin:="" background-position:="" background-repeat:="" background-size:="" font-family:="" georgia="" initial="" serif="" style="font-family: georgia;">Completed works to the roof of Westport House including a <br />large chimney which had to be cased inlead to ensure it is watertight.<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">As
with my previous visit, I began my tour at the top of the house, on the roof,
which is a changed landscape, or should I say roofscape. Gone is the
scaffolding and now for the first time, probably in decades, and possibly since
the house was first built, does this structure have a watertight roof. Poor
detailing both historic and in the recent past have been replaced with
beautiful lead flashing. Gone are unsuitable materials substituted over the
years when the original owners fought as best they could to secure their home
against the elements. These herculean roof repairs have brought the house back
from the brink. When recent works began, it halted a process of continued
decline. Poor historic detailing has contributed to a lot of the issues in the
house such as masonry buttresses found along the side of some chimneys. This
allowed water to penetrate into the house interior affecting the coved plaster
ceilings of the bedrooms and the hallways on the upper floors. One of the
larger chimney stacks, visually dominant from the garden front, had to be
encased in lead to ensure it would be waterproof, it was previously plastered
in sand and cement. While the original finish did nothing to keep the water
out, the sand and cement layer ensured that the water remained in the structure
and could not escape. This allowed water to penetrate down the back wall of the
main staircase causing damage to the distinctive coved ceiling and sky light. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnDpZQraWDat9pojRWt1ltY9UyK8WvGVnATW4vDKDc4sB8JDjiCwLgs80x-rMMRLw-Nux3PX6UN6wyag21fj7a8eiquN9csgfXsUBUyJA5tFqER1_dOGmXY5iAma6f2vlg5LwuAK86ufG0h8XSoG5tTLt_16IQN_c1irtdPySeVYz4TTSl3IMrmmokg/s4306/DSC_2715%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2547" data-original-width="4306" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnDpZQraWDat9pojRWt1ltY9UyK8WvGVnATW4vDKDc4sB8JDjiCwLgs80x-rMMRLw-Nux3PX6UN6wyag21fj7a8eiquN9csgfXsUBUyJA5tFqER1_dOGmXY5iAma6f2vlg5LwuAK86ufG0h8XSoG5tTLt_16IQN_c1irtdPySeVYz4TTSl3IMrmmokg/w416-h246/DSC_2715%20(2).JPG" width="416" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Water damage over the main staircase caused by water<br />ingress around a chimney Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39n-dPF_hmCAXfaddIs-6wIqFnLvBNOaav197-fpd514rg2bakvUCLOBitYuaDbjQmUtw2dGdFkHtUkgxCL7KPwvh2jGpsvPcbImsaa3GHO67K53-T1xv0Ba7HGL1cuULs7pxrtEoHuKMsAzQ35XbFvEwRFLLne1y9pyywZEmyRI_JjvIa5eJVeqUfw/s5331/DSC_2791%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3555" data-original-width="5331" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg39n-dPF_hmCAXfaddIs-6wIqFnLvBNOaav197-fpd514rg2bakvUCLOBitYuaDbjQmUtw2dGdFkHtUkgxCL7KPwvh2jGpsvPcbImsaa3GHO67K53-T1xv0Ba7HGL1cuULs7pxrtEoHuKMsAzQ35XbFvEwRFLLne1y9pyywZEmyRI_JjvIa5eJVeqUfw/w425-h283/DSC_2791%20(2).JPG" width="425" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">A bedroom on the upper floor, here we can see the effects of water damage<br />sustained over the years from the issues with roof. Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Sixty-four
chimney pots sit atop chimney stacks that populate the roofscape of Westport
House. Some have been capped with aluminium caps to prevent birds from nesting
in the redundant flues again. Flues to the main reception rooms have been
maintained, allowing fireplaces to remain in use when necessary. All chimneys
were recently cleaned, removing years of birds’ nests, twigs and other
detritus. The chimney flues now provide ventilation to the interior of the
house, very important in this phase of drying out. Works also included the
removal of asbestos and the treatment of both wet and dry rot.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrzihwkJ4QIt-abYByO3lf3IhBmzAPUi3n_v3dcS8kNV-_Ku7g5GliV30hQv3VDjfDTwML3e-HN41yHz9gs_WHkMZZpXAt4YtvVHOEoZm5E6WVV-X3L2p30OjbCoTmmftIeVmka6JZzMtd_cmAkTYTsVgLirrhLSaeFYQgBzduQCoPmbeCQW-I3bfrA/s3835/DSC_2688%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3835" data-original-width="3834" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrzihwkJ4QIt-abYByO3lf3IhBmzAPUi3n_v3dcS8kNV-_Ku7g5GliV30hQv3VDjfDTwML3e-HN41yHz9gs_WHkMZZpXAt4YtvVHOEoZm5E6WVV-X3L2p30OjbCoTmmftIeVmka6JZzMtd_cmAkTYTsVgLirrhLSaeFYQgBzduQCoPmbeCQW-I3bfrA/w363-h363/DSC_2688%20(3).JPG" width="363" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The re-engineered valleys now provided with ventilation to<br />ensure that the issues of the past are not re-visited Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Shallow
lead valleys behind the parapet have been re-engineered, incorporating overflow
pipes and additional hoppers to manage the surface water generated by the roof.
The poor arrangement of these valleys in the past was responsible for some of the
damage to the interiors of the house. The valleys were shallow, so if there was
any build-up of water in a heavy downpour of rain, they would overflow,
saturating the walls and damaging the plasterwork inside. Now that the surface
water is managed more effectively, this problem should cease. Ventilation has also
been improved to the substructure of these valleys, preventing the old issues
from resurfacing. Previously the hot air from the interior of the house allowed
moisture to condense on the underside of the lead causing the supporting ply to
rot. Light wells that illuminated the inner corridors of the upper floors, where
bedrooms were located, had been covered with plywood and corrugated iron. Now
glazing has been reinstated, allowing these areas to be illuminated with
natural light again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDW6W0La-wPO00T8yelrcDr8C1998lKeak7TVYJsCzIzq0wQIu4zxtZxF9jLume8NcObHqMJstIyDxrm5yoOIa9pze4okIqlf10M6spFFMieYjp_61HTZP79uPBxQcRcWoJiSp1GYv6Z7SKPk4CDo_2cpQLD2i0sFFKmFBTj4Sf-06kGpun-snSxTYA/s2880/Collage_20220819_203049.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="461" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDW6W0La-wPO00T8yelrcDr8C1998lKeak7TVYJsCzIzq0wQIu4zxtZxF9jLume8NcObHqMJstIyDxrm5yoOIa9pze4okIqlf10M6spFFMieYjp_61HTZP79uPBxQcRcWoJiSp1GYv6Z7SKPk4CDo_2cpQLD2i0sFFKmFBTj4Sf-06kGpun-snSxTYA/w346-h461/Collage_20220819_203049.jpg" width="346" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Above and Below: The completed roofscape with lead work, slating and <br />glazed roof lights now in good repair. Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">The estate manager
noted that during the works on the roof, the original King Post Oak Trusses remain
insitu and it was considered that they were possibly the work of boat builders.
Urns on the front of the house have been replaced with replica’s, the originals
were removed as they had degraded and were cracked into multiple pieces, held
together with an outer layer of chicken wire. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other larger urns on the corners of the
parapet were temporarily removed, the corroded steel rods holding them in place
were replaced with stainless steel. This ensured that they are secure in their
lofty position, high above the heads of the visitors below. In all 26 tonnes of
lead has ensured that the roof will remain watertight for years to come. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While works carried out ensure that the roof is
watertight, works also had to be implemented to ensure that the roof would remain
watertight in the future. Therefore, access for future maintenance had to be
considered and a new fall arrest system has been installed. This will allow
operatives to easily and safely access the roof to carry out ongoing
maintenance, removing blockages from valleys etc. ensuring the problems of the
past are not revisited. A system of discretely placed steps, ladders and
platforms ensure that no area of the roof is inaccessible. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cVT-m3jdggvW7GvxvEqBP8_9JKOZaB6I_FlfTDvKhH-SJg97EuDFMA06eaW9ChAMcToC57qyt0mW_Qghs-rZehsmlyYGV2iVeA-3BU0VdBSGENbB6v3ZUHrdAUpIC1yYdovCX6b6c1YGhSh7yxx4xrcBl-r68ujgMISdJtDWyF11vHGcHUbBJ0SecA/s6000/DSC_2708%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cVT-m3jdggvW7GvxvEqBP8_9JKOZaB6I_FlfTDvKhH-SJg97EuDFMA06eaW9ChAMcToC57qyt0mW_Qghs-rZehsmlyYGV2iVeA-3BU0VdBSGENbB6v3ZUHrdAUpIC1yYdovCX6b6c1YGhSh7yxx4xrcBl-r68ujgMISdJtDWyF11vHGcHUbBJ0SecA/w300-h452/DSC_2708%20(2).JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">A relic from the Victorian past of the house,<br />the elevator hidden from view in the centre<br />of the house Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">In
the centre of the house is a service core that provides access to the roof.
Here is a time capsule of a part of the house once utilised by the large team
of servants. In Victorian times, it was probably unseen by the family or their
guests. Here can be found in this top lit space, the service staircase and the
mechanism of the lift that would have served the various floors of the house.
The basement section of Westport House is wonderfully preserved where the
vaulted kitchen and servant’s hall can be seen. A cleverly disguised dumb
waiter served the Wyatt Dining Room on the floor above. Servants accessed the
house via an entrance in the under croft, which is found under the terrace on
the Garden Front. This access arrangement and the service staircase ensured
that the bulk of the servants remained out of sight of the family. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrj7o3AY8EDtBZswXq6xo3hd6BDS0sF-OBN4aXoKuuei4PsctThYpvFe64p1B_4FPMQvZTfEfvynALIgm31wpDw7jWtZr_NzSS-Amm9uXKCIuZQZoM9CxtGzcYBuTUDkCTV8yammZ5_FfSG5Lvp5Tkg-OnlT0BaG9v7bdAhqQhORJYqAnNXdKRne4PA/s2880/Collage_20220819_203041.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrj7o3AY8EDtBZswXq6xo3hd6BDS0sF-OBN4aXoKuuei4PsctThYpvFe64p1B_4FPMQvZTfEfvynALIgm31wpDw7jWtZr_NzSS-Amm9uXKCIuZQZoM9CxtGzcYBuTUDkCTV8yammZ5_FfSG5Lvp5Tkg-OnlT0BaG9v7bdAhqQhORJYqAnNXdKRne4PA/w332-h443/Collage_20220819_203041.jpg" width="332" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The entrance to the undercroft under the garden terrace which<br />provided access for the servants to the house Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><h4 style="text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-weight: normal;">Back staircases from the basement
penetrated up into the floors above, to allow servants access to the various
reception rooms and bedrooms, virtually unnoticed. These stairs were
independent of the main staircase and were necessary so that the family would
not meet their laundry or ashes from the many fireplaces being ferried up and down
through the house by their servants.
These utilitarian back staircases, which were used constantly by the
servants, kept the main marble staircase in pristine condition. The central
core service stairs in Westport house is hidden by a set of beautiful etched
glass doors on the upper corridor.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></h4><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwA6K6rVOFMD6OR0VCyKi1J5oL8FZZjdM6ce7tBiwKFl-9MSXKlXm3BVmF36AeTOVRPXAz5HVjHKMLk3JarTvbo9nf0Do23qurfDOo0CRo1MZW-DzAqfZWx2EIwFh2BnVJAAZBx-56Q05SFQvtz173BeFt9uVVi_esmn3vVLX06i31IAMWuyvh9Y1lA/s5025/IMG_20220729_163340%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3684" data-original-width="5025" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwA6K6rVOFMD6OR0VCyKi1J5oL8FZZjdM6ce7tBiwKFl-9MSXKlXm3BVmF36AeTOVRPXAz5HVjHKMLk3JarTvbo9nf0Do23qurfDOo0CRo1MZW-DzAqfZWx2EIwFh2BnVJAAZBx-56Q05SFQvtz173BeFt9uVVi_esmn3vVLX06i31IAMWuyvh9Y1lA/w423-h311/IMG_20220729_163340%20(2).jpg" width="423" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The vaulted kitchen area of Westport House found in the basement<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">The library wing of the house, destroyed by fire in 1826, remains
unchanged but will probably house an events space at a future date. This is the
one section of the house that will require a more invasive interior treatment.
Here the roof requires attention, as various interventions over the years have
compromised its structural integrity. The wing on the north side of the house
has had its roof renewed, the balustrades around the edge had to be removed, roof
timbers were replaced and covered with a new surface layer of lead.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkeoyKWEKzx0XSGP6JV8IOE0jQKoHkdU3mzL8Brf7Cr1ZgVGrOf09pQJfVQztn_fRiUSYm3ASlkPW8Vik6iNS2W-9k0r7m6mcchES3flhui8vRR7ly2_f_gBUKg4LJOA14rDbyeji9tJP21w2uZ_eqfYatPLcawceYpSPNAHtCc6Kmh3my5JJXfJ6JA/s6000/DSC_2721%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="465" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkeoyKWEKzx0XSGP6JV8IOE0jQKoHkdU3mzL8Brf7Cr1ZgVGrOf09pQJfVQztn_fRiUSYm3ASlkPW8Vik6iNS2W-9k0r7m6mcchES3flhui8vRR7ly2_f_gBUKg4LJOA14rDbyeji9tJP21w2uZ_eqfYatPLcawceYpSPNAHtCc6Kmh3my5JJXfJ6JA/w309-h465/DSC_2721%20(2).JPG" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The North Wing which has now had its roof repaired<br />and the balustrade repairedCopyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">The
next phase of the works will ensure that the house is accessible for all, with the
establishment of circulation routes for visitors. Part of the planning process
for this phase of works will consider how people interact with rooms and artefacts.
This pre-planning is necessary so the integration of all necessary electrics,
including task and display lighting, are incorporated. Westport House while once
a grand country home is also a museum, with valuable paintings, antique
furniture, rare books and artefacts on display. A heating system will have to be
considered to ensure the rooms are maintained in a controlled environment,
despite growing visitor numbers. The upgrading of fire prevention and
suspension systems in Westport House are also being developed in tandem with
the works. The recent calamitous fire suffered by Clandon Park in the UK, owned
and operated by the National Trust, springs to mind. This stately home was
destroyed by a fire that spread quickly and left the house in ruins.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMizt5-jwBPIeYiOOxn0EHCiXk-UA8zU7F-zwbEkOd4-rbqD2JtMwQF2Qn5S0o0fA_pO06FvqXp6cc8cHdiITI6ZUTsb69N42o84niqNhh7fHIgmh8lSHQr8D0UE72RmUsxdSmVTpP_NiRgQE-RZUqf45Sa3nddLtMKLY4PyWWCkY7h8KO4k19wtdmg/s1500/Clandon+Park.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1500" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMizt5-jwBPIeYiOOxn0EHCiXk-UA8zU7F-zwbEkOd4-rbqD2JtMwQF2Qn5S0o0fA_pO06FvqXp6cc8cHdiITI6ZUTsb69N42o84niqNhh7fHIgmh8lSHQr8D0UE72RmUsxdSmVTpP_NiRgQE-RZUqf45Sa3nddLtMKLY4PyWWCkY7h8KO4k19wtdmg/w389-h268/Clandon+Park.jpg" width="389" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The recent fire at Clandon Park in Surrey left the house a ruin,<br />hence the need for careful consideration of fire prevention at Westport House<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">These works are
currently at the design stage and will be carefully considered. The house is
being observed as visitors return to the property after the Covid lockdowns.
Once these vital services are resolved, one of the final pieces of this puzzle
will be repairs to the plasterwork and internal decoration. </span> In my innocence, I thought I would be returning to pristine interiors as
issues with the roof were resolved. However, the house will take two years to
dry out, which is a gradual and continual process. Walls that have been
saturated for years, are slowly releasing moisture. Ventilation provided by the
chimneys and the opened windows allow it to escape. This has led to its own
problems, paint finishes and plasterwork on affected walls, are flaking and
delaminating which is particularly evident in the Wyatt Dining Room. Therefore,
this room like others in the house, are being observed by a raft of suitably
qualified people who can put in place a plan for their stabilisation. </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfzlDYzUjzhVTmNedUtxZ1T3U1DJ21y3Sdw0y8TwuawYPY_LnEi0UFUfKxwolOOh87kwSKs5PnljNonKpd0_cKQrQtYkc8e4QL2bKliTaEf4JykJmo5u5ttGtSuN1TvZKVx0kX2VilcXii8D4uUgoaSsOrk5KR9TYqPJYrc7ZGUIOeZknzmGuQM3hDw/s2880/Collage_20220819_204013.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKfzlDYzUjzhVTmNedUtxZ1T3U1DJ21y3Sdw0y8TwuawYPY_LnEi0UFUfKxwolOOh87kwSKs5PnljNonKpd0_cKQrQtYkc8e4QL2bKliTaEf4JykJmo5u5ttGtSuN1TvZKVx0kX2VilcXii8D4uUgoaSsOrk5KR9TYqPJYrc7ZGUIOeZknzmGuQM3hDw/w341-h453/Collage_20220819_204013.jpg" width="341" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Above: The Wyatt Dining Room with its contents returned<br />Below: Damage to the walls and plasterwork of the Wyatt Room<br />caused by water penetration Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Despite the interior of the house being a work in
progress, it is beginning to look like its old self again, paintings have
returned to the walls and furniture has populated the rooms. In the Chinese Room,
the wallpaper has been removed for conservation, and stored onsite. The paper
was removed by a specialist and his colleague over five days. This wallpaper
hung on these walls for possibly 200 years and is known to have been hung sometime
after 1817. This is the date that appeared on a stamp on the wallpaper found
underneath : J & P Boylan, 102 Grafton Street, Dublin, 1817. Despite
Westport House being situated in the West of Ireland, this room would have been
very fashionable and is one of thirteen houses in the Republic of Ireland that possesses
a Chinese Room. The walls of this unique space are now stripped back to its
original construction, which is a great insight into how this house was
constructed, laths, plaster and timber wall bracing have all been exposed. To
see a space like this stripped back to its bare bones, is a must for anyone
interested in historic interiors.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBSin0bPjH5Y1_TSkvaT5fCx0mZWDZIVZ7PclN4qp2xrEI-WtqryPmNx-TNX0dNNpBTyRbwXwDNW0rfdf14LFT1DdwF89Ch2rtMqG1piP3Fh2JvlqCFZAAzoG7zutNd0lCV6DMZZw-8HMSmXUMGOsYR-CETwnAgLqbN3KmYmTJfWes1NhvTQYp3peKQ/s2880/Collage_20220819_203540.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQBSin0bPjH5Y1_TSkvaT5fCx0mZWDZIVZ7PclN4qp2xrEI-WtqryPmNx-TNX0dNNpBTyRbwXwDNW0rfdf14LFT1DdwF89Ch2rtMqG1piP3Fh2JvlqCFZAAzoG7zutNd0lCV6DMZZw-8HMSmXUMGOsYR-CETwnAgLqbN3KmYmTJfWes1NhvTQYp3peKQ/w368-h490/Collage_20220819_203540.jpg" width="368" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: georgia;">Above: <b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">The Chinese Room before works were undertaken in 2019 with its original</span></b><br />wallpaper in place which was subsequently removed for conservation<br />Below: The Chinese Room in 2022, the precious wallpaper was removed before<br />works were undertaken. This room suffered from a number of structural<br />issues which needed to be rectified. Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">The
artefacts associated with this house are also important, and one person who is
passionate about these is Kathryn Connolly, Supervisor at Westport House. When
touring the house with Kathryn, its objects are brought to life as she recounts
stories about the provenance of each piece. In the Drawing Room, there is the dinner
service on display which belonged to the Marquis of Sligo, items range from
dinner plates to egg cups emblazoned with an ‘S’. Upstairs there are also on
display a piece of porcelain that served the other end of the anatomy. In the
sluice room, a vast range of chamber pots, foot baths and jugs are personalised
in a similar fashion to the dinner service. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBq_0KWNXLc77DJuZGsw4gUE9sCRFUG39O_I0dS4BiKiLUMeGIzOQImX7-MkoWG81js3yCWqF8fh4g3FRBaUJz_j1Y2DPXjaZD5cb4e58x4fDmsQtTvR-1apEd-IRle2WsXqoHDADZM9RKrSFd8PGYmBAig6q1gGvT7jzD4VRvYh-GezmTT82ryTt_sw/s3648/IMG_20220729_155105.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBq_0KWNXLc77DJuZGsw4gUE9sCRFUG39O_I0dS4BiKiLUMeGIzOQImX7-MkoWG81js3yCWqF8fh4g3FRBaUJz_j1Y2DPXjaZD5cb4e58x4fDmsQtTvR-1apEd-IRle2WsXqoHDADZM9RKrSFd8PGYmBAig6q1gGvT7jzD4VRvYh-GezmTT82ryTt_sw/w400-h300/IMG_20220729_155105.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Above: The chamber pots, foot baths and jugs in the Sluice Room of<br />Westport House, emblazoned with an S for the Marquess of Sligo<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">There are numerous items on display
throughout the house, paintings and sketches by Sir John Lavery, chairs from
the coronation of George V in 1911, taxidermy, old Irish silver, statuary,
ancient military flags, art and antiques. Kathryn’s repository of ephemera
associated with the house and the Browne family is found at the top of the
house, ina room that was the bed chamber of Lord Sligo. Here are items that
will eventually be on display and will tell the story of Westport House, but
for the moment must be recorded, collated and archived.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtQIorz-UJDwNc016qfAOHNmhgURbUBegKl3kcL3yYlF3FeWzHyB9B7MXAorFZHBZ6mSw4RuxYU_1eE512a30V8G5o9t2iwxN5t9ywaFCKjL4phqjQI54bsxuecP-yBsaJwa811w6DUnx7ARYZrTVO20Cr8D036c5HLajpoA2Rky9Xh9Cl2zgJd19UA/s6000/DSC_2750%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtQIorz-UJDwNc016qfAOHNmhgURbUBegKl3kcL3yYlF3FeWzHyB9B7MXAorFZHBZ6mSw4RuxYU_1eE512a30V8G5o9t2iwxN5t9ywaFCKjL4phqjQI54bsxuecP-yBsaJwa811w6DUnx7ARYZrTVO20Cr8D036c5HLajpoA2Rky9Xh9Cl2zgJd19UA/w447-h297/DSC_2750%20(2).JPG" width="447" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The garden front which is thought to be the work of Thomas Ivory<br />but it is also possibly thought to have been created by William Leeson.<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">Works
have continued apace outside the house as well. The limestone steps to the main
entrance have been reconstructed, the side walls have been taken down and
rebuilt. The bottom four runs of steps had become unstable and required re-alignment.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All works to the house have been
non-invasive, unnoticeable to the untrained eye. The steps do not appear over
restored and wonderful natural planting on either side, ensures the illusion is
kept intact, that they have not been touched. On the garden front, the concrete
terraces dating from 1914/1915 are renewed, again the mantra of replacing where
only necessary has been upheld. Repairs to the concrete detailing and the
installation of limestone steps ensures that this dramatic outdoor space,
leading down to the water’s edge, has been retained. Over the decades the steps
had been affected by subsidence and sections had become unstable. It was
necessary that the area was deconstructed, foundations improved, and the area
rebuilt. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2yROoCH4CxrfdgEakWorm61lc_Qqhi8l_opPmp16uvACGjNBeQC5UV9TpbAjMa7i4DyDW_fmYRjJZCcJeS_kG9mL9_M5fp_flnU0hocI1CYoivpvZB83kxB5zmOMbMEa1LELhudqvpef5xH-dwqjiR5UcJZL1MZXK1gkl50ghAekFG-Rsnxro98IUQ/s2880/Collage_20220819_204033.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2160" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2yROoCH4CxrfdgEakWorm61lc_Qqhi8l_opPmp16uvACGjNBeQC5UV9TpbAjMa7i4DyDW_fmYRjJZCcJeS_kG9mL9_M5fp_flnU0hocI1CYoivpvZB83kxB5zmOMbMEa1LELhudqvpef5xH-dwqjiR5UcJZL1MZXK1gkl50ghAekFG-Rsnxro98IUQ/w356-h476/Collage_20220819_204033.jpg" width="356" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Above: The terrace on the Garden Front of Westport House which <br />has been subject to restoration and consolidation which included <br />works to the Summer Pavilion. Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;">The summer pavilion located at one end of the terrace is pristine,
having been in a serious state of decay during my visit in 2021. It was
composed of an early form of reinforced concrete, which was failing, and the
structure was so fragile it had to be cordoned off until works could commence. Enabling
works have also been completed around the property, including the provision of
service ducting which will allow for the future installation of external lighting
and services. The surface water management system and the sewage system have
also been upgraded in anticipation of the next phase of works to be completed. Once
the house is consolidated, further phases will concentrate on the wider estate
including the re-establishment of the Italianate Garden and the development of
the nearby coach house. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This project is
a wonder to see, the conservation, adaption and restoration of Westport House
will ensure it continues to be a wonderful resource for future
generations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look forward to another
visit, to record the continued development and evolution of this unique piece
of Mayo’s architectural heritage.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXX1d33NZiV4wC8jVzqTc35IhvdGZIkjMVCCRkw-vhC8ejfng-NNRb4SJswQRoNiSmJKcMIsLawlsyqox4b2F2bipI0YiQSUA_8wP7X0cyO6Nk1XVnrB8zShFqYGl4Urj-QZLF193cks6CqErLvn7HRObMwlXXZeTitZiowGJ3Q58IX4jwGfyDEQkXg/s4297/DSC_2887%20(2).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2417" data-original-width="4297" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXX1d33NZiV4wC8jVzqTc35IhvdGZIkjMVCCRkw-vhC8ejfng-NNRb4SJswQRoNiSmJKcMIsLawlsyqox4b2F2bipI0YiQSUA_8wP7X0cyO6Nk1XVnrB8zShFqYGl4Urj-QZLF193cks6CqErLvn7HRObMwlXXZeTitZiowGJ3Q58IX4jwGfyDEQkXg/w478-h269/DSC_2887%20(2).JPG" width="478" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif;"><br /></span><p></p>David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-65376315265446153452021-08-06T00:46:00.008-07:002022-08-19T14:23:29.072-07:00<p> </p><h3 style="background-color:; color: #182e04; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 39pt; line-height: 107%;">Westport House</span></b></p></h3><h3 style="background-color:; color: #182e04; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 28pt;">Restoration & Revitalisation</span></b></p></h3><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqA0F0SCKUSjge0WMWSoyJrENzDWnZeHY2BkC5Ejs24wwI6DbgWjrfYgRy2Nm-WwE9CQN4Q3aXHHw2tFBbMJanMpyY_4wTxXlr3fXiCaIgf73_0dr5tL3-daCj6ROHStJutQHHAh2dII26/s4663/DSC_1611.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="3044" data-original-width="4663" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqA0F0SCKUSjge0WMWSoyJrENzDWnZeHY2BkC5Ejs24wwI6DbgWjrfYgRy2Nm-WwE9CQN4Q3aXHHw2tFBbMJanMpyY_4wTxXlr3fXiCaIgf73_0dr5tL3-daCj6ROHStJutQHHAh2dII26/w498-h325/DSC_1611.JPG" width="498" /></i></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h4 style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Westport
House, Co. Mayo wrapped in scaffolding as restoration works continue<br />
Copyright: ICHC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p></h4><div class="separator" style="background-color:; clear: both; color: #182e04;"></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Several weeks ago, I was afforded
the opportunity to visit the restoration works that have continued apace at
Westport House, Co. Mayo for the last number of months. To describe the works
as vast is an understatement, multiple storeys of scaffolding now shroud the grand
mansion, as issues are tackled from the basement to the tops of the chimney
stacks. The weather in the west of Ireland is often described as changeable,
which mirrors the fortunes of Westport House. The efforts to keep the rain out
of this historic home and to allow it to remain in the Browne Family has
exhausted many fortunes over the centuries. Financial pressures eventually led
to the decision of the Brownes to end their tenure of the property after nearly
300 years and entrust it into the hands of the local Hughes family, once
tenants of the estate in generations past. The excesses of immense wealth in
the 18</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and 19</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> century aggrandised and extended the
house, in a time when the Browne family owned thousands of acres of Irish land
and Jamaican sugar plantations. Changing times and the reversal of fortune
meant that this jewel in the crown of Mayo’s architectural heritage had become
tarnished. Water ingress was prevalent through the roof, walls and windows
leading to a host of problems hidden behind the trappings of this grand home. Several
years ago, I visited the house, and initially the grand rooms appeared
impressive but when one looked closer, water damaged cornicing and stained
ceilings abounded. A valiant attempt to re-roof the house in 2007 heaped further
financial pressure on the Browne Family and it became clear, when working on a
historic structure of this nature, fixing one problem revealed a host of
others. </span></div></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgFdNKzsic1eGWpEfW0fDpXZ1FdFzNyR_pBddE6BvElyg3XwL2U8fh8v3Wjl2cWWbwPq6z1BVnEOmSbL1Q_9XMJpf_OIec2yMSwvZbWSV6QrOnWeAqM5U3UHtzkHMk_9hE37SNejLd0ay/s5503/DSC_1651.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3664" data-original-width="5503" height="327" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgFdNKzsic1eGWpEfW0fDpXZ1FdFzNyR_pBddE6BvElyg3XwL2U8fh8v3Wjl2cWWbwPq6z1BVnEOmSbL1Q_9XMJpf_OIec2yMSwvZbWSV6QrOnWeAqM5U3UHtzkHMk_9hE37SNejLd0ay/w490-h327/DSC_1651.JPG" width="490" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Works to the roof include the renewal of roof surfaces and lead work<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Once the Hughes family took over the property in 2017, moisture was permeating
every crack and crevasse in the external envelope of the structure, damaging
the historic and beautiful interiors within. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>George Moore of another nearby Mayo estate,
Moore Hall, complained in the early 1900’s about ‘the drip’ and how rain always
managed to find a way to penetrate the house. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The landed gentry at that time lived with
dampness in their homes but also had a large staff to ensure many open fires
were lit and refuelled which ensured that the constant battle with dampness was
always won. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Today, Westport House is hidden under layers of scaffolding and polythene,
disguising the hive of activity underneath. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">This year marked the beginning of the first
phase of works on the house which will be completed in Autumn 2021 when the
house will emerge once again from its protective covering. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The vast and necessary forensic repairs to this
house means that there will be very little change left out of €5 million and
forms part of a €75 million plan for the entire estate. Acres of roof, hundreds
of windows and numerous chimneys meant a herculean task faced the Hughes Family
when they became part of the continuing history of Westport House in 2017.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdFmm2G_s2QntroPHevuIPhyCIWCQ9BXvcpV6n3FgI-8y6pp8Iz1hLLPY-nzVd-EbGRcMsLJ-QWz-jmTCOWbDzQFtezU8_A-rrODUGH_8DRwJi4b-qsIHSv3sA6qjWLqET2BWG73O3lNF/s2048/DSC_0055+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzdFmm2G_s2QntroPHevuIPhyCIWCQ9BXvcpV6n3FgI-8y6pp8Iz1hLLPY-nzVd-EbGRcMsLJ-QWz-jmTCOWbDzQFtezU8_A-rrODUGH_8DRwJi4b-qsIHSv3sA6qjWLqET2BWG73O3lNF/w448-h299/DSC_0055+copy.jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The original entrance front Westport House, Co. Mayo dating from 1730<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Westport House was built for John
Browne, later the first Earl of Altamont, to a design by the architect Richard
Castle (also known as Cassels) in 1730.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An
impressive feat for the 21-year-old Earl who initiated the construction of
Westport House and created what is now the entrance front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Browne home was possibly built on the
site of an earlier house and is believed to encompass the cellars of an
O’Malley castle. The barrel-vaulted ceiling in the entrance hall is thought to
be one of the only internal elements from the 1730’s house that has survived
which was designed by Castle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Castle
also designed Hazelwood House in Sligo which shares several similarities with its
Mayo cousin, particularly the decoration and arrangement of the main entrance door surround. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeVRoJLWXtk3J2D12wc7YGFm2ueZTVhx_UccjsKLoLdZzaNEmccMNbEaQhrkyDdv4CGrxH6m3SkoTdw2-bMfF652gUi-a-v5hegBCgr__-hoDnpNMoH-cx-qFTYL2ga0ID05nlDO95uNn/s5904/DSC_1627.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3850" data-original-width="5904" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqeVRoJLWXtk3J2D12wc7YGFm2ueZTVhx_UccjsKLoLdZzaNEmccMNbEaQhrkyDdv4CGrxH6m3SkoTdw2-bMfF652gUi-a-v5hegBCgr__-hoDnpNMoH-cx-qFTYL2ga0ID05nlDO95uNn/w461-h301/DSC_1627.JPG" width="461" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The glazed section of roof that sits at the centre of the roofscape of <br />Westport House and provides natural light to the staircase<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The second Earl of Altamont, married well, an heiress, Elizabeth Kelly who filled the family coffers with a substantial dowry that included vast Jamaican sugar plantations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Browne’s were now one of the wealthiest families in Ireland who
could afford to extend and improve their home in Westport on a grand scale.
Improvements were not restricted only to the house as grand plans were also implemented
for the wider estate which included the town of Westport. Additional wings were
added to the house in the 1770’s to house the grand rooms required by a family
of the Browne’s stature to entertain their contemporaries. A design thought to
be by Thomas Ivory increased the size of the house, which eventually grew to
three times the size of the original 1730 house, which now had a inner
courtyard at its centre. However, it is disputed how much of this phase of the
Westport House’s construction was actually designed by Ivory. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A distinct similarity between the oval ceiling
of the secondary staircase hall in Westport House and one that once existed in
Clonbrock House in Co. Galway points to the architect William Leeson. The use
of Venetian and Diocletian window openings on the garden front have further
bolstered the opinion that this work is that of Leeson. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmvayqJCjNLg9FJllK_-LXk9od4bY0NuftQBq3c3d7y7x6cDwYqsFTuyel8bPhKrgVvkmnXQXWs2YIFEKHxBC0VDFjaUILyx14qDYtEVsWSRTVeXCfffw6Ka0ETX6qGyZB0de6vvp-Byj/s5140/DSC_0010.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3427" data-original-width="5140" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmvayqJCjNLg9FJllK_-LXk9od4bY0NuftQBq3c3d7y7x6cDwYqsFTuyel8bPhKrgVvkmnXQXWs2YIFEKHxBC0VDFjaUILyx14qDYtEVsWSRTVeXCfffw6Ka0ETX6qGyZB0de6vvp-Byj/w481-h320/DSC_0010.JPG" width="481" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The garden front which is thought to be the work of Thomas Ivory<br />but it is also possibly thought to have been created by William Leeson<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6q3-bkpzCUNVokSvEQOGK3o9VeBasAjjc5IVF0jdRyGDqfG5IpVCVkDnJGPMeUoMaIuU2Yluo4d3Vjj693kbWcODmz0h6YRXN-XBXcl1_yKc_Cb-GbSSUF8VSY8TWzCFTNG47HKmSuDc/s1620/Collage_20210805_222602_resized_20210805_102626014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1620" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6q3-bkpzCUNVokSvEQOGK3o9VeBasAjjc5IVF0jdRyGDqfG5IpVCVkDnJGPMeUoMaIuU2Yluo4d3Vjj693kbWcODmz0h6YRXN-XBXcl1_yKc_Cb-GbSSUF8VSY8TWzCFTNG47HKmSuDc/w488-h365/Collage_20210805_222602_resized_20210805_102626014.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The ceiling in Westport House, on the left and on the right, a similar ceiling <br />once found in Clonbrock House in Galway<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The third Earl of
Altamont and first Marquess of Sligo employed James Wyatt to complete the
interior of the dining room in 1781. The adjoining gallery is also said to have had
an interior by Wyatt but his son Benjamin Dean Wyatt was responsible for its
removal, considering his father’s work to have gone out of fashion. Each
generation continued to leave their own mark , the second Marquess
added terraces to either side of the house between 1816 and 1819, which
contained additional rooms at basement level. It was in one of these areas that
the second Marquess created a library designed by Benjamin Dean Wyatt which was
destroyed by fire in 1826, owing to a over ambitious heating system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house once had a courtyard at its centre but after
the destruction of the library in 1826, this courtyard was roofed in and
accommodated the replacement library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6ykNU960vexSksQleheVK6Z6irxoc5TvnLo2m44UIVwii5H19b4uvFxL42MvczTIJmD52nJ9Hp9R4FY56ks9VDCqlwATudFMiiaAH0zc6npZPlPTM1NIQPBZ0igbxJjQSrTilTLSDeNm/s5300/DSC_0077.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5300" data-original-width="3452" height="455" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg6ykNU960vexSksQleheVK6Z6irxoc5TvnLo2m44UIVwii5H19b4uvFxL42MvczTIJmD52nJ9Hp9R4FY56ks9VDCqlwATudFMiiaAH0zc6npZPlPTM1NIQPBZ0igbxJjQSrTilTLSDeNm/w296-h455/DSC_0077.JPG" width="296" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The main staircase in Westport House presided over by the Angel of Welcome<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The library was replaced in the late 1850’s by the impressive staircase
that now stands at the end of the barrel-vaulted entrance hall. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Made of Sicilian marble with a metal handrail
that features the family emblem of an eagle that can be seen throughout the
property. It is one of the most dramatic and distinctive spaces in the property, presided over by a statue of the Angel of Welcome. Decorated with beautiful
plasterwork, the staircase is top lit by the glazed section that remains at the
centre of the roof of the house. When one views the roof works from on high,
you can see the original mechanism is still in place for raising and lowering
the chandelier over the staircase.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BtpwCnNZivzHmhOzQNi6nBGzD1vX2nCy6jEZHCWuRP6Qa_Q10QCe-Xeu1qEEc60iGiuCY6lvcTpCRU54wcl1I8T8NWfBMycZyfTduw4nt4qOvoDz0w7IVTTCHKPrxZUOmSefkxTZvWCQ/s6000/DSC_1640.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BtpwCnNZivzHmhOzQNi6nBGzD1vX2nCy6jEZHCWuRP6Qa_Q10QCe-Xeu1qEEc60iGiuCY6lvcTpCRU54wcl1I8T8NWfBMycZyfTduw4nt4qOvoDz0w7IVTTCHKPrxZUOmSefkxTZvWCQ/w490-h326/DSC_1640.JPG" width="490" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Roof Works at Westport House<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As previously mentioned, the
house is now in the ownership of the Hughes family since 2017 who have now
implemented the first phase of works to secure the structure and prevent the
ingress of moisture in the external envelope of the building. Necessary roofing
works carried out in 2007, included the restoration of the glazed pitched roof
to the top of the central hall, having been covered in galvanised sheeting for
a number of years. Many local people remember this time as the house was
enveloped in a barn like structure while roofing works were carried out. However,
a lot of lessons were learnt from this time and current works include the
introduction of necessary ventilation to the roof structure. Historic structures were never intended to be
hermetically sealed but were always allowed to breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
previous lack of ventilation meant that warm air rising inside the house hit
the bottom of the cold lead on the internal face of the roof surface. Once the
moisture rich warm air interacted with the cold surface, it condensed,
releasing its moisture. This moisture collected on surfaces within the roof
structure and could not evaporate to the open air. It was trapped
in the internal roof environment, rotting timber and causing damage. The stone
capping around the perimeter of the building has been removed, the lead work
has been renewed and ventilation introduced. Lead valleys behind the parapet
have been renewed, new falls have been created to manage the water from the
roof surface, so no rainwater pipe or gulley is overwhelmed in a downpour of
rain. Where possible some of the original copper valleys have been retained.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclYp5TLzXU9jLT4GUYpBcVzBn1r_oDBzMCLXK0xrBYTssqiyVrDxQeGEOQ7UH-IXC5kYJaurxJqAPvnJRNlrrwfk1xp8oZ6yRFiFVg8LleafQioE0IYYEc-WFUEEZwljKZwzEtLCwToml/s5960/DSC_1616.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3938" data-original-width="5960" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclYp5TLzXU9jLT4GUYpBcVzBn1r_oDBzMCLXK0xrBYTssqiyVrDxQeGEOQ7UH-IXC5kYJaurxJqAPvnJRNlrrwfk1xp8oZ6yRFiFVg8LleafQioE0IYYEc-WFUEEZwljKZwzEtLCwToml/w490-h324/DSC_1616.JPG" width="490" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The cast iron chimney pots<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I was recently afforded the opportunity to
view the works being carried out on the roof, a privilege I would say enjoyed
by very few. Seeing the numerous chimney pots up close, one can see they are made
of cast iron and not terracotta which could not withstand the harsh winds and
rain from nearby Clew Bay. There are between 55 and 65 chimneys on the roofscape
of the house including some very unusual flues contained in the outer walls
which terminate at parapet level. These flues from the basement have being hiding
in plain sight for years and I never noticed them until the opportunity to view them from the scaffolding. These flues in the outer walls, have
a structural implication, weakening walls and causing issues in the interior of
the house.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ0nDd-EbpF2gJmILnAXVu9iP6XjoI9_bWNQkNIPMecrBrjHRY8tmpmqiphnlv1Z8b3BcqQhMz-nmLPvMslkGcUCFwoR18wIPtYnoHYaPJwWxqmsZ_pOBbLiU1yyqMhqHNUwRDsF-96U4/s1005/Chimney.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="643" data-original-width="1005" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZ0nDd-EbpF2gJmILnAXVu9iP6XjoI9_bWNQkNIPMecrBrjHRY8tmpmqiphnlv1Z8b3BcqQhMz-nmLPvMslkGcUCFwoR18wIPtYnoHYaPJwWxqmsZ_pOBbLiU1yyqMhqHNUwRDsF-96U4/w439-h281/Chimney.jpg" width="439" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The parapet chimney pots of Westport House, Co. Mayo<br />Hiding in plain sight for years <br />Copyright: NLI</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The Wyatt dining room is decorated with superb plasterwork reminiscent of Wedgewood
medallions. Designed to reflect the status of the Browne family, the doors in
this room are made from mahogany that originated from the Browne’s Jamaican
estates. The quality of the timber can be judged by its weight, as it requires four
workmen to lift one door. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
construction manager on this mammoth project, told me that when these chimneys
were in use, it would draw air into the
house moving warm fresh air through the property. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8eamSvrtw8q9F0TthijYTo83JVk8qriUZVXKOr8Vd5J8geXcLGqfl0faFM0QA4ueb6Mb9zJrSRZzl_ia9RKP-ryrVA-x_ee-QCj7W020J0Sj_SdNayPSvm5X-Z_lwz5uT3tr5CzFTE1h/s5754/DSC_1634.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5754" data-original-width="3592" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8eamSvrtw8q9F0TthijYTo83JVk8qriUZVXKOr8Vd5J8geXcLGqfl0faFM0QA4ueb6Mb9zJrSRZzl_ia9RKP-ryrVA-x_ee-QCj7W020J0Sj_SdNayPSvm5X-Z_lwz5uT3tr5CzFTE1h/w278-h445/DSC_1634.JPG" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color:;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>The </b></span><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>renewed</b></span><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b> chimney pots at parapet level</b></span><br /><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Copyright: ICHC</b></span></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">When finances and staff
levels dropped in the early 20</span><sup style="font-family: Georgia, serif; text-align: justify;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"> century, fires weren’t lit as often
or at all. The Wyatt dining room looked to be in reasonable condition however
when the curtains and pelmets were removed from the outer wall, the full effects
of water ingress could be seen.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-spacerun: yes; text-align: justify;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Damaged plaster and paintwork
highlighted the need for the works currently being undertaken to save this
precious interior. A set of drawings survive dated 1781 by James Wyatt
illustrating his scheme for the dining room of Westport House for the first Marquess.
Works have now been carried out to arrest this decay and future plans include
for the consolidation and repair of this precious interior.</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICbvmaZd_DDhyphenhyphen8qB5lV7oM4t4ggtIpMRVTASxKVidVN3Y0ouDjAWpJcy7esXe0krfAxzjhJlJDTd9cMu_rjBkEdv1Kyajev5ksBCjC4t9tH2iaC5wJclZP1N386qFfi3VBvzkXgexbVJK/s5948/DSC_0088+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3920" data-original-width="5948" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjICbvmaZd_DDhyphenhyphen8qB5lV7oM4t4ggtIpMRVTASxKVidVN3Y0ouDjAWpJcy7esXe0krfAxzjhJlJDTd9cMu_rjBkEdv1Kyajev5ksBCjC4t9tH2iaC5wJclZP1N386qFfi3VBvzkXgexbVJK/w481-h317/DSC_0088+%25282%2529.JPG" width="481" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Above:<br />The Wyatt Dining Room with its contents in situ<br />before works were undertaken<br />Below:<br />Damage to the walls and plasterwork of the Wyatt Room<br />caused by water penetration<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbhP1WdiLI3F-mUWAjWFukIfng4700Ricdrx90Djd1FgKgVApOlpCtAX40O06JHN0TUkIHKWnRRy5JdY68XHm8I0zDo4rYDJlog4x7-tFg_k5RlhBb_O5N0zRKFDr2LmmIHCFDc0EF_oL/s4000/DSC_1753.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2664" data-original-width="4000" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgbhP1WdiLI3F-mUWAjWFukIfng4700Ricdrx90Djd1FgKgVApOlpCtAX40O06JHN0TUkIHKWnRRy5JdY68XHm8I0zDo4rYDJlog4x7-tFg_k5RlhBb_O5N0zRKFDr2LmmIHCFDc0EF_oL/w483-h322/DSC_1753.JPG" width="483" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Historically accurate
improvements to the management of surface water from the roof of the house has
ensured that mistakes of the past are not repeated. The large catchment area of
the roof, which was once served by a single box outlet has now been increased to two. This
additional outlet was in existence on the parapet of the house in the 1950’s
but for some reason was reduced during that period. Other interventions on the
roof include the introduction of modern health and safety requirements. The
inclusion of a fall arrest system will allow the roof and its internal
gutters to be cleaned with greater ease which will negate the need to set up
scaffolding. This future plan for the maintenance of this roof structure will
ensure the longevity of the works currently being carried out. Sand and cement
pointing has been removed from the facades and replaced with lime render, which
will allow moisture to escape from the building. Previously the sand and
cement, trapped water against the façade meaning the stone could never have an
opportunity to fully dry out. There is one aesthetic trade-off, the
lines of the lime mortar pointing around the cut stone are not as sharp and defined
as they once were with sand and cement. Some of the stonework on the facades of
the house is damaged, so repairs are necessary in a number of locations. The
forensic attention to detail is evident as the integrity of each stone is
checked, catalogued and replaced if necessary.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkeONVD1GEzovh4TPG4rrQdi3iQCEgI1EvhH87julz3k-x1KNcDzabrd7bbSvk8aykLt6PdTjija1Jjbe1mSI9Y9i7sFb857HxvZb47eqtZk_U9cUIo2ee0VfyqL_0gT_GbfS0aJTq7yo/s5848/DSC_1659.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3760" data-original-width="5848" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkeONVD1GEzovh4TPG4rrQdi3iQCEgI1EvhH87julz3k-x1KNcDzabrd7bbSvk8aykLt6PdTjija1Jjbe1mSI9Y9i7sFb857HxvZb47eqtZk_U9cUIo2ee0VfyqL_0gT_GbfS0aJTq7yo/w475-h305/DSC_1659.JPG" width="475" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Areas of stonework on the facade that require further <br />investigation and attention<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The interior of the house is
shrouded in darkness as repairs to the windows mean the glazed openings are
covered, as works continue apace outside The interior is denuded of most of its
contents and items that are too delicate or to large to move have been
protected in an outer shell of plywood. Before any works were carried out, an
inventory and assessment of each room was undertaken to ensure nothing was lost
or damaged during the works. As one walks through each of the interconnecting
spaces, the damage wrought by the decades of water damage is now clear. Now that curtains, paintings and furniture have been removed, damaged
plasterwork is plain to be seen. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpor26bwObmvUiXYTxNchOjeaDweZYaLlHTv5RUdz8vt68HmUftpjavA2Xu8FJ-KcmhKiH41MsYJJmMQgDMfHjxN7p7SbpauTRkB7r7EuD_-g0snXQwwNycdPkcxwwPerka9w6xfkEDLS/s1620/Collage_20210805_203830_resized_20210805_083852751.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="1620" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpor26bwObmvUiXYTxNchOjeaDweZYaLlHTv5RUdz8vt68HmUftpjavA2Xu8FJ-KcmhKiH41MsYJJmMQgDMfHjxN7p7SbpauTRkB7r7EuD_-g0snXQwwNycdPkcxwwPerka9w6xfkEDLS/w478-h359/Collage_20210805_203830_resized_20210805_083852751.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Water damage to the interior of Westport House<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">On the first floor of the house, the water
damage from a leaking chimney is most evident. Plaster had become discoloured
with soot, as water leached through the structure from the roof. Now that
repairs to the roof and chimneys are afoot, this internal plaster has now been removed,
revealing saturated red brick beneath dating from the time of the construction
of the first phase of the house in 1730. In an adjoining bedroom, the judicious
removal of the damaged building fabric has occurred. One can now see the
various layers of lath, plaster and brick topped with a delicately decorated
coved plaster ceiling. Once these walls have been allowed to dry out
adequately, historically accurate repairs will be undertaken to return the room to
its original splendor.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5g01ASIX1K78n_izW-dPSigQ62LfndYoN5ZSc-DBNOqEMe553ZHATjhcAXtAQw5vMKq9jAMPBRn3AR_J4iwJLXf_y_pmIBEXPQragl1NATFWwKsQiKCHWtVQcjKYq2GdIBdQVbJYo3ChN/s5476/DSC_1699.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5476" data-original-width="3665" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5g01ASIX1K78n_izW-dPSigQ62LfndYoN5ZSc-DBNOqEMe553ZHATjhcAXtAQw5vMKq9jAMPBRn3AR_J4iwJLXf_y_pmIBEXPQragl1NATFWwKsQiKCHWtVQcjKYq2GdIBdQVbJYo3ChN/w318-h476/DSC_1699.JPG" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The area of the house that once contained the 1816 Library.<br />The outline of shelves and gallery supports are still visible<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Another interesting revelation
uncovered during the works is the return of the space that housed a library,
destroyed by fire in 1826. While the fixtures and fittings are a distant memory,
the original volume of the space is visible for the first time in nearly two
hundred years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the conflagration
in the 1800’s destroyed the interior, the room was split into two floors and
housed guest accommodation until the 1960’s when it became a home within a home
for the Browne family. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now in 2021, the original
1816 space is now visible for the first time in nearly two centuries as the
partitions and the dividing floor have been removed. Ghostly outlines are
visible in brickwork that housed shelves which once contained many first editions.
Around the perimeter of the room, at first floor level, can be seen some of the
surviving supports for the gallery, which gives one an impression of the large
collection of books once housed here. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQuASUD0QdCasV5OVUAUJzPB3n-iiviQAggRe3ef8WexOOmK_G9O_ORofSL9yKRsIVR5FuxSNe4uNUXVqev3UWpv3m1c9POoErY58OvTgDLynmfwqCZif5Q8nngvpClOGsZhnyjAyadm-/s2048/Collage_20210811_005049.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQuASUD0QdCasV5OVUAUJzPB3n-iiviQAggRe3ef8WexOOmK_G9O_ORofSL9yKRsIVR5FuxSNe4uNUXVqev3UWpv3m1c9POoErY58OvTgDLynmfwqCZif5Q8nngvpClOGsZhnyjAyadm-/s320/Collage_20210811_005049.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04; font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Top: The cast iron roof lights that once sat atop the 1816 Library<br />Copyright: NLI<br />Below: The rooflights photographed in 2015<br />Copyright: Gearoid Muldowney</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">This library was once topped by large
cast iron framed, domed, glazed roof lights, which still survive on the estate
in storage and one day it is hoped to return them to their original home on the
roof of the former library. One can see the outline on the ceiling of the
circular openings that allowed one to browse the collection bathed in natural
light, albeit briefly, before it was turned to ash by an unregulated heating
system. In 1936, Westport House suffered another fire which destroyed the billiard
room. The house was only saved by the efforts of the staff and the Galway Fire
Brigade that had to travel 50 miles. Again, the cause of the fire was the
heating system, as the furnace was located directly below the billiard room.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHvCNA9yYDtB8hX8pX-cIrJFBElbTneBOEozwgNCl5c83Y0sfegUioRMMJkonMrvitbGY9tCc7u6PbRODzuk3blc1U1k1OdjIJhdsRR85dUCKMZ7wpOFYoXu35c7gPhri0muK8f1z_YDt/s4553/DSC_1656.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3035" data-original-width="4553" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHvCNA9yYDtB8hX8pX-cIrJFBElbTneBOEozwgNCl5c83Y0sfegUioRMMJkonMrvitbGY9tCc7u6PbRODzuk3blc1U1k1OdjIJhdsRR85dUCKMZ7wpOFYoXu35c7gPhri0muK8f1z_YDt/w439-h292/DSC_1656.JPG" width="439" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Window have been restored and the original iron mongery<br />has been retained<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In 1876, the 3<sup>rd</sup>
Marquess of Sligo remained the largest landowner in Mayo with an estate
extending to 114,881 acres which was mostly sold to the Congested Districts
Board in 1914 but the sale was not finalised until the 1920’s by the Land
Commission. The estate today is reduced to 430 acres, its original main
entrance and avenue from the town of Westport, has now been cut off from the
house. Replaced with housing and other developments, this land was
unnecessarily (in my opinion) acquired in a compulsory fashion by Westport
Urban Council in the 1950’s. This dramatically altered the relationship of the
house with the town of Westport forever. The combination of the deaths of three
successive Marquesses of Sligo in 1941, 1951 and 1953 meant that the estate was
burdened with inheritance tax. This almost forced the sale of the house in the
1950’s, except a buyer could not be found. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPWfX7e9oUp42WOMpBN0Om5cCrTPHzYE1ujrXhnbjyu-pvzsxcml-5_r-lQ3i9h0neoSmJgN4FxT37gavi72IRyOHvnMO6c9ZR2YlgmwRIhzFowMrWAk1rdvzCWau810nUMu_AUFXsVaK/s6000/DSC_0002.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyPWfX7e9oUp42WOMpBN0Om5cCrTPHzYE1ujrXhnbjyu-pvzsxcml-5_r-lQ3i9h0neoSmJgN4FxT37gavi72IRyOHvnMO6c9ZR2YlgmwRIhzFowMrWAk1rdvzCWau810nUMu_AUFXsVaK/w443-h296/DSC_0002.JPG" width="443" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Westport House in 2019 before works were undertaken<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">With the loss of estate lands, the
10<sup>th</sup> Marquess considered selling or demolishing the house due to the
crippling rates imposed on a property and estate of this size. In 1976, Lord
Altamont was reported as saying that he intended to apply for planning
permission to have the house ‘’pulled down’’ because of the attitude at the
time of the Government towards houses such as Westport House and imposition of
a Wealth Tax. The 10<sup>th</sup> Marquess decided to test the market for a
house such as Westport and advertised the house for sale in Ireland and
England. He had two firm offers, one of £6,000 from a Kilkenny company who wished
to demolish the house and another for £7,500 from a Galway solicitor who wanted
60 acres of the surrounding land thrown in for good measure. To try and
maintain Westport House, the 11<sup>th</sup> Marquess decided to open the house
to the public in the 1960’s to generate funds. Jeremy Ulick Browne, the 11<sup>th</sup>
Marquess of Sligo and 13<sup>th</sup> Earl of Altamont also faced the problem
that he had five daughters and no male heir. As he fought to save his family
home, the prospect also existed, that upon his death, Westport House and Estate
could only be inherited by the eldest male heir. The Altamont Act was signed
into law in 1993, by Mary Robinson, who had helped draft the document
before her election as president. This Act meant that the daughters of the 11<sup>th</sup>
Marquess could now inherit the estate and could not be disinherited because of
their gender. When Jeremy died in 2014, the estate would not last
much longer in the Browne family despite his pioneering spirit. The title of
the Marquess of Sligo, long associated with Westport House, now passed to a cousin
based in Australia.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFaITND_qHenoGTRsL7b90CBvS7mvAWhTemgaF2lvK4oRr3zYm9QcEFCi34NLv_Hv_CFNQpL80RE4-qEhuEJJyqayfctswbOAcfVts6UPFVj2Nb7ShWHbQZykOOF_HIkZSNOrQZzuKSqI/s3993/DSC_1643+%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3993" data-original-width="2657" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFaITND_qHenoGTRsL7b90CBvS7mvAWhTemgaF2lvK4oRr3zYm9QcEFCi34NLv_Hv_CFNQpL80RE4-qEhuEJJyqayfctswbOAcfVts6UPFVj2Nb7ShWHbQZykOOF_HIkZSNOrQZzuKSqI/w265-h398/DSC_1643+%25282%2529.JPG" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="background-color:; color: #182e04;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif;">A decorative stone finial is secured while the lead flashing<br />under the parapet stone is renewed<br />Copyright: ICHC</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Despite eventually becoming one
of the most visited tourist sites in Mayo, many works of art and pieces of
furniture were sold over the years to try and preserve the architectural legacy
of the Browne family. It was now clearly evident in the 20<sup>th</sup> century
that the wealth of previous generations was gone which had once sustained a
property such as this. Efforts made to make the estate and house self-sustaining,
while preserving it intact, resulted in deeper and deeper debt. The Browne
family reluctantly agreed to sell the estate following an accumulation of debt that
amounted to millions of euro, borrowed to develop the estate. Westport
House and Estate appeared on the market in 2016, with an asking price of €10
million, the county of Mayo held its breath. There was now a distinct
possibility that the house could be sold to some reclusive billionaire who
would shut the gates of this much-loved piece of our county’s heritage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily for the people of Mayo, the
philanthropic spirit of the local Hughes family is matched by their
entrepreneurial and business acumen. A lot of the works now being undertaken, costing
millions of euro, will be invisible but is instigated by the Hughes Family to create
a stable base for the continuing improvement of Westport House. When the works
are complete and the scaffolding removed, the house will look very much as it
was. This is a testament to the care and attention now being lavished on the
house solving hidden problems that have degraded the house for generations. None
of the works will be so invasive that they will dramatically alter its
appearance, to do so would detract and destroy the wonderful architecturally
legacy that has endured. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">For more photos of this highly fascinating project follow me on Instagram @irish_country_houses.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Westport House will begin their Restoration Tours on the 12th August 2021, for further details please see https://www.westporthouse.ie/historic-house/#visit</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51rBkyf2Z0Mzl-ZfLSZdJc2POEyjz6IIQLMnwjtMGBMcsL-eVbr_FKAHfaDYF49m1aT19WU2h_uk7ba5PByI-qn1GQaPf7ofgUWHxCZKcvTfdp3HFaPHv7BlmZqskGbZwInl8NbPTENs5/s4428/DSC_1638.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2861" data-original-width="4428" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj51rBkyf2Z0Mzl-ZfLSZdJc2POEyjz6IIQLMnwjtMGBMcsL-eVbr_FKAHfaDYF49m1aT19WU2h_uk7ba5PByI-qn1GQaPf7ofgUWHxCZKcvTfdp3HFaPHv7BlmZqskGbZwInl8NbPTENs5/w502-h324/DSC_1638.JPG" width="502" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span><p></p>David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-67836560145101544002021-04-01T02:19:00.004-07:002023-07-08T09:20:51.191-07:00<h3 style="background-color:; color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;">Highfield </span></span></h3><h3 style="background-color; color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif;">The Episcopal Residence<br /></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; line-height: 28.53px;">Ballina , </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif;">Co. Mayo</span></span></h3><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjtCI3Rg5j12D2s7XxhbyTb1jLa0OzuSRaL_7o-LyTyTQ6QFjwg-xODO0FqZmJ2nJ_TEFpZYZA9t6OY8uRQs1fjqREZ1ods0GmUZ_AY4tS11eMPsp6n0V1sPac3rjEsDQMqc-pGxPfOrp/s1173/02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="1173" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjtCI3Rg5j12D2s7XxhbyTb1jLa0OzuSRaL_7o-LyTyTQ6QFjwg-xODO0FqZmJ2nJ_TEFpZYZA9t6OY8uRQs1fjqREZ1ods0GmUZ_AY4tS11eMPsp6n0V1sPac3rjEsDQMqc-pGxPfOrp/w478-h269/02.jpg" width="478" /></a></div></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-IE; mso-themecolor: text1;">The Episcopal Residence, also known as the Bishop’s Palace in Ballina, Co.
Mayo, has for generations been recognised as the home of the Catholic Bishop of
Killala. Many believe that this house was built for that sole purpose however
it was actually a bespoke luxury home built for a local businessman in the
early 1900’s. This house was once known as Highfield which aptly describes its
elevated location on Howley Street on the banks of the River Moy.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwUh_kNNAavUSz9ZhVRSyn_TCOp_0-lUn_PxWziWGDXxdbfEYBOMKvHObPqCY45kPojBBZf4cPE1WVnHAIMi2CjKB2c3xlPtv2AkRbHuTiiduIfg2LG-Pislm9xWQe-73UoQb861ePeBP/s1259/05.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1259" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXwUh_kNNAavUSz9ZhVRSyn_TCOp_0-lUn_PxWziWGDXxdbfEYBOMKvHObPqCY45kPojBBZf4cPE1WVnHAIMi2CjKB2c3xlPtv2AkRbHuTiiduIfg2LG-Pislm9xWQe-73UoQb861ePeBP/w469-h289/05.jpg" width="469" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Highfield
was built in 1909 for Thomas John Reid, a Presbyterian by faith and owner of
the Gas Works on Shambles Street in Ballina. Thomas or T.J., as he was known
locally, was born on the 6<sup>th</sup> February 1872, his father, James was
the manager of the gas works. At the time of the 1901 census, Thomas was
unmarried and living in a six roomed house on Mill Street in Ballina with his
mother, Jane, a widow, and his two sisters Martha and Jessie. Jane Reid died in
1903 and left an estate valued at £335, probate of her estate was granted to
John Armstrong (a Jeweller) together with Martha and Jessie Reid, spinsters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By 1911, Thomas John Reid, aged 39, had married
Florence Eleanor Mathews aged 31, the union had produced three children, two
daughters Beryl and Phyllis together with a son Robert Ivan. By the time of the 1911
census, the family are living in their new home, Highfield, which extended to fourteen
rooms and twenty outbuildings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlqbIkDXFbd1ILLro1qf9bIqdQ0s-NrFlfbYHygRLYEk9OkGXUBUs3P2hEDRwIcJxrdDH5snAqhXyC2xiA77ei7S_KdacgnrSpuHnXVQXJNRdmg5U9C4iDpxOSrpPuPsI9B6vlV_O16U_/s887/01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="887" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlqbIkDXFbd1ILLro1qf9bIqdQ0s-NrFlfbYHygRLYEk9OkGXUBUs3P2hEDRwIcJxrdDH5snAqhXyC2xiA77ei7S_KdacgnrSpuHnXVQXJNRdmg5U9C4iDpxOSrpPuPsI9B6vlV_O16U_/w462-h345/01.jpg" width="462" /></a></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: x-small;">The Episcopal Residence soon after it was purchased by the Diocese in 1927</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Thomas’s
wife whom he married in 1902 was originally Florence Mathews from Manchester,
whose father originated from Castlebar. T.J. Reid built Highfield in 1909 to
the design of an eminent Manchester architect, however despite his eminence, he
remains unnamed. It is interesting to note that T.J. Reid’s wife also hailed
from Manchester, so this architect may have been a relative or a business
associate of the family. The house had a copper-covered flat roof which is not
visible behind the parapet, reflective of the Italianate style popular during
the Edwardian period. The construction of the building was carried out under
the supervision of the owner who stated that the house was built on gravel
subsoil which was overlaid with one foot of concrete and pitch. Over this
substructure was laid a floor of thick pitch pine and hardwood. The grounds surrounding
the property once extended to 7 acres and included a walled kitchen garden
stocked with fruit trees etc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-f2M5jgXflw6dZvU3ESd_Ema3XgxVdwL_LVYcb8KTJQIc83-dueDO_TgckfL9D5AGHg_8dDKtrJC-kKEzxchA3w9Qxm-aVxkft3TizYnBryLWWcZW5PWiHrPiX4WCvXEIAKGCYdyYFmx/s1021/04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1021" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-f2M5jgXflw6dZvU3ESd_Ema3XgxVdwL_LVYcb8KTJQIc83-dueDO_TgckfL9D5AGHg_8dDKtrJC-kKEzxchA3w9Qxm-aVxkft3TizYnBryLWWcZW5PWiHrPiX4WCvXEIAKGCYdyYFmx/w458-h352/04.jpg" width="458" /></a></div>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">The
interior of the house comprised of a large entrance hall, dining room,
breakfast room, kitchen and pantry. On the first floor there were two large
bedrooms with bay windows to the front of the property and four smaller
bedrooms to the rear serviced by a large bathroom. Behind the house there was a
courtyard that accommodated the wash house, servant’s w.c., lumber room, dairy
and coal house. Adjacent to the courtyard was a walled in yard which contained
the coach or motor house, harness room and a large hay shed. Nearby the kitchen
garden were cow houses and other outbuildings. The house had many innovations
for the time such as copper piping throughout for hot water and inspection
boxes were provided for drains which discharged into the nearby river. Gas and
water were provided from the town supply and there was a large reservoir for
the storage of water. St. Muredach’s College is an impressive building located
beside Highfield, it was completed in 1906 having been commissioned by Reverend
John Conmy (1843-1911), Bishop of Killala. In January 1917, Mrs. Reid placed an
advertisement in <i>The Western People </i>looking for a governess to teach lessons and piano to a ‘little’ girl. In June, 1920, Mrs. Reid was seeking a general cook
and a parlour maid highlighting that they would be accommodated in a very comfortable house with high wages.</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTf_yG3NyByJWLnxmzNSgiB_vBmsyIgM58lOk_LEBaiuPvGZM8GZswK2WCs_dORjSV9gsa7SuOP0v3TaM8l132nL1BO1czF24JEpNJyywxrr6xZqInQORSIHsdfnXaVOxZUNc-ipORywh8/s779/Sales+Notice.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="779" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTf_yG3NyByJWLnxmzNSgiB_vBmsyIgM58lOk_LEBaiuPvGZM8GZswK2WCs_dORjSV9gsa7SuOP0v3TaM8l132nL1BO1czF24JEpNJyywxrr6xZqInQORSIHsdfnXaVOxZUNc-ipORywh8/w379-h319/Sales+Notice.jpg" width="379" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">The
Reid family’s time at Highfield came to an end after just over one decade, when
in February 1920, it was announced that Highfield would be sold by direction
of T.J. Reid. It was stated that the residence and grounds were held under a
lease of 999 years from the year of 1908, at the yearly rent of £15. By July
1921, the contents of Highfield were sold and several years later in 1927 the
house was sold for £4,053.4s.9d to the Diocese to provide a new home for the Bishop
of Killala. In today’s terms the sale price would amount to €2.1 million, I
would imagine there would be consternation if this happened today however it
did happen in a poor West of Ireland parish in the 1920’s. Highfield now became
known as the Episcopal Residence, replacing the former home of the Bishop located in
Ardnaree which overlooked the town. The first resident of the new Episcopal
Residence was Bishop James Naughton, born in 1865 and a native of Ballina. He
was appointed Bishop of Killala in November 1911 and was consecrated in Ballina
in January 1912.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He died in 1950 and is
buried in the grounds of St. Muredach’s Cathedral. The Reid family after their departure from Highfield now took up
residence at Carramore House just outside the town of Ballina, following the
departure of its former owner, Dr. Vaughan Jackson.<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALCp1DlQq560WESTQ9AqDg4VRwYQN7gx7ekAqCK48gBFjdEU2ZQB8OkNe76bx98AB1wMV0iFDrh9DiLceN0knlRNOGVuoul46DeMcT2XtclSiAPYMwdDYYgPU6CWa9D-JdKA9sBR1pHth/s1101/Map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="1101" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgALCp1DlQq560WESTQ9AqDg4VRwYQN7gx7ekAqCK48gBFjdEU2ZQB8OkNe76bx98AB1wMV0iFDrh9DiLceN0knlRNOGVuoul46DeMcT2XtclSiAPYMwdDYYgPU6CWa9D-JdKA9sBR1pHth/w368-h234/Map.jpg" width="368" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">The Gas Works in Shambles Street, Ballina</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">In
March 1920, a public meeting was held in the Ulster Minor Hall in Belfast of
the newly formed Irish Flax Growers Association to demand immediate
‘’decontrol’’ of the 1919 Irish flax crop in order to provide ‘’a fair living
for those that produced it’’. Apparently in 1919, the Irish flax crop was handed over to private firms for less than half its open market value. T.J.
Reid from Ballina attended this meeting and was part of a deputation of flax
growers from Mayo and Sligo. He spoke at this gathering and said that the long
distance that they had travelled was an indication of the ‘measure of the
interest which they attached to the new association’’. He finished his address
by saying ‘’we will hold our flax until such time as it is free from all
control’’. Growers in France and the UK were receiving over £5 a stone whereas
the Irish producer received less than £2. T.J. Reid in partnership with St.
George Laing had set up the Ballina Flax Mill Company and distributed flax seed
at cost to encourage flax growing in the locality by small farmers. The
changing and unsettled time in Ireland’s history is made apparent when in
October 1920, T.J. Reid claimed £550 for his fishing huts destroyed by fire at
Binghamstown.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYj3JvMPwW8bjTkR11U-VAF1tINtWIAS_2YD8tVuOv-2xHcc9CdfESAuMzWbGmH7F6U580qkBJRz6U-y4_XBBYHYo2f7s8wZYvxr-qCkeNgi_fO4CmgMvpOfTP_VFOV40REVVDq84kUmuh/s1031/03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1031" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYj3JvMPwW8bjTkR11U-VAF1tINtWIAS_2YD8tVuOv-2xHcc9CdfESAuMzWbGmH7F6U580qkBJRz6U-y4_XBBYHYo2f7s8wZYvxr-qCkeNgi_fO4CmgMvpOfTP_VFOV40REVVDq84kUmuh/w420-h297/03.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><span style="background:; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">In
1924, T.J. Reid being the owner of the local gas works prepared a paper on ‘’
The Position of the Gas Industry in Ireland, with Special Reference to
Electrical Competition ‘’. Mr Reid indicated that during the past decade about
a dozen works had been closed as a direct result of wars at home and overseas,
industrial strife and unfair competition from electricity. Gasworks that had
survived were still suffering difficulties. Possibly, became of this reason,
TJ. Reid diversified and in 1930, he was awarded the contract for laying the
new town water main costing £13,100 despite the lowest tender being that of
another company from Co. Down.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0IdxkjucMEUYtTOjMLlBanzgym25tHrvrEvb96ix88rZhryWdJgsoow7zLTADkgWOWXt0xbXQkBBZgbfpBHNq4r70mkXLt4UQmNCDNr2Gi1PpSQkX2e-wZ7h7qJEkLmO2waxDmBwhR6J/s1433/Gas+Works+Ballina.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="1433" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0IdxkjucMEUYtTOjMLlBanzgym25tHrvrEvb96ix88rZhryWdJgsoow7zLTADkgWOWXt0xbXQkBBZgbfpBHNq4r70mkXLt4UQmNCDNr2Gi1PpSQkX2e-wZ7h7qJEkLmO2waxDmBwhR6J/w458-h204/Gas+Works+Ballina.jpg" width="458" /></a></div><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;"><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: georgia; font-size: small;">The chimney of the Gas Works seen on the right of the photograph</span></div></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">In
December 1935, it was announced that the marriage would take place of T.J. Reid’s son, Ivan to
Ethel Lenora Brown at Christ Church, Rawalpindi, India. Unfortunately,
by February 1936, T.J. Reid died suddenly at his residence Carramore House. He
was aged 64 and it was stated at the time that he was still the proprietor of the
Ballina Gas Company and was an uncle of Mr. W. Reid, the manager of the Gas Works
in, Athlone. The day before his death he had attended the auction at Castlereagh outside Killala, a home of the Knox family. Thomas John Reid was buried in the church yard of St. Michael’s
Church Ardnaree where his headstone can be seen today. He was respected as an
authority on all matters pertaining to gas works and was sought as a speaker at meetings of gas managers that took place all over the UK. It was noted that
after the death of Mr. Reid, his daughter Miss Beryl Reid would continue as
manageress and that the gas works would operate as it always had. However, one
year later in 1937, J. Molloy & Sons, Building Contractors from Ballina
acquired the Ballina Gas Works owned by the late T.J. Reid.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_qBrXPtGxH3LFJGpiwbcw5pgB6lpwu7piTWCDy28zWT-hv7e0EgsYKhePFmBnWNaBW9BRVp0iQvvBxFmwB8-YoI2CUwgx55yA8Qqe-mxZH09OmRvIenPmZ2DG1zH2GmJfObAQb1C0W-v/s1997/31303902_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1997" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_qBrXPtGxH3LFJGpiwbcw5pgB6lpwu7piTWCDy28zWT-hv7e0EgsYKhePFmBnWNaBW9BRVp0iQvvBxFmwB8-YoI2CUwgx55yA8Qqe-mxZH09OmRvIenPmZ2DG1zH2GmJfObAQb1C0W-v/w476-h258/31303902_1.jpg" width="476" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="background-color;">Carramore House Today</span></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">Beryl
Reid, was obviously an entrepreneur like her father and had various enterprises
at Carramore, the new Reid family home after Highfield. Visitors to the
house were amazed at her achievements in the garden <o:p></o:p></span><span style="background-color: ; font-family: Georgia, serif;">as she had created
intricate planted beds in front of the house. Miss Reid appears to have been an
enterprising woman for her time as she had constructed three large glass
houses, one alone measured 125 x 30 foot and this was in addition to the two
older smaller glasshouses that already existed on the site. In July 1935, she
had over 2,000 tomato plants growing and 10,000 chrysanthemums plants waiting
to go to market. In the 1930's Carramore was also advertised as a guest house,
so it appears Miss Reid was doing everything possible to make an income from the
property as due to Thomas Reid’s death. In 1939, the house suffered a fire, one
bedroom was destroyed and it was reported that two sisters Phyllis and Beryl
and their invalid mother, Florence, were present in the house at the time. The
fire, started by a wireless set, was fought by the sisters for three hours on
their own with buckets of water. In April 1944, Beryl's and Phyllis's mother
died and she was buried in St. Michael's Church in Ballina. In August
1946, Carramore House was advertised in the national press for auction under
the instruction of the representatives of the late Mrs. Florence Eleanor Reid,
in the advertisement the house is described as </span><i style="background-color; font-family: Georgia, serif;">'a Magnificent
Gentleman's Residence'</i><span style="background-color; font-family: Georgia, serif;">. The accommodation of the house extended to four
reception rooms, lounge, front hall, kitchen and twelve apartments (which
must mean bedrooms). The grounds included a walled garden, coach house and
tomato houses with room for 3,000 plants. A person who visited the house in the
1940's recorded that the family had only retained forty acres around the house
and that the library of Carramore contained over 3,000 books. In November
1957, it was reported that Carramore was to be demolished as it had recently
been purchased with its land by two local farmers. By 1980, it was reported in the local press that Phyllis and
Beryl Reid were living in Jersey.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background; color: black; font-family: "Georgia",serif; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-themecolor: text1;">The
Reid’s former home Highfield has been the
Bishop of Killala’s residence for nearly 100 years and remains one of the most
recognisable landmarks in the town. The Reid Gas Works now long gone, were located on the site beside the river where the Ballina Manor Hotel is now built today. The Reid connection and contribution to the development of Ballina is largely forgotten however Highfield House endures as a lasting testament to the ambition of Thomas John Reid.<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt;"></span></div>David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-52741869801875487662020-11-13T14:05:00.001-08:002023-07-10T14:10:41.522-07:00<h3 style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #182e04; font-family: book antiqua, serif;"><span style="background-color:; font-size: 64px;"><b>Belleek Gate<br /></b></span></span><span style="background-color:; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Ballina , </span><span style="background-color:; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Mayo</span></h3><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: ; text-align: center;"><div style="line-height: 18.89px;"><div style="line-height: 18.89px;"><div><span style="color: #182e04;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBm8Ye_sJHTrVMDZD2tNMiUCr8dTFHpirpViiSRvsalM2F3tVYTr2A4ZYFZYfSRaIHQRob5GGZwgsSeCvZxbcxETTMgdImGvUrBIWHbCWtn8k_bpkc8WkDdxhhDZecgF6DGDvEFmhbSFPS/s2048/IMG_20201108_092532.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBm8Ye_sJHTrVMDZD2tNMiUCr8dTFHpirpViiSRvsalM2F3tVYTr2A4ZYFZYfSRaIHQRob5GGZwgsSeCvZxbcxETTMgdImGvUrBIWHbCWtn8k_bpkc8WkDdxhhDZecgF6DGDvEFmhbSFPS/w480-h640/IMG_20201108_092532.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The surviving gate lodge of
Belleek Castle is found on the aptly named Castle Road in Ballina, Co. Mayo. It
is one of the most distinctive and recognisable features of the once great
demesne of the Knox-Gore family that existed beyond. Few may know that this
gate served as an architectural prototype for the main gate of one of the most
famous castles in the world, Ashford Castle. Recently the recovery of the
original timber gates of this stately entrance has awoken renewed local interest
in preserving the rich architectural heritage of our town. Originally this
entrance was not intended to be located on Castle Road but situated closer to the town centre in a similar fashion to Adare Manor in
Limerick. It will also be a surprise to many that this architectural treasure
came close to being demolished at a time when its value was not recognised.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyG7bL3zRtehzrub4PDNv0OaZAJH5GezMYcElgbGyDrcaUjE0TNY27gHVjyHAV7Af9TMaGvVb8MVopqgLpEfSg5pd-vpKvREgJZkrV3TH8dNe1BLVBRABlR_bxr29TqnmX1n-PBVwN6GX/s2048/DSC_1466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1701" data-original-width="2048" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyG7bL3zRtehzrub4PDNv0OaZAJH5GezMYcElgbGyDrcaUjE0TNY27gHVjyHAV7Af9TMaGvVb8MVopqgLpEfSg5pd-vpKvREgJZkrV3TH8dNe1BLVBRABlR_bxr29TqnmX1n-PBVwN6GX/w400-h333/DSC_1466.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p></p><p style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif;"></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 20pt; text-align: justify;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The
main gate at Belleek, also known locally as the Belleek Arch and the Tower
Gate, was the prototype for the grand main gate at Ashford Castle, Co. Mayo.
Both were designed by the same prolific architect, James Franklin Fuller, who
was favoured by the upper classes such as the Guinness’s. The main gate
at Belleek was built in the early 1870’s which preceded the construction of the
main gate at Ashford Castle, constructed around 1880. Fuller carried out
alot of work for the Knox family in County Mayo in the 1870’s. In 1871, he was
involved with the construction of Mount Falcon for Utred Knox and in 1872 and
he also carried out a number of projects for the Knox-Gore’s of Belleek Manor.
For them he designed this new gateway to the manor and an impressive monument
over the grave of Arthur Knox-Gore who died in 1873. It was during this period
in the 1870s that he was also involved with the design and construction of
Errew Grange for Granville Knox. It is known from the tender drawings signed
for the construction of nearby Mount Falcon, that Fuller’s builder of choice
was a Meath man by the name of Henry Sharpe. As Sharpe was involved with the
construction of Mount Falcon, it is possible that he also built Belleek Gate.
Sharpe worked with Fuller on numerous projects and operated from Bective Street
in Kells, Co. Meath. He was obviously successful, for when he passed away in
1905, he was listed as living at 12 Ailesbury Rd., Dublin which is now the
Polish Embassy. It is also recorded that the construction of the main gate at
Belleek was supervised by Mr. Pery of Coolcronan.</span></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHJ_ZLJ6Grm1CGrS9kb3T4jOoCt5x52jqTthfEOwLM3ri6utV6RnKdutB1d3BGElsZ0zY3ymYclMl8BgqtI9WytuVDAAMW8fc4zxo6so583BZQWRBvr1OmxqZsP2cvAy9ZuntmhXcs87R/s4546/DSC_0974.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3028" data-original-width="4546" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHJ_ZLJ6Grm1CGrS9kb3T4jOoCt5x52jqTthfEOwLM3ri6utV6RnKdutB1d3BGElsZ0zY3ymYclMl8BgqtI9WytuVDAAMW8fc4zxo6so583BZQWRBvr1OmxqZsP2cvAy9ZuntmhXcs87R/w400-h266/DSC_0974.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The inner facade of Belleek Lodge, note the number of windows, Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 20pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IE; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In
this decade, James Franklin Fuller was extremely prolific and was elected to a
Fellowship by the Royal Institute of British Architects. When one looks at the
gate lodge at Belleek, elements can be seen that are common not only to the gate
lodge at Ashford but also elements of the castle situated beyond the gates in Cong. One can see
familiar details when one compares the towers of Belleek Lodge and the towers
found at Ashford Castle. B</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">elleek Manor once had gate
lodges at Castle Road and Killala Road, where gates were used to control access
to the demesne or the private lands of the estate. These extended to pleasure
grounds around the manor, the walled garden, the stables, outbuildings and even
private family burial grounds. The main gates had an associated lodge, where the
person ( and their family) resided that were tasked with opening and closing the
gate. Impressive castellated gate lodges such as the one at Castle Road in
Ballina were built to impress many and express the dominance in the community
of the family that lived beyond. Like the grand houses of the upper classes, the
designs of these gates lodges also followed the architectural fashion that was
prevalent at the time. The gate lodge on Castle Road had accommodation at
ground floor level with further rooms on the upper floor accessed by a stair
accommodated in the tower. Interestingly all the windows in these rooms are on
the inner façade of the gate lodge looking back towards Belleek Manor, keeping
an eye out for the master approaching. From
an examination of the some elements that remain on the entrance gate today there appear
to be a number of metal brackets that possibly supported a wire which was
attached to a bell, that alerted the lodge keeper that someone was outside the
gate. There are also the clasps and sockets found on the inner reveal of the arch of the entrance gate that the metal frame of the recovered gates would have been attached to.</span></span></div></span><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayy-R3tElcnVVR6L1Pans2Dl2MtsPPL0z1_58u8-Lox4K8RUtw8eMXq7QysFkxJ4dkhZFkI28_1wVXuzsKUHGZ5AsZZu_EOslUXusILi20PfYBXXAe4AJgVfLsePP0M0iWMgBqI5Y91Wk/s1500/1605286145466.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayy-R3tElcnVVR6L1Pans2Dl2MtsPPL0z1_58u8-Lox4K8RUtw8eMXq7QysFkxJ4dkhZFkI28_1wVXuzsKUHGZ5AsZZu_EOslUXusILi20PfYBXXAe4AJgVfLsePP0M0iWMgBqI5Y91Wk/w400-h400/1605286145466.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">Fuller was the architect for both Ashford Castle and Belleek Lodge,</span><br /><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">Note the similarities between the tower of Ashford (above) and the tower of Belleek ( Below)<br />Copyright ICHC</span></i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The house beyond the main
gates was known as </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Belleek Manor, once Belleek Abbey and is now known as
Belleek Castle. Located on the banks of the river Moy, it was home to a branch
of the Knox family, a Mayo dynasty who could all trace their roots back to
Rappa Castle near Crossmolina. The family held many grand properties and
extensive estates that extended across the county. </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Francis
Arthur Knox-Gore inherited the property at Belleek at the age of fifteen, so
improvements to the estate did not occur until 1837 with the completion of the
Tudor Gothic mansion that sits at the centre of the demesne. </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Costing
in the region of £10,000, its riverside location proved useful for the
transportation of materials for its construction. Stone for the new mansion was
ferried from a nearby quarry in Moyne, located further down the River Moy. It
is quite possible that this same location was used to supply stone for the
construction of the gate lodge in the 1870’s.</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> When Sir Francis Arthur
Knox-Gore of Belleek Manor was planning his estate at Belleek, it is said that
he wished to have his main entrance gate opening on to one of the main streets
of Ballina. Unfortunately, there was one field standing in the way of this
ambition which belonged to Lord Arran. He refused to co-operate and was said to
be jealous of Sir Arthur and his grand intentions. As a result, the proposed
avenue was never completed, and the main gate was eventually relocated to its
present position on Castle Road to replace an earlier structure. The gate lodge at Belleek was built to replace
an </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">arched access on the site which is known to have dated from before
1837. This gate lodge was replaced by
his son, Sir Charles James Knox- Gore, the second</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and last Baronet
who succeeded to the estate in 1873. The second entrance was located along
the Killala road, where the entrance to the Coca Cola factory is found today.
It was demolished a number of decades ago but the iron gates, known as the black
gates, still survive in a park nearer the town of Ballina.</span></span></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINOg7IgeUvQM2Xpd4Ct7NDwOoroNApo7I8DzWHfapYmeBg5qK3qj1o6tABdZzbYAw4AX74Q-IWHDeAHsXWK5TY1fBq8vtTp5u_oEXK5JfxxG6d-cWt2FL1_lQ8ACaocXH8U6pRyCaO5Ni/s1600/DSC_0668.+BJPG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINOg7IgeUvQM2Xpd4Ct7NDwOoroNApo7I8DzWHfapYmeBg5qK3qj1o6tABdZzbYAw4AX74Q-IWHDeAHsXWK5TY1fBq8vtTp5u_oEXK5JfxxG6d-cWt2FL1_lQ8ACaocXH8U6pRyCaO5Ni/w400-h266/DSC_0668.+BJPG.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The Entrance Front of Belleek Manor, Ballina, Co. Mayo<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The wooden gates of the main lodge
at Belleek were recently recovered from the riverbed of the River Moy. Messer’s
Fagan & Sons, Great Brunswick Street in Dublin furnished gates for the main
lodge at Ashford Castle which were based on designs prepared by James
Franklin Fuller, the architect. Therefore, it is quite possible that Fagan’s also supplied the gates for Belleek, however it should be noted the
gates currently found at Ashford are iron. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #050505; font-size: 12pt;">In recent weeks, the original gates of Belleek Gate in
Ballina, Co. Mayo have been recovered from their watery slumber on the bed of
the River Moy, a project pioneered by Paul Carabine and the committee of
Ballina Community Clean up. In the 1950’s, these gates were used to create a
jetty on the river but were lost during a storm and sank to the riverbed. After
their recent recovery, samples of the timber were sent to Queen’s University in
Belfast to identify the species and origin of the timber. The tests revealed
that the timber is Scots Pine: Pinus Sylvestris imported from Scandinavia or
Russia in the 1870’s which may indicate that they were made further afield than
Ballina. It is also quite possible for an estate such as Belleek, which was
largely self-sufficient at this time, that the gates could also have been made
by local craftsmen. The estate at one time employed over seventy people who
tended to the kitchen garden, the sawmill, estate lands and a large kennel of
hounds kept for hunting. The recovered gates comprise of a metal frame which the outer timber elements are bolted to. Traces of the original
paint are visible, one area has a patch of red paint still remaining. From
viewing the pair of gates recovered, one can appreciate the detail and scale of
these relics. One gate is better preserved than the other having been
shielded by the worst excesses of time and tide on the riverbed. The committee involved in
their recovery now hope to restore and reinstate the gates back at Belleek
Arch, an initial step in the process to eventually restore the whole structure.</span></div></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil84YPA5t4FPHM7UVv9hHdequFvpm_HW_f1fMHHvsIsfM-ufXImhLiod1xePqaWwyMtJPCQKbTylWe_jEFjS19u8T8lPHe0jpThiVlWRMjLyXITLUz4BiBHkWSzvhJlIdCE7KA15YRayf4/s1500/1605200164131.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="1500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil84YPA5t4FPHM7UVv9hHdequFvpm_HW_f1fMHHvsIsfM-ufXImhLiod1xePqaWwyMtJPCQKbTylWe_jEFjS19u8T8lPHe0jpThiVlWRMjLyXITLUz4BiBHkWSzvhJlIdCE7KA15YRayf4/w400-h300/1605200164131.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The gates that once hung at the lodge at Belleek, <br />which have recently been recovered from the River Moy<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Sir Charles James Knox Gore, 2nd Baronet of Belleek Manor, died on the
22<sup>nd</sup> December 1890, unmarried with a personal estate valued at
£70,339 2s 2d. As Sir Charles had died with no male heirs, the title of Baronet
died with him, having only been awarded to his father twenty-two years earlier.
The estate at Belleek Manor and its land near Ballina, was</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black; font-size: 12pt;"> entailed under the
terms of Charles's fathers will, and was thus divided between his older
sisters. In the 1870's the Knox Gore estate extended to over 22,000 acres of
land in Mayo with a further 8,500 in Sligo which</span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12pt;"> was mainly inherited by Charles’s sister
Matilda. Charles upheld the family tradition and is buried in the grounds of
the manor house near the river with his dog Phizzie, where modest headstones
mark both their graves. Matilda married Major General William Boyd Saunders of
Torquay who adopted his wife’s additional surnames to ensure their continuance
to the next generation<b>.</b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black;"> </span></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In 1896, tickets of admission had
to be acquired to enter past the main gates on Castle Road. The wooden gates of the lodge, now recovered, ensured that the demesne of Belleek remained private and secure for the Knox
Gore family. These tickets which could only be obtained by letter to Major
Saunders Knox Gore and used for limited access on certain days throughout the
year. </span></span></div></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdy75QRGlwp6c0-L5RTYPq_H4myUVKQuCH1ka2gsqew4DEOXRP82npHsXNvPA5a4Ac5aNneORJ3I86oJwYho7ino2svYyiAI0qgQ1A70wlQheziuGlpJeTFj0367TC95Goy8JI8qnTxlp/s773/Belleek+Auction.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="773" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYdy75QRGlwp6c0-L5RTYPq_H4myUVKQuCH1ka2gsqew4DEOXRP82npHsXNvPA5a4Ac5aNneORJ3I86oJwYho7ino2svYyiAI0qgQ1A70wlQheziuGlpJeTFj0367TC95Goy8JI8qnTxlp/w400-h399/Belleek+Auction.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The sale of the contents of Belleek Manor in 1942</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: 12pt;">During the famine, the Knox
Gores were benevolent landlords and in the 1920s the manor was
unharmed during the worst excesses of the ‘The Troubles’. Attitudes began to
change toward the residents of Belleek Manor in the 1930’s. In 1938, it was
reported in the press that two or three years previously, Colonel Saunders Knox
Gore had offered the estate to the Land Commission, but they had not chosen not to purchase the estate for division. This had angered members of the local community who
had wanted the estate divided and resulted in several cattle drives, where livestock
were driven off the lands of the Belleek Estate. The demesne lands at this time
extended to over 1,000 acres and this land was leased for grazing. In 1942, the
sale of the contents of Belleek Manor took place at the instruction of Col.
Saunders Knox-Gore. It is noted that the sale included the contents of the
Dining Room, Study, Front Hall, Library, Boudoir, Drawing Room, 10 bedrooms,
Servant Rooms and Kitchen. It is also recorded that admission was by catalogue
only which were offered for sale at the entrance lodge to the manor. Traps
would operate from Knox’s Street to the manor on the date of the sale. In the
same year, the manor house and its lands of 415 acres, 105 in pasture and 275
in lawns and plantations, were eventually purchased by the Beckett family. They
had the intention of converting the estate into an equestrian focused business.
The Beckett’s restored the manor but due to an unfortunate death in the family,
their proposed scheme was never realised.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In 1948, Dr. Noel Browne,
Minister for Health visited Belleek and in the following year, it was being
discussed about the possibility of Belleek Manor being acquired by the state. However,
it was said that he was ‘<i>not strong about it’</i>. Members of the Urban
District Council at the time wanted the state to press ahead with the purchase
of Belleek in the belief that it would bring business to the town. At the same meeting,
a resolution was passed to ask the government minister to amend his decision
and acquire Belleek in the interests of the county. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">By 1950, the estate had been
sold to the Land Commission and in 1955, the issue of acquiring part of the Belleek
for public use, still rumbled on.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">The
Land Commission proposed the sale of 20 acres of Belleek for the sum of
£1,400.00 so the land could be used as a public park. The offer had an expiration
period of one month and the Urban District Council would be responsible for
putting up fences and maintenance.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Members of the Urban District Council felt that the price was inflated
and would not be achievable on the open market. It was also the belief at the
time that the Land Commission knew the Urban District Council could not accept
the offer because of high rates. Previously in 1946, the Land Commission were
prepared to accept an offer of £421 10s for 72 acres of land. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">In the 1950’s the manor was
purchased for use as a sanatorium by the County Council, while the Land
Commission and the Department of Forestry purchased most of the land that made
up the estate. The interior of the castle was washed, and the reception
rooms now housed female patients who were suffering with tuberculosis. Several
years later the manor was abandoned as a sanatorium and was briefly used as a
barracks. The manor now faced an uncertain future as the County Council
considered removing the roof to avoid rates and demolishing the remaining
walls. By 1957, Belleek Manor was described as derelict with only 23 acres of
land. There was an effort at this time to turn the manor into a nursing home,
but this notion failed. It was hoped that an American millionaire might
purchase Belleek and restore it in a similar fashion to what had occurred at
Muckross House in Killarney. It is recorded that the main gate on Castle Road
was continuously lived in until it was vacated in 1959, its condition having
possibly deteriorated. </span><span style="font-family: book antiqua, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9Tyg_uFCrP3-fnOwOJZCOFKPzQAqGBB_3CUD9msKvpQ9c-h10vNVcbEitBcpRfb6qGsqkDYAk2HeuJ3M2rXf5JMGTZfo2TX8nj9Ycoidm-jTlayK1Tb8eHZm760QHd1w4ZNZaXGGsQ-Y/s589/Bid.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="589" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9Tyg_uFCrP3-fnOwOJZCOFKPzQAqGBB_3CUD9msKvpQ9c-h10vNVcbEitBcpRfb6qGsqkDYAk2HeuJ3M2rXf5JMGTZfo2TX8nj9Ycoidm-jTlayK1Tb8eHZm760QHd1w4ZNZaXGGsQ-Y/s320/Bid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In 1961, it was reported that
Ballina Urban District Council refused to sell the main entrance gate lodge on
Castle Road to Mr. Marshal Doran, a hotelier from Jersey who had recently
purchased Belleek Manor, which he intended to convert into a hotel. It was
argued by members of the council that the gate lodge was located beside the town park
and formed its main entrance so it was thought that it should remain in the ownership of the
council. The main tower of the gate lodge with its battlements is what first
attracted Mr. Doran to purchase the manor. At the time of purchasing the Belleek property, Mr. Doran
had hoped to acquire the main gate on Castle Road but when the sale matured, it
was discovered that the transaction did not include the entrance structure. Many on the U.D.C. believed at this time that the lodge, having become derelict, should be demolished
and its cut stone sold. For many, then and even today, structures such as this
grandiose gate lodge were seen as symbols of oppression and exclusivity. For some their loss would not be mourned.</span></span></span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX8mZ_BofQw6201e8wNNdthl9C8C7tIbAVyrMFfzY2IbHGUDo5o9IohayrJOJGNAKWeZ6aGkcV0oyKCjdWGTFssjT-Q1qIVN0rq5tEsdQHVT8XAEbS4vMeP0pUUBI_VBcew5jZhFv28Jn/s4695/DSC_0358.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3093" data-original-width="4695" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLX8mZ_BofQw6201e8wNNdthl9C8C7tIbAVyrMFfzY2IbHGUDo5o9IohayrJOJGNAKWeZ6aGkcV0oyKCjdWGTFssjT-Q1qIVN0rq5tEsdQHVT8XAEbS4vMeP0pUUBI_VBcew5jZhFv28Jn/w400-h264/DSC_0358.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">In recent years the lodge at Belleek has been illuminated <br />which shows off the true magesty of the structure.<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">By 1961, the condition of the
gate lodge had become so precarious that it now concerned the members of the
Urban District Council</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">. ‘It is a scandal and a great source of reflection on
the town that this fine structure was ever allowed into a dilapidated
condition’</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> said Mr. Jack Clarke. Again Mr. Marshall Doran, the owner of
Belleek Manor, put forward his offer to purchase the lodge and the adjoining land
still held by the council. Mr. Doran was now in the process of converting the
manor into a hotel and was concerned about the ‘</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">fine parkland’</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> being developed
in the vicinity of the main entrance. He stated that ‘</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">There must be many
Ballina people who would like to see this not built over and preserved in perpetuity
for the town and its sporting activities’. </i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The opinion was expressed by the
council members that they should maintain ownership of the building however
they would consider leasing it. The Town Clerk decided the best thing would be
to permit the owner of Belleek Manor to put up a sign on the entrance gate and
charge him a rental for it. The town council did not want to lease the gate
lodge as there were ‘</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">legal snags involved’</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. The purchase of the land by Doran was thought
by the U.D.C. to have some merit as it was a way of ‘</span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">getting out of Belleek’</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
which they had seen as a liability. The U.D.C. decided that they would not
allow the land to fall into private hands as then they would have no control
over its future development. Mr. Doran’s sole interest was to preserve the land
as parkland. By 1983, Marshall Doran enquired
again to use the gate lodge and submitted a request with Ballina UDC. If the
request was granted, he intended to maintain the lodge lawns, erect flag poles
and provide flood lighting. He wished to use the lodge to erect advance signage
for the hotel at Belleek Manor. He was clear that it would not be used for
residential purposes but possibly as a museum to display artifacts he had
acquired. The U.D.C. again ruled out the sale of the lodge but agreed to
investigate the possibility of leasing it however this proposal was not
realised.</span></span></div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg034ZxqnEvXFLtSTnSkAHPtaqKmSMQVXI4cgABuMSBnVhhHelOfAeRODErdtwPhfuhW_H8a_7pg9i2DeavIY5Fte1vEMxHAkyWlH8STQB9d8NTBIru0t1eZWyPCgQsvAZcaRU6i3lgOSgZ/s6000/DSC_0979.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg034ZxqnEvXFLtSTnSkAHPtaqKmSMQVXI4cgABuMSBnVhhHelOfAeRODErdtwPhfuhW_H8a_7pg9i2DeavIY5Fte1vEMxHAkyWlH8STQB9d8NTBIru0t1eZWyPCgQsvAZcaRU6i3lgOSgZ/w400-h266/DSC_0979.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The interior of the lodge at Belleek is long gone since it was vacated in the 1950's<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The structure of this lodge
has stood the test of time and in recent years it has been impressively
illuminated at night. The most pressing issue threating its future is increased
traffic flowing through its arch each day and the unchecked growth of ivy. Belleek
Arch is a superb addition to the architectural heritage of the town and should
be valued as such. Efforts are now being made to restore this structure and
develop it for public use. Despite the residential development of the area surround the
lodge in recent decades, no efforts have been made to reroute the public road
and protect this structure from possible damage from traffic. Rerouting traffic would allow
the structure to be developed, possibly in connection with the Landmark Trust
or possibly become the museum that Marshall Doran had proposed decades before.</span></span></p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLtLRwtBgC0RMCm3O8YnongrXinc1wzIM5MyEibM6hTuSyzs1n1La8u591DCuRN-0Vt0GfghWKhylq1_AC68pedkIE_FIQ63L1PnjwXaOWxZM7oa7BJV7H4Uq5qBP77dIUKq4IR2b9viJ/s6000/DSC_0982.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLtLRwtBgC0RMCm3O8YnongrXinc1wzIM5MyEibM6hTuSyzs1n1La8u591DCuRN-0Vt0GfghWKhylq1_AC68pedkIE_FIQ63L1PnjwXaOWxZM7oa7BJV7H4Uq5qBP77dIUKq4IR2b9viJ/w400-h266/DSC_0982.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">Brackets and sockets that once held the main gates in place are still evident </span></span><br /><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">on the structure. It is hoped that the main gates now recovered will return to <br />their original position.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;"> Copyright ICHC</span></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dQvqFHeI4wR6mFp7CBZqosypOqnJAD7qYKVKMDYe1Mk0Xbj9EF9tbwRSNkg4Pzpps6YUciaryxHAL_FSkQMV82yJwZ8WdAalUmXhCTv5uBMmhESahl5cginOrtT5u7MCG4G2y8u2Zbb1/s2827/DSC_0984.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1885" data-original-width="2827" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-dQvqFHeI4wR6mFp7CBZqosypOqnJAD7qYKVKMDYe1Mk0Xbj9EF9tbwRSNkg4Pzpps6YUciaryxHAL_FSkQMV82yJwZ8WdAalUmXhCTv5uBMmhESahl5cginOrtT5u7MCG4G2y8u2Zbb1/w400-h266/DSC_0984.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #182e04; font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></div></div></div></div>David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-4845852225338573192019-07-26T04:59:00.004-07:002023-02-09T00:42:17.318-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Clogher House</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Carra , </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Mayo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Clogher House in Co. Mayo was built in the 1770’s and
existed for nearly 200 years until it was destroyed by fire in 1970. This house
and estate were once part of a community of 'Big Houses' that existed in the
Ballyglass area which included the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moores</st1:place></st1:city>
of nearby Moore Hall and the Blakes of Towerhill House. These land owning
families were Catholic and <span style="color: #1c1e21;">in the 1860's the
tenantry of Moore Hall, Clogher and Tower Hill would meet at mass in the nearby chapel
at Carnacun. George Moore recalled that '<i>they all collected around the gateway
of the chapel to admire the carriages of their landlords</i>'. The <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moore</st1:place></st1:city> family pew was the first seat on the
right hand side of the church with the Clogher pew behind it. However the landed families sat on the upper level of the church while the tenants sat in the main body of the church below them. </span></span><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Moore
would also recall that the Clogher '<i>girls</i>' Helena, Livy, Lizy and May used to
sit there. He also fondly remembered going to Clogher to gather cherries and
how his father George Henry Moore was impressed by the inventiveness of the Clogher '<i>girls</i>' when they made a hearth rug for their dolls house from the
skin of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> a </span>dead mouse. In 1914, George Moore
said that '<i>a last Lynch lives his lonely life in Clogher</i>' and also suggested
that Clogher would make a fine home for the Franciscans. He thought this course
of action was a good idea as '<i>Lynch is
a Roman Catholic: he has no children, what better could he do.'</i> The '<i>last
Lynch</i>' as referred to by George Moore was </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">James Fitzgerald-Kenney, who in
1913 stated that his ancestors, the Lynch Blosses, came to Clogher in 1720 from
Castle Carra, a junior branch of the Lynch Blosse family baronets. They obtained
leases of the Clogher estate, in the parishes of Burriscarra , Drum, Carra,
Tagheen, barony of Clanmorris in the County of Mayo, for 999 years from Sir Henry Lynch
Blosse, 8th Baronet in 1788. James Fitzgerald-Kenney, in 1913, also referred to
the old house of Clogher, inhabited by his ancestors up to 1780. He
said that the Penal Laws at the time only allowed Catholics to live in houses of no more than one storey high so the laying of the foundations of the present
Clogher House coincided with the relaxation of the these laws. The Lynch family
of Clogher House had the rare privilege of having Papal authority to celebrate
the ceremony of Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament in their house, it
was said at the time to be a privilege enjoyed by very few.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKY-oWd-cxk0GnlJhkDDWMA10yiy508r01Lru-ZvYTjRQjPEfM8jznxNNsJFob3Qs6WuWFAEO-oRN6zxvpFm1TCMFER2omG80OoqVew4FPrBEwehsQuVWqjB7RY77I9hCF_1ZjIcU0Wzs/s1600/10862717_1522033258068095_8533829581082384090_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKY-oWd-cxk0GnlJhkDDWMA10yiy508r01Lru-ZvYTjRQjPEfM8jznxNNsJFob3Qs6WuWFAEO-oRN6zxvpFm1TCMFER2omG80OoqVew4FPrBEwehsQuVWqjB7RY77I9hCF_1ZjIcU0Wzs/s400/10862717_1522033258068095_8533829581082384090_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A photo of the house possibly taken in the 1960's</i><br />
<i>from the Facebook page of Lost Buildings of Ireland who received it </i><i style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">from William Fitzgerald Kenney</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Originally a smaller
house when first built, a storm in January 1839 resulted in a number of changes being made to the structure. The roof of the
mansion was torn off in the storm known as ‘The Big Wind’ despite it being covered in heavy stone slates. As Clogher was left
roofless, the opportunity was taken to remodel the house, add another story
while replacing the roof. In 1844 Samuel Nicholson described Clogher House as
"<i>amongst the largest and the best in the Country, and appears to be kept
in excellent order</i>". Clogher sat in a demesne of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>640 acres, the structure was three-storey over part raised basement, with six bays on the entrance front incorporating a two bay
break-front with tripartite pediment and fan lighted door-case. Internally, the
house comprised of twenty-eight rooms incorporating a drawing room, library and chapel. The
main reception rooms had ceilings of fine Adamesque plaster work and the front
hall featuring an elaborate curved ceiling, which can be seen in some photographs below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Some surviving photos of the entrance hall of the house where the circular ceiling can be seen<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Copyright: The Architectural Archive</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Another family involved with the history of Clogher House was the O'Crean family, who were said to be of great antiquity. They possessed large estates in Co. Sligo but lost them during the time of religious persecution. The O'Creans formed alliances with many families and Henry Crean born in 1670, married in 1703, Catherine, daughter of Thomas Blake of Bolebeg, Co. Mayo. This union produced Andrew Crean, who in 1751 married Mary, daughter and heiress of Dominick Lynch, Newborough, <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. Andrew assumed the additional name of Lynch. His only surviving son, Dominick Crean-Lynch married in 1784, Julia, the daughter of Martin Brown of Cloonfad, Co. Roscommon. Their eldest son, Andrew Crean-Lynch of Hollybrook </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">married </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">in 1811 </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Elizabeth</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">, the eldest daughter of Patrick Lynch of Clogher House and in 1818, Clogher House is referred to as the house of the 'late' Patrick Lynch. It is also recorded that Andrew Crean-Lynch bought the Clogher estate from his brother-in-law Patrick Lynch. Andrew and </span><st1:city style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Elizabeth</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">'s union produced five children, Dominick born 1812 but died young, Patrick born 1814, Joseph born 1828 together with two daughters Mary and Ann. Patrick Crean-Lynch succeeded and lived at Clogher House. In 1828, an Edward Lynch of Clogher House is recorded as having died</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">followed in 1844 by Joseph Crean-Lynch who died aged only 17 years of age. His remains were interred at Thagheen Chapel near Hollybrook, Claremorris. During the Famine in 1847, it was said that no tenant of the estate died of hunger, however many did die of fever which then raged through the country. By the 1860's ,Patrick Crean-Lynch was in financial difficulties and advertised for sale both his Hollybrook and Clogher estates. Part of the Hollybrook estate was in the parishes of Kilbennan and Kilconla, barony of Dunmore, </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Galway</st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">. The Irish Times reported details of the purchasers of some lots in this sale though other lots were adjourned. Patrick Crean-Lynch was a Justice of the Peace, District Lieutenant, High Sheriff and a Major in the South Mayo Militia. He married in 1845, Marcella, the daughter of Sir Michael Dillion Bellew, this marriage produced four daughters but no male heir. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsB13j8O0U4jb0atjPercXgfGoh23mXZ3tcDe1TGtkTG26zdso4AaH35PiJ9HbiXPkjZikrQGyk1HkBtD5JrypbzsU73OrVBG5rNa4kPV6ro5u2N0NnhUqTD_ehvHmahyUxU8j2V52Mmib/s1600/C2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1173" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsB13j8O0U4jb0atjPercXgfGoh23mXZ3tcDe1TGtkTG26zdso4AaH35PiJ9HbiXPkjZikrQGyk1HkBtD5JrypbzsU73OrVBG5rNa4kPV6ro5u2N0NnhUqTD_ehvHmahyUxU8j2V52Mmib/s400/C2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: justify;">The tripartite pediment and fan lighted door-case </span></i><br />
<i>Copyright: The Architectural Archive</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">In August 1870, one of Patrick's daughters,
Helena Mary, married James Charles Fitzgerald-Kenney of Kilclogher, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Galway</st1:placename></st1:place>.
so it was necessary that a marriage alliance was arranged between the Crean
Lynchs and the Fitzgerald-Kenney's. This marriage produced a number of children
beginning<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in June 1871, when <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marcella Jane Antonia Mary de Kenne was born
in Number <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">2 Merrion Square</st1:address></st1:street>.
She was followed by William, born in November 1872, who was baptised William
Lionel Crean Nicholas De Kenne in December of the year of his birth. In February 1875,
at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">No. 2 Merrion Square</st1:address></st1:street>,it was reported that a daughter, Helena Julia Olivia was born to James C. Fitzgerald-Kenney and his
wife. She was baptised Helena Julia Olivia Anna De Kenne at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">St. Andrews</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place>
on Westland Row. On Sunday, September 24th 1876 at <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Merrion Square</st1:address></st1:street>, the wife of James
Fitzgerald-Kenney Esq. of Kilclogher, Co. <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>
and Clogher House, Co. Mayo gave birth to a son. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However tragedy struck when James Christopher
Fitzgerald-Kenney, the husband of Helena Mary, died on the 31st October 1877 at
Clogher House. He left an estate valued under £14,000 and it is noted that he
is late of Clogher House, Co. Mayo, Kilclogher, Co. <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>
and <st1:address w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on">No. 2 Merrion Square, South</st1:street>
<st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city></st1:address>. He was aged 58 at the
time of his death. In November 1877, a newspaper notice was published which advertised an auction at Clogher House to include the extensive sale of 183
head of cattle sheep and horses</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> together with carriages, hay
and farming implements. Also offered for sale was the entire furniture of the
house noted as formerly being the residence of Major Crean-Lynch.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">The auctioneers also noted that they have been
favoured with instructions from the representatives of the late J.C. Fitzgerald-Kenny. The man who go on to have a successful legal and political career in
20th century </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
, was actually born after the death of his father. In April 1878, James
Fitzgerald-Kenney was born in </span><st1:street style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">No. 2 Merrion Square and</st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> it is noted on his birth
cert that his father was deceased. He was baptised James Christopher de Kenne
Fitzgerald-Kenney on the 9th May 1878 in St. Andrew's Church Westland Row.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiQNSsBFLrK-cHTvVXeK9CpHnGq7jUNX8FVVsgQou-XqYOlCTzcN_fj0C1zCxRIl0F_QU_h2EruttVJjegwlHsSoSKhdCw6I2UDvToEZat9Gc0AKOT7GwmN4VOMI9BV93Dstc9UyWFUiX/s1600/C7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="795" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhiQNSsBFLrK-cHTvVXeK9CpHnGq7jUNX8FVVsgQou-XqYOlCTzcN_fj0C1zCxRIl0F_QU_h2EruttVJjegwlHsSoSKhdCw6I2UDvToEZat9Gc0AKOT7GwmN4VOMI9BV93Dstc9UyWFUiX/s400/C7.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The breakfront and steps to the house</i><br />
<i>Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">On June 14th, 1894, Harry James Christopher Kenney died aged
20 as the result of an accident. He was the second son of the late J.C.
Fitzgerald Kenny of Kilclogher Co. Galway and <st1:address w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on">Merrion Square</st1:street> <st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city></st1:address>.
He was described as popular young gentleman and was returning from the
Ballinrobe Racces when the accident occurred. He had attended the races and had
won two events but his lifeless body was found the following morning on the
roadside near Clogher House. His horse standing on the roadside with its reins
still in the hands of the deceased. After mass was celebrated in Clogher House,
the cortege left the house at 3pm for interment in the family vault at Drum, a
graveyard found within a mile of Clogher. It was reported that the house was'
<i>literally besieged during the days of mourning , and was a telling proof of the
affectionate regard in which this old Catholic family is held, the room in
which the remains were laid, was constantly thronged with the old and young of
the neighbourhood</i>'. As the coffin was borne out of Clogher House '<i> the vast
multitude around gave expression to their feeling in a loud burst of sorrow.
The large cortege of carriages, cars and the numerous peasantry that followed
the remains, filled the avenue from the house to the entrance gate</i>'. The coffin
was carried all the way to the graveyard on the shoulders of the tenantry who
wore white scarves. Present at the funeral was the Archbishop of Tuam, a number
of clergy from surrounding parishes and the Monks of Errew Monastery. Later in
the month, a letter appeared in 'The Western People' owing to the false rumours
regarding the death of Harry and stated that his death was as a result of a fall from his horse. It was also stated that the victim had a weak heart
from childhood and was prone to sudden faintness or dizziness which may have
caused the fatal fall.<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt; text-align: center;">However the rumour that abounded at the time
was that Captain Blake of nearby Towerhill and Harry had been drinking at the
local pub in Carnacon. Captain Blake stated that he wished to marry Harry's
older sister, Harry let it be known that the Blake family were not thought of
as being suitable to marry into his family. A number of hours later Harry was
found dead on the side of the road near his home.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrU24t3TTmlDHFmhlOIreEalTvk1yxfeekN3HjzRO-QpPzLjUcG6hWRV9pGJxQrqabrfsJLSbQ_LETJo6LK35TH1aqIbu4J5nqhXmkz5GH6ELidv_AfbgZwCg50zJqxiBK1TjymRwnQLM/s1600/c8.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1173" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrU24t3TTmlDHFmhlOIreEalTvk1yxfeekN3HjzRO-QpPzLjUcG6hWRV9pGJxQrqabrfsJLSbQ_LETJo6LK35TH1aqIbu4J5nqhXmkz5GH6ELidv_AfbgZwCg50zJqxiBK1TjymRwnQLM/s400/c8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Rear Facade of Clogher House</i><br />
<i>Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Prior to 1894, there appeared to be good relations between
the Fitzgerald-Kenney's and their tenants. However one year later in
1895, there were a number of hearings for ejectments to carried out on the
estate for the recovery of rent arrears due to Mrs. Fitzgerald-Kenney of
Clogher House. In the 1901 census the house is listed as being owned by Helena
Fitzgerald-Kenney and that it extended to 28 rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Residing in the house at this time is Helena,
a widow aged 53, her daughter also named Helena aged 24, son James aged 22, a
practicing barrister together two servants. It is noted that all <st1:city w:st="on">Helena</st1:city>'s children were born in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>. In May 1903, Helena Fitzgerald-Kenney
late of Clogher House died and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the
probate of her will was granted to James Fitzgerald Kenney B.L. in the amount
of £ 1,335 16s 2d. Clogher House and its lands passed
to her son James. By 1911, James Fitzgerald-Kenney is still living in Clogher
House with another sister Marcella who is a Local Government Board Inspector. In
1920, a long running dispute between the tenants of the estate and James Kenney
came to sad conclusion. From 1913 there had been constant trouble around the
Clogher estate and the RIC had to provide protection to the Fitzgerald-Kenney
family members. James Fitzgerald-Kenney had refused to sell any of his lands to local tenants after which, the locals resorted to a boycott of the
estate. The manager of the estate Michael<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>O'Toole had nine children and could not afford to stop working for the
Fitzgerald-Kenneys and received a warning from the tenants of the estate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As a result O'Toole and another man named Michael Ferrangher were
attacked and beaten. O'Toole died of his injuries but Ferrangher survived for a
short period before he succumbed. Michael Ferragher had worked on the estate
for 26 years prior to his death as a coachman. The suspects who were thought to
have carried out the beating were eventually released without charge. The
families of the deceased men received compensation for their loss, yet the
murders remained unsolved to this day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ET3qCMwahhM2ylpBlXO6DVJdtU6jWvV8TE9hCir0A5yVktf7kTwQ9CIiqyd5k5DZF3Z0vR29v6Yk0HbSPD6jfdDtocrgJrmFIO3YMJ9XmAyyqJKmoGjWO5cwXT1DDn3hJ6pcyK6WQsIc/s1600/C10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="637" data-original-width="977" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ET3qCMwahhM2ylpBlXO6DVJdtU6jWvV8TE9hCir0A5yVktf7kTwQ9CIiqyd5k5DZF3Z0vR29v6Yk0HbSPD6jfdDtocrgJrmFIO3YMJ9XmAyyqJKmoGjWO5cwXT1DDn3hJ6pcyK6WQsIc/s400/C10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><i>Mourners
arriving at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Glasnevin</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Cemetery</st1:placetype></st1:place> for the burial
service of Michael Collins in 1922.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><i> Future Minister for Justice James Fitzgerald-Kenney of Clogher House, Co. Mayo is on the far left. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td></tr>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">In 1918, James Fitzgerald-Kenney proved counsel for Mr.
Edward Martyn of <st1:placename w:st="on">Tulira</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype>, <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place> in an
injunction that he took against a local farmer that was trespassing on this demesne.
In 1934, it was reported that Miss Helena Fitzgerald-Kenney had placed her
beautiful and ancient residence at the disposal of the Mayo Branch of the
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children for the branch's
annual general meeting. Helena J. Fitzgerald-Kenney was a member of the Mayo
Executive of the I.S.P.C.C. and was a council member of the N.S.P.C.C. During
Christmas 1949, an invitation was extended from Miss Helena Fitzgerald-Kenny
for Midnight Mass to be celebrated at Clogher House. The mass was held in the
drawing room which was transformed into an oratory for the occasion. The
congregation was made up of staff and people from the area surrounding Clogher.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After his mother's death Clogher was
home to James Fitzgerald-Kenney, Cumann na nGaedheal TD for South Mayo
1927-1944 and Minister for Justice 1927-1932. He had inherited Clogher through
his mother’s family and made it his home until his death in 1956 together with
his siblings. He was educated in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Clongowes</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Wood</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place>
and University College Dublin were he graduated with a BA in 1898 and was
called to the Irish Bar in 1899. He built up an extensive practice in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city> and on the
Connaught Circuit and was called to the Inner Bar in 1925. He joined the Irish
National Volunteers in 1914 and was for a time an Inspecting Officer for South
Mayo. In 1927, he was elected to the Dail, and shortly afterwards, following the
shooting of the first minister for Justice, Kevin O'Higgins, he was appointed
Secretary to the Minister for Justice. After the elections of Septemb</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">er 1927, James was re-elected for South Mayo and became Minister for Justice. After his retirement in 1944 from politics, he resumed his legal practice and eventually </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">retired to his farm at Clogher. James Fitzgerald- Kenney
died aged 78 in 1956 in a <st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city> hospital and his
remains were removed from <st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city> to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Carnacon</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place> near Clogher with burial taking place in Drum graveyard near the house. James was predeceased by his brother, i</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">n August 1954, the death occurred of William Lionel Fitzgerald-Kenney at Clogher House. After his father's death and being the eldest son, while still a minor, he inherited his father's property at Kilclogher and Keelogues near Glenamaddy, Co. </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13.3333px;" w:st="on">Galway</st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">. In 1900, he sold all his property having previously married in 1896, Josephine Delmas, the daughter of one of the foremost and best known lawyers, Delphin M. Delmas of </span><st1:city style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13.3333px;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">. William emigrated to </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 13.3333px;" w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;"> in 1902 to be near his wife's relatives and lived there until he returned to Clogher House in 1949 where he lived until his death. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">James surviving sisters continued
to live at Clogher House after his death. In October 1957, James's sister
Helena died , the chief mourners at her funeral were her sister Miss Marcella
Fitzgerald-Kenney and Mrs. John Sweetman from Kells. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> The Kenney-Fitzgerald
family association with Clogher came to an end with the death of Marcella
Fitzgerald-Kenney, who died in 1965 at the </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
in Castlebar. All the family members are buried at the nearby Drum graveyard.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z2W7YCEwuITAC0o04lL6B3j2uvBSBDeFZPWJSUu0LnexBLl0JaWesrr0AQlkht9d1x7NhWE-HlZ0BCFWqb9bV-QkNrBFu3P_f4clZhRomokguZskwix9htdk1y0xjIWEMNylwq5TuyKP/s1600/c11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="385" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Z2W7YCEwuITAC0o04lL6B3j2uvBSBDeFZPWJSUu0LnexBLl0JaWesrr0AQlkht9d1x7NhWE-HlZ0BCFWqb9bV-QkNrBFu3P_f4clZhRomokguZskwix9htdk1y0xjIWEMNylwq5TuyKP/s320/c11.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>James Fitzgerald Kenney</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">As a result of the death of the last Kenney-Fitzgerald
sibling to live in the house, two years later in 1967, the contents of the Clogher were offered
for sale at auction. This included the contents of the library that extended to
over 3,000 books together with both Celestial and Terrestrial globes. The
contents of the house was obviously extensive as it took four days to conduct
the sale.<span style="color: #1c1e21;"> In the auction catalogue from 1967, the
following rooms and area's in the house are mentioned,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the Library, the back drawing room, entrance hall, inner hall and staircase, four bedrooms and the top floor which had a full size billiard
table. The house had an extensive library as the sale of its contents accounted
for one full day of the four day auction. The books amounted to 3,000 copies
that covered topics such as history, law, architecture,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> m</span>edicine, agriculture, forestry, gardening, travel, trade and religion. There were books written by George and Maurice
Moore who had lived on the neighbouring estate together with books by Douglas
Hyde and Yeats. There was a copy of ' The Trials of George R. Fitzgerald and
others held at Castlebar , taken from the notes of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a Gentleman' dating from 1786. The architecture books
appeared to contain a number of volumes regarding designs for ornamental cottages,
rural cottages,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>small villas, labourers
cottages and farm cottages. Some of the medical books dated from the mid 1600's
and a large number of books dated from the 1700's featured in the sale, which
means they predated the house. As the books were so numerous, a large quantity
were not listed, with some being sold by the shelf. The library also had a
collection of maps which included an Atlas with geographical and historical
accounts of the empires printed for Daniel Brown in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city> in 1721. There were also fifty sheets
of maps of the maritime aspect of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Mayo</st1:placename></st1:place>. After the auction </span>the
house was sold to a timber merchant but unfortunately having survived the turbulent 1920's in Ireland, in January 1970, Clogher
House was destroyed in a fire. At the time the house stood on 200 acres having
once been surrounded by a demesne of 640 acres. Despite the efforts of fire
brigades from Claremorris and Ballinrobe the house was reduced to ruins. It was
said that strong gales on the night of the fire hampered efforts to save the
house. Clogher was unoccupied at the time and was looked after by a caretaker
who lived nearby. Today the house languishes in ruins and is slowly being reclaimed by nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrJyqfIk01GevJRYb4rkhc0tufHB8NEITKXTNPeqnXbBNIOzJqR-5FLVPGfSetD-1xW886_y9lhpvNpPfBDQXMxSugtVPofek56gW-vVdHS6f0dDlw7UBzu7uSedW4vYl-NyTBtIHNdnM/s1600/C4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1153" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCrJyqfIk01GevJRYb4rkhc0tufHB8NEITKXTNPeqnXbBNIOzJqR-5FLVPGfSetD-1xW886_y9lhpvNpPfBDQXMxSugtVPofek56gW-vVdHS6f0dDlw7UBzu7uSedW4vYl-NyTBtIHNdnM/s400/C4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Clogher House after it was destroyed by fire in 1970</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"></span></div>
</div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-73966704447310440162019-02-01T06:29:00.003-08:002020-11-13T08:18:36.514-08:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 48pt; line-height: 68.48px;">Cill-Alaithe House</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 48pt; line-height: 68.48px;">( Killala House) </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua", serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.5333px;">Killala, Co. Mayo</span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 14.2667px;"><o:p></o:p></span></b><br /><br />
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</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3f6gloKb0kTae9hOWyx5PIAj8UJdU0mZtqPFN5PQ7OkIBbe4alrUX0F4MkiXNLHg2EMf5jE8VQfJy_LqVkPNuxTj_Qj0MR8fqO4beI_Ie0ZoKOg70obJyms7y5BAlyBWfgepVdOVCNdE/s5231/DSC_1735.JPG" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3482" data-original-width="5231" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3f6gloKb0kTae9hOWyx5PIAj8UJdU0mZtqPFN5PQ7OkIBbe4alrUX0F4MkiXNLHg2EMf5jE8VQfJy_LqVkPNuxTj_Qj0MR8fqO4beI_Ie0ZoKOg70obJyms7y5BAlyBWfgepVdOVCNdE/w512-h341/DSC_1735.JPG" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The Entrance Front of Cill-Alaithe House, once home to Augusta Gertrude Knox Gore<br />Photo dates from August 2020<br /> Copyright ICHC<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="" style="font-size: 10pt;">Cill-Alaithe House is situated near the town of Killala, in Co. Mayo and was designed and built for Miss Augusta
Gertrude Knox Gore in the 1890's, a remarkable expression of independence considering the few rights that women had at this time. The house was constructed on the land of the nearby former Bishop's Palace which had
been purchased by her brother Sir Charles James Knox Gore, 2nd Baronet of
Belleek Castle in 1874. Sir Charles died on the 22<sup>nd</sup> December 1890,
unmarried with a personal estate valued at
£70,339 2s 2d. As Sir Charles had died with no male heirs, the title of Baronet
died with him, having only been awarded to his father twenty two years earlier. The estate at Belleek Manor and its land near Ballina, was entailed under the terms of Charles's fathers will, and was thus divided between his older sisters. In the 1870's the Knox Gore estate extended to over 22,000 acres of land in Mayo with a further 8,500 in Sligo. However it was Sir Charles's sizable personal fortune, which was not entailed, that provided Augusta with the independent means with which to
build her own home. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZRNNtO_vS32ZyDE-Wwl5GLCvWsnINZ16aP9HxOdT3PnZhVHXNlw4Y6C83F2vznlrmtFiWR_bCYZZznOPkocMMP3k5mJ9MgapA0HJvBZk3B0a_G7N5koJQKaiBb7VwT2t8ExY3pB5x7VX/s1600/DSC_0064.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZRNNtO_vS32ZyDE-Wwl5GLCvWsnINZ16aP9HxOdT3PnZhVHXNlw4Y6C83F2vznlrmtFiWR_bCYZZznOPkocMMP3k5mJ9MgapA0HJvBZk3B0a_G7N5koJQKaiBb7VwT2t8ExY3pB5x7VX/w500-h333/DSC_0064.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The grave of Charles James Knox Gore and his dog Phizzie buried nearby<br />in the demense of Belleek Manor overlooking the River Moy. It was the death<br />of Charles and the money that Augusta inherited from him that allowed her to<br />construct her home in Killala<br /> Copyright ICHC<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="" style="font-size: 10pt;">Under the terms of this will Charles appointed a number of executors which included his sister
Augusta Gertrude Knox. She was well provided for under the terms of
the will, she received all her brother's silver plate, linen, china, books,
wines, liquors, furniture, household effects, guns together with all his carriages
and horses in Belleek Manor. However he also left her a large sum of money, in the amount of
£20,000, which would allow Augusta to construct the house in Killala. Charles
also recorded in his will that he desired to be buried in the demesne around
Belleek Manor, in an area that he had pointed out previously to Augusta. It is
obvious that Charles held his sister in high regard, as once the finances of his estate were settled after his death, any residue was to be placed in a trust and the income
paid to Augusta. She was the only trustee of her brother's estate who had the power to appoint new trustees and it was she who had the final say over her
deceased brothers investments, Charles also stated that Augusta had the right
to reside at Belleek Manor for a period of six months after his death to allow
her to make arrangements for a new residence for herself. Charles had left to his
sister, Mrs Saunders ( who inherited Belleek Manor under the terms of her father will), the Warwick vase, two candelabra and the oak furniture in
the castle. However if Augusta was refused by her sister the period of six months residence
in the manor, Mrs. Saunders forsook these items, which causes one to think that relations were not good between the sisters.</span><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KI4qspO48-XFyqjcYnIMf5o5GZ_sHL8gITdC2uNq-fOHhfkl1b3QVBpG1iZC7GCXzZ4NWbF1fYeQuhryXkQmG6riDudu84K8J_hFBkZtkwMvrU9sLvbmsE-lsIi7tFKhTTZT6miZzvTd/s1600/DSC_0668.+BJPG.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2KI4qspO48-XFyqjcYnIMf5o5GZ_sHL8gITdC2uNq-fOHhfkl1b3QVBpG1iZC7GCXzZ4NWbF1fYeQuhryXkQmG6riDudu84K8J_hFBkZtkwMvrU9sLvbmsE-lsIi7tFKhTTZT6miZzvTd/w500-h333/DSC_0668.+BJPG.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The Entrance Front of Belleek Castle, Ballina, Co. Mayo<br />The home of Augusta Knox Gore before she built her home in Killala<br /> Copyright ICHC<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="" style="font-size: 10pt;">Augusta
Gertrude Knox was born circa 1846 and was the daughter of Sir Arthur and Lady Sarah
Knox Gore of Belleek Manor outside Ballina, Co. Mayo. Augusta's mother, Lady Sarah, whom </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.3333px;">Arthur Knox Gore married in 1829</span><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="" style="font-size: 10pt;">, was the daughter of
Colonel Charles Nesbitt Knox of Castle Lacken near Killala. Arthur and Sarah's marriage produced a family of two sons and six daughters. Sir Arthur, who became a baronet in 1868, brought the railway
to Ballina and vowed that he would travel on the first train to arrive in the
station in the town. He was true to his word, but he arrived contained within a coffin as he died in the Shelbourne
Hotel in Dublin in 1873. Augusta was said to have be treated badly by her
mother who preferred her other daughters and often let it known to the staff of
Belleek Manor that the needs of her other daughters came before the needs of Augusta’s.
As a result of this treatment in her childhood she grew up to be a very
disagreeable woman in later life. It appears that Augsuta's mother, Lady Sarah thought herself better than others in the extended family and landed classes in the locality at the time. Augusta's sister and Lady Sarah's daughter, Agnes Frances Nina Knox Gore of Belleek Manor married Utred Knox of nearby Mount Falcon in 1875. However her mother Lady Sarah, in her estimation considered Utred's family home, Hollywood House (also known as Mount Falcon as it was its predecessor), not suitable as a residence for her daughter having grown up in Belleek Manor. Utred had inherited £7,000 from his father but had to borrow a further £14,000 in order to complete a new house for his new bride. The new home was designed by the architect James Franklin Fuller, however the debt that Utred incurred worried himself and Nina for the rest of their married life. W</span><span face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">hen Lady Sarah died aged 77 at Mount Falcon in 1888, she made no provision or bequest in her will to her daughter Augusta despite leaving an estate valued at £6,822 which passed in most part to her daughter Agnes Frances Nina Knox.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> Lady Sarah's funeral was </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">strictly</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> private, was held at 4 am in the morning when she was buried with her husband in Belleek Wood under the monument designed by Fuller. Therefore Augusta, possibly in awe of her sister's home at Mount Falcon and having grown up in Belleek Manor, would have had plenty of inspiration when it came to designing her own home in Killala. It is quite possible that Augusta had inherited her mother's conceit and pretentious nature which now could be </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">expressed with the inheritance received the from her brother</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">. Augusta probably felt that the new house in Killala was necessary for someone of her social class considering the other homes of family members such as Belleek Manor and Mount Falcon.</span></span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgCQeiU8WrRZsGRhIBiKX_Pw26Frhrexhtoco0CcHlryy7Mhiiy10jfgRH_8U-udn_AXpC8-qHS0I8urKLliTsHy94txjXx06fMl89E8_HxeiuhKsuocUkBur7HrsIjiglp_YM0ZT390C/s1600/DSC_0251.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgCQeiU8WrRZsGRhIBiKX_Pw26Frhrexhtoco0CcHlryy7Mhiiy10jfgRH_8U-udn_AXpC8-qHS0I8urKLliTsHy94txjXx06fMl89E8_HxeiuhKsuocUkBur7HrsIjiglp_YM0ZT390C/w500-h333/DSC_0251.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">Mount Falcon, Ballina, Co. Mayo, the home of Augusta's sister Nina who married Utred Knox. </i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">Nina's </i><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">mother declared that a new house of stature had to be built as Utred's previous </i><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">home </i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">was not suitable for her daughter. Mount Falcon </i><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">was therefore built by Utred </i><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">in the</i><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"> 1870's</i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"> to keep his mother-in-law happy. </i><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">Copyright ICHC<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">On the 16th May
1891, it was reported,in</span><span class="apple-converted-space" face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The
Western People</i><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">, that the contract had been awarded for the construction of
a house for Miss Knox Gore in Killala at a cost of £8,000. What is interesting
about the date is that is within the six month period mentioned in Charles’s
will. In the same paper in the same month, a John Goode, a contractor based in
Killala, placed an advertisement looking for a number of masons and stone
cutters to help with the construction of an 'extensive villa at
Killala'. At this time Miss Knox Gore was lobbying the Board of Guardians
of the nearby workhouse. Her solicitor, Mr. Garvey, told the board that Miss Knox
Gore was ' anxious to attach portion of the workhouse grounds for the villa
residence she intends to build on her property near the town'. While the board
seen no issue with the request, they were concerned that it might have some
effect on a proposal to turn the workhouse into an industrial
training school in the near future. </span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddh8IJFp6A71i7OGqH60JU6GLgDCMqeZffKc6KiuZWk8SmZHEELjqMXPgTwIHYPj6vLcXbvADqYwUVVtzYbePcWfnmdYJ50rIdasDJIz7RfGOIMRkXvhLcGr2X-pfE91FOxCy5IsovNfc/s4842/DSC_1839.JPG" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3171" data-original-width="4842" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgddh8IJFp6A71i7OGqH60JU6GLgDCMqeZffKc6KiuZWk8SmZHEELjqMXPgTwIHYPj6vLcXbvADqYwUVVtzYbePcWfnmdYJ50rIdasDJIz7RfGOIMRkXvhLcGr2X-pfE91FOxCy5IsovNfc/w512-h335/DSC_1839.JPG" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">Cill-Alaithe House outside Kilala was built in the 1890's to Augusta's specification</i><br /><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><i style="font-size: 11.88px;">Photo dates from August 2020</i><br /></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"> Copyright ICHC<br /></i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">One year
later in June 1892, </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The Western People,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">reported that ' the handsome
mansion which Miss Knox is building for herself near Killala is
drawing rapidly to a finish. It is a very imposing structure,
and commands unrivaled marine and land views. We wish Miss Knox
Gore many years to enjoy her new home'. The architectural firm who are are said to have designed the house were Millar and Symes, who were an architectural
partnership based in Dublin, formed in 1874. It was recorded by the architect,
R.C. Millar, in his diary that he made visits to other Knox homes, Mount Falcon
and Castle Gore between 1892 and 1894. The house in Killala is said to have
been built between 1893 and 1894, however as we can see from reports in the
local press that the house was built between 1891 and 1892 however it could
have been 1894 by the time the gardens and courtyard were completed. It is
recorded that the architect was staying with the Knox family while he oversaw his
West of Ireland commission. It is said that the Knox Gore’s instructed the
architect to visit and incorporate ideas from ten of the stateliest houses in
England. However the architect may have been inspired by the Knox’s own homes
in Mayo, as the interior of the completed Cill Alaithe contains a chimney piece
from Rappa Castle together with items from other Knox homes in Ballina. One of
the fireplaces came from the residence of the Colonel King in Ballina, which is
now the offices of Mac Hales Solicitors in the town. However over the years, I
have heard other architectural historians imply that the house may have been
the work of James Franklin Fuller, who had completed a number of projects for
the Knox family in the previous years. Also the entrance gates to Belleek
Castle were commissioned by Augusta’s brother, Charles, from Fuller the
architect in the 1870’s together with a monument over the grave of their father. It should be noted that Charles purchased the land in
Killala on which Augusta’s new house would be built in 1874. Would it be
possible that Fuller had provided an outline design at that time in the 1870's for the house
in Killala which was later developed by Millar and Symes when it came to building the house in the 1890's . However this is just conjecture as Fuller was notorious for
destroying his own records.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8SUeIZBflSlBh-fxSfZtKzSx3ES3-mltUGPXgCdqqZPbN3gtxrwNNBdDA3u6Fj1s26jvQeDZ93vTNwHLcQt5ClZGNDHmBG5hwuFdnkZwcLytLvWQyP6Drv7jauSSKbctKGbU0mPqjNNs/s5912/DSC_1792.JPG" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5912" data-original-width="3862" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8SUeIZBflSlBh-fxSfZtKzSx3ES3-mltUGPXgCdqqZPbN3gtxrwNNBdDA3u6Fj1s26jvQeDZ93vTNwHLcQt5ClZGNDHmBG5hwuFdnkZwcLytLvWQyP6Drv7jauSSKbctKGbU0mPqjNNs/w334-h512/DSC_1792.JPG" width="334" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br />The
top lit walnut staircase of the house in Killala was said to have been modeled
on another Knox Family home at Castlereagh which was demolished in the 1930’s.
The completed house in Killala is in the Italianate architectural style which
would have been the height of fashion at the time. The house was named
Cill-Alaithe, which is the Irish for the name of the town of </span><st1:city style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Killala</st1:place></st1:city><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">. At the time of the 1901 census,
Augusta Gertrude Knox Gore is aged 54 and living in the house with a large
number of servants, her income is derived from dividends and land, with her
religion being described as Plymouth Brethren. Present in the house on the night
of the census is Joseph Valentine Russell, a land steward, aged 31 and member of
the </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> of </span><st1:placename style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Ireland</st1:placename><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">
from </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Sligo</st1:place><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">. There is a headstone along the
side avenue to the house in memory of Joseph who died in 1912 and is said to
have been more than just a close friend of Miss Knox Gore, however one thinks
this is unlikely considering the age difference. Joseph died on the 27</span><sup style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">
March 1912 , his death certificate records that he died of heart failure and
that a Martin Divine was present at his death which occurred in Killala, he was
aged 42 and his profession is listed as being a carpenter, Also present in the
house at the time of the 1901 census were James Devine from Mayo aged 40, a
butler, Mary Devine aged 47, the cook, Jane March aged 18, the house maid, Kate
Reape aged 17, a laundress and Anne Canning aged 17, a dairy maid. All the
servants were from Mayo and Catholic. The house is recorded at this time
extending to 18 rooms with 41 outbuildings. By 1911, Cill Alaithe was inhabited by the Scott family, the head of the family John Scott is described as a labourer. Augusta at this time was residing with her sister in Coolcronaun near Foxford.</span>
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhnlhZqn4hwVbQ0QjdpV0lbsw2vqg15IO_PvJJwHw-9Dgm-Ir6VY15mY8RoFO-KxD-tPgu8HQOxDxu76WRs9bms-Eyv9PLCK66b0VoD73U72SqnjYrkVXEzKa5Ib20UktM0GLWlj4W5Xb/s6000/DSC_1826.JPG" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="4000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFhnlhZqn4hwVbQ0QjdpV0lbsw2vqg15IO_PvJJwHw-9Dgm-Ir6VY15mY8RoFO-KxD-tPgu8HQOxDxu76WRs9bms-Eyv9PLCK66b0VoD73U72SqnjYrkVXEzKa5Ib20UktM0GLWlj4W5Xb/w342-h512/DSC_1826.JPG" width="342" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">The Entrance Hall of Kilala House<br />Photo dates from August 2020<br />Copyright ICHC</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><br />
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="" style="font-size: 10pt;">From
reading newspaper reports from the time, it appears that Miss Knox Gore
established a stud farm at Cill Alaithe which expanded rapidly from 1898 after the construction of the house. In 1901, it was reported that a
horse by the name of Vertigo, bred by Miss Knox Gore, won the Aintree Feather
Plate at the <st1:place w:st="on">Liverpool</st1:place> meeting making this its
third win in succession. In August of the same year, Miss Knox Gore's horses, <st1:city w:st="on">St. Moritz</st1:city> and Vertigo also won at the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Windsor</st1:place></st1:city> races. In 1906, a horse named Royal
Arch ran at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kempton</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place> was bred by Miss
Knox Gore. It was noted at the time that she was a famous horse breeder and had
bred successful horses named Glenamoy and Nausicaa, who won at Lingfield in
1905. It was said that the sea air near Cill Alaithe was the reason behind the
successful horses she bred.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchYK3WpH-gEAQeqMaoy-YP26Kz87GkSf8zKjUyeijs2theRXoz8HktXk_btA15gUvSNn_-raTv0I0XNgnvDUba5qrxjofR0tew8EV7jA95JiDyYn1qa1hLxpnz5dpnKuQgYbjT2ais84n/s1600/DSC_1702+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1600" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjchYK3WpH-gEAQeqMaoy-YP26Kz87GkSf8zKjUyeijs2theRXoz8HktXk_btA15gUvSNn_-raTv0I0XNgnvDUba5qrxjofR0tew8EV7jA95JiDyYn1qa1hLxpnz5dpnKuQgYbjT2ais84n/s400/DSC_1702+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">This image of the gardens surround Cill-Alaithe were featured in Country Life magazine in 1902,<br />what is interesting above this image is that it would show the gardens soon after they were completed<br /> Copyright ICHC<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">The grounds
surrounding the house are now in the process of being re-established after being over grown for decades but were once envied throughout Ireland and England.
Miss Knox Gore had one of the finest collections of rare and exotic trees and
at one stage employed four gardeners to keep it in check. Her collection of
plants were in the landscaped grounds which she named her Italian garden was
featured in </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Country Life Magazine</i><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> in 1902. In the magazine,
the garden was referred to being eight years old, which would indicate that it
was complete by 1894. It was necessary when the garden was being constructed, that the perimeter was surrounded with a double beech hedge to provide protection to the
plants from harsh weather. In the garden was planted magnolias, aralias,
cordylines, hydrangeas, fuchsias and myrtles. When the
French sailed into Killala in 1798, they brought three canons with them. One
was left in Killala while the other two travelled with the French to Castlebar, and ended in the grounds of Raheen's House in Castlebar, subject of an earlier post.
It was said that up until the Civil War in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> this cannon sat on the lawn
of Miss Knox's house. However it was confiscated during the troubled times of
the 1920's in the mistaken belief that it could still be of some use. The man
said to be responsible for the design of the gardens around Augusta’s house in Killala was
Mr. John Leybourne, who was once the head garden in Belleek Manor prior to the
death of Augusta’s brother Charles. After the departure of Augusta in the 1920's from Cill-Alaithe, John
continued to live in Killala until his death in 1930 and is buried in
Ballysokeery graveyard.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWNyKZ7vrD2Rlnha_RaaHMo95qq2B74OaFZpAnpImgTls7KKW67Z69TFCYrSIBZSkPuhDgWOiglOE42hb1ITC-7FOpQXhlTskWaC8YtuHaskYosuvosspMrfZGR2-BtPjBQx2u04RkWHq/s1600/DSC_1705+copy.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1050" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcWNyKZ7vrD2Rlnha_RaaHMo95qq2B74OaFZpAnpImgTls7KKW67Z69TFCYrSIBZSkPuhDgWOiglOE42hb1ITC-7FOpQXhlTskWaC8YtuHaskYosuvosspMrfZGR2-BtPjBQx2u04RkWHq/s400/DSC_1705+copy.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">This is possibly an image of Augusta Knox dating from 1902 in the garden of Cill-Alaithe House<br /> Copyright ICHC<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">By
early 1919, Miss Knox Gore was beginning to divest herself of her
holdings of land around Killala and in February of that year, the sale of eight farms
owned by Miss Knox was advertised. W.M. Boland was instructed to sell lands at Public Auction at the Courthouse in the town on the 8th of February.
It is also mentioned that farm implements and machinery in the yard of Cill
Alaithe would also be sold. It says that the implements are by the best
manufacturers and are only one year in use. James Gilvarry, a wealthy local man returning from the </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> bought the
house from Augusta in 1923. She moved to Hadfod, Lon Llandegfan , Menai
Bridge Anglesey in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wales</st1:place></st1:country-region><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">
and died there in October of 1924 and she is buried in Llandeyfan, Anglesey in Wales. Her will was probated in </span><st1:city style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> in January 1925 by Frederick Hellewell
Mills, a barrister and Ethel Theodora Pery. Miss Knox Gore's estate was valued
at £13,492 1s. When Augusta left Killala in 1923 she transported all her
belonging from Killala in an old boat, and it is said that when it reached its
destination, on the other side of the Irish Sea, that it had barely been unloaded
when it heeled over and sank.</span><br />
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjB7mDpv5QYq3mLAujrSNCg-5a-DtRnjguIuXcbGy9LUCRvb9uZeNGtnYUFATswtORg_UGL5mCTM0vUyHKyFPe-qKM9aIDrkAa4ZLcayo0aPbufYAsqsHEDmbQVds4JmRLcV6z2gDPFKv/s1600/Italian+garden+Cil-alaithe+1+-+c.+1900+in+JPEG.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjB7mDpv5QYq3mLAujrSNCg-5a-DtRnjguIuXcbGy9LUCRvb9uZeNGtnYUFATswtORg_UGL5mCTM0vUyHKyFPe-qKM9aIDrkAa4ZLcayo0aPbufYAsqsHEDmbQVds4JmRLcV6z2gDPFKv/s400/Italian+garden+Cil-alaithe+1+-+c.+1900+in+JPEG.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsTH9yW42zcRfEZqbHFrfi_Nfzc2nRjoAKaM4nAeKV1NEfbfFZkUorxfzGnvdv-CB3z00H6HIknzIwlVFRo1vrgjDYX312cUnWul3kLlr5_OaXzTXYcttcguAUcMyeDyeon_L2gb4IK11u/s400/Italian+garden+Cil-alaithe+2+-+c.+1920+in+JPEG+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The Italian garden beside Cill-Alaithe, the bottom photo dates from after the 1950's</i><br />
<i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">as the palm trees ,present in the above photograph, are missing as they collapsed in a storm<br /> Copyright Richard Longfield<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">James Gilvarry did not live in the house on a full time basis but a man by the name of Michael Gilvarry, James's brother, was in residence on occasion. James and his
family did return from </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">
to the house on numerous occasions during the summer months and their
visits were often recorded in the press. In 1935, James's daughter Mary
Elizabeth was married in the chapel in Killala with the reception taking place
afterwards in Cill Alaithe. During one summer in the house, the family entertained
the Taoiseach W.T. Cosgrave, whom they also previously entertained in </span><st1:state style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">. On one
occasion, Cosgrave on his return to </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland from the United States</st1:place></st1:country-region><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> had shamrocks picked from
the grounds of Cill Alaithe and sent to James in Amercia as a thank you for his
hospitality. In the newspaper</span><span class="apple-converted-space" face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The
Brooklyn Daily Eagle</i><span class="apple-converted-space" face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">in June
1936, it was reported that Mrs. James H. Gilvarry and her daughter, Miss Peggy
Gilvarry of 66 Maple St., Brooklyn had sailed for Ireland on the Cunard Liner
Britannic ( sister ship to the Titanic), to visit their summer home Cill
Alaithe in Killala, Co. Mayo. They were to be joined by James H. Gilvarry Jr.
who was a student of medicine at Trinity. </span><span class="apple-converted-space" face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">Mrs Gilvarry's husband James would
sail later in the month and would spend most of August in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> and on
the continent. In 1938, James made front page news in </span><st1:state style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> when he was abducted by two armed
men and his car stolen. The property in Killala then passed to James'
daughter Mary Flynn, who often listed the house as her address when advertising
pedigree livestock for sale. She had married a man from Leitrim and was
based in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> on a full time bases. Her
father, James, possibly had to curtail his visits to Killala from </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> as a
result of the outbreak of the Second World War. James H. Gilvarry died in
1947</span><span class="apple-converted-space" face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;"> at the age of 71, it
was noted in his obituary that he was a lawyer and real estate
broker, he died of a heart attack in the Court House in </span><st1:city style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manhattan</st1:place></st1:city><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 10pt;">. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span face="arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Zd_yKy9-kfgmsdig8WYgHaPgo3fGZ5ZEfnP_FtIeLnfwPeVuvjoV76y4OIDwtxPWt9h4hYXW9dGM0Bh2pyCGN25u4tnw2BoQ_TA_KCTwhkbc40MU6kFceOOTFQfYnLBVBSI_qOBqQQKV/s1600/Killala+Map.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="557" data-original-width="588" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Zd_yKy9-kfgmsdig8WYgHaPgo3fGZ5ZEfnP_FtIeLnfwPeVuvjoV76y4OIDwtxPWt9h4hYXW9dGM0Bh2pyCGN25u4tnw2BoQ_TA_KCTwhkbc40MU6kFceOOTFQfYnLBVBSI_qOBqQQKV/s400/Killala+Map.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">This OS Map shows the location of August's Italian garden which occupied<br />an area to the side of the house.<br /> Copyright OSI<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="" style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">In
early 1941, the Sisters of the Marist Order arrived from France, Belguim and
England at the house in Killala to take refuge as their own convents
had been damaged in the bombings during the Second World War. </span>The
house was occupied until 1942 by the group of nuns,when it was purchased by
Alexander Knox Miller. He maintained the house in a good condition and was
always happy to let anybody visit the house and grounds, provided they had
asked permission. For a number of years, a local
priest Father Guckian lived in the house in Killala, in a small flat. He looked after the house as
Mr. Miller lived mostly in Millbrook, Co.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:place w:st="on">Derry</st1:place>, where he still practiced the family profession
that gave rise to his surname. In June 1954, there was a dispersal sale of
livestock, which was advertised as taking place at Cill-Alaithe under Mr.
Miller's instruction. At the sale, one of the yearling heifers swapped one
salubrious residence for another when it was purchased by Mr. P. F. Cooper of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Markree<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Castle<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>in<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Sligo. The
last wedding to take place in this lovely house took place on<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>7<sup>th</sup><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>September, 1963, between Mr. Miller’s
daughter, Felicity, and Richard Longfield, whose forebears came from Mallow,
Co.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:city>. Both groom and bride were graduates of<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Trinity<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>College,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Dublin. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" lang="" style="font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI5BV-KxzEpWhmAYJq66E56bHBzr_cU_LsL3H57a-rR706WS40RLpwcqJbxyrcoQwgYD0do22iihd_D2-CcfkXDcTn6xTNLhNksigqcH9DpJRzmqkFKSUbAOgaCgRkM6ouDt4wH_w4b6I/s1600/Cill-alaithe+greenhouse+from+rose+garden+1+c.1945.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="1600" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnI5BV-KxzEpWhmAYJq66E56bHBzr_cU_LsL3H57a-rR706WS40RLpwcqJbxyrcoQwgYD0do22iihd_D2-CcfkXDcTn6xTNLhNksigqcH9DpJRzmqkFKSUbAOgaCgRkM6ouDt4wH_w4b6I/w500-h285/Cill-alaithe+greenhouse+from+rose+garden+1+c.1945.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The green house that once existed to the rear of Cill Alaithe</i></div>
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"> Copyright Richard Longfield</i></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><br /></i></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxRh8QJtsn-fK7ivRFucIPA2aPt7jCZ8iN5KKWN1MCFs8LWJ9dS63gjbqw1mkm666DYHJi8cKDzRRQWKsBAcuJrIDOZfEzI6LVVyAam6ZA1uguxebnXey97ctgBzbGjGFD2GnFktqvp8r/s6000/DSC_1763.JPG" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxRh8QJtsn-fK7ivRFucIPA2aPt7jCZ8iN5KKWN1MCFs8LWJ9dS63gjbqw1mkm666DYHJi8cKDzRRQWKsBAcuJrIDOZfEzI6LVVyAam6ZA1uguxebnXey97ctgBzbGjGFD2GnFktqvp8r/w512-h342/DSC_1763.JPG" width="512" /></a></div><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><i style="font-size: 11.88px;">Side Elevation<br />Copyright ICHC</i></i></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px;"><i style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"><br /></i></div>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">In
1970, Asahi, a local factory, purchased Cill Alaithe House, who intended to maintain
the property for use by its employees. In 1988 Asahi granted Killala Community
Council permission to lease the house to An Oige for use as a youth hostel.
Over the following years the house changed owners a number of times. In 1997
the house appeared on the market for around €320,000 but after a number of bids
it was sold to Johnny Mc Carthy for €400,000. During the time that the house
was owned by Asahi, its condition deteriorated and
original features were lost including the substantial glass house to the
rear of the property. Mr. Mc Carthy restored the house, spending over €1
million euros, and placed it back on the market in 2003 for €1.5 million. In
2004, a planning application was lodged by the new owners to Mayo County
Council to link the house with the stable block and also construct 72 bedrooms
in an effort to turn the house in to a hotel. This plan
never materialized and the house appeared again on the market in
2010. New owners were not forth coming as Ireland was in the midst of a
financial crisis. In October 2014, the house was sold for €765,000 and the new
owners have embraced the prospect of owning a property of this nature and have
reinvigorated the house, stables and the gardens in a lavish fashion. Daniel Mc Auliffe and Anoj Don have renovated the house, restored the many derelict outbuildings and created a haven for a menagerie of animals since bringing the extensive grounds under control after years of neglect. Today the interior of the house is decorated with heritage colors, antiques and a number of items that display the humor of its new owners. This country house could not have hoped for better owners, for they do not want to turn this house into a hotel but simply want to make it a home. If the ghost of Augusta Knox Gore takes a walk through the grounds today, I'm sure she would approve of the work done and be happy that her legacy is in safe hands.</span></span><br /></div>
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<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 13.3333px; text-align: justify;"><b>NOTE :Please note that the text of this article or any of the photograph's contained within may not be reproduced without the permission of David Hicks</b></span></div>
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZr8DrCD82Hkuo9tQovwwh8DPJsct_4ZRRLk8MLiGGwMTPc4AOeQneZdM7Y5ht7YEZ7o9_5AEAWnFJ4MtqYyvPnfxuS7oDjM0rJ29_k2aFeHOjZTBXAfnZSClfDcrxOWVglgvCGDkjNe7/s4728/DSC_1867.JPG" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 1em 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4728" data-original-width="2811" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqZr8DrCD82Hkuo9tQovwwh8DPJsct_4ZRRLk8MLiGGwMTPc4AOeQneZdM7Y5ht7YEZ7o9_5AEAWnFJ4MtqYyvPnfxuS7oDjM0rJ29_k2aFeHOjZTBXAfnZSClfDcrxOWVglgvCGDkjNe7/s640/DSC_1867.JPG" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-8993480390508075662018-11-28T12:49:00.002-08:002018-11-28T13:14:17.364-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Raheens House</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 26.6667px;">Castlebar, Co. Mayo</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57_lchRYhRydT1dYRcPTknMjxRCBVV87lWY9z99mwBtBoMcTaPdHdmmg2BAFidORS2_mGtmS79y2p9QQ6XsuriB987oiRT7hMdT-T8gkoRZ93GglyIlpMxqE9O4oIoYNcWagyRY3R68cu/s1600/DSC_1160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57_lchRYhRydT1dYRcPTknMjxRCBVV87lWY9z99mwBtBoMcTaPdHdmmg2BAFidORS2_mGtmS79y2p9QQ6XsuriB987oiRT7hMdT-T8gkoRZ93GglyIlpMxqE9O4oIoYNcWagyRY3R68cu/s400/DSC_1160.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The Entrance Front of Raheens House, once home to the Browne Family<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">The name of the
townland which it is long associated with Raheens House near Castlebar , has a number of different spellings,
it can be spelt Raheens, Rahins and Rehins. Over the years the size of
this modest house has been exaggerated, some reports state that the house
contained 35 rooms another 54, however the 1911 census revealed that the house actually extended to a more modest 17 rooms. An advertisement for the sale of the
contents of the house in 1933 indicates that it contained an Entrance Hall,
Dining Room, Drawing Room, Kitchen and six bedrooms. The decline of
the house was swift from the time after the departure of the Browne Family in the 1930's. A curious visitor to
the house in 1954 recorded that it had
been in ruins by that point for several years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj5e6ozvbXeyLPXW5hjpe-7xikqkDqLTuFDKxMEEPIyCejuX5typ3G_6-HSpMRkqivuK5COXIfNqFehJ77ygJaLAV_HLggAXun6oSbz1Eexh7ekynSEG-rId4o97JqGO7WhuctiDXkn7B/s1600/DSC_1138.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="967" data-original-width="1600" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj5e6ozvbXeyLPXW5hjpe-7xikqkDqLTuFDKxMEEPIyCejuX5typ3G_6-HSpMRkqivuK5COXIfNqFehJ77ygJaLAV_HLggAXun6oSbz1Eexh7ekynSEG-rId4o97JqGO7WhuctiDXkn7B/s400/DSC_1138.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">The images above shows Raheens House prior to it descending in to ruins</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">The image below shows the house from a similar angle today </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;"> Copyright ICHC</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdfMAAIWEY7PnE5kWZGnREbxL7y2GQx6CW8s6KrQTfnEU68KMYbdbrh1dL-64wMU43T9L4nzczxzRKiBHqrpq6gOJ0XP7BNB7-1uvYc4wow72MtZHM-Yo6JAnt5-0jbVJHZDlCcoas_5A/s1600/DSC_1167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdfMAAIWEY7PnE5kWZGnREbxL7y2GQx6CW8s6KrQTfnEU68KMYbdbrh1dL-64wMU43T9L4nzczxzRKiBHqrpq6gOJ0XP7BNB7-1uvYc4wow72MtZHM-Yo6JAnt5-0jbVJHZDlCcoas_5A/s400/DSC_1167.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">Raheen’s House was built in 1847 during the Irish Famine and replaced an
earlier house that existed on the site, however the kitchen from the earlier house was incorporated in to the new structure. An older residence on the site was pulled down around the year 1835 by Hugh John Henry Browne who built the
present structure. John Wesley described the older structure as a fortified
house with two turrets which were still standing in 1835. The Browne’s were
said to have been visited by Wesley who founded the Methodist religion and
who traveled <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>
on horseback in the 1780's. Wesley laid the foundation stone for the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Methodist</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place> in Castlebar in May 1785. The
house is built solidly of chiseled limestone and stands in the centre of what was once a beautifully wooded park. The surrounding
landscape was said to be exceptional pleasing when viewed from the Drawing Room
window. This estate which surrounded the house extended to 1,000 acres and came
into the possession of the Browne family at the time of the Cromwellian
Plantations allegedly in exchange for a white horse. In the 1800’s the estate
was owned by Dodwell Browne who married Elizabeth Cuffe of Ballinrobe who died in 1777 aged only 44. Dodwell married secondly Maria O’Donel, daughter of
Sir Nial O’Donel of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newport</st1:place></st1:city>.
A few years after her marriage, Maria became unwell and had to be transported to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city> for treatment. As
she left her home at Raheens her condition worsened, and she was only a short
distance from the house when the horses drawing her carriage came to a halt and
would not move. Due to great efforts of the driver the horses eventually
relented, and they continued on their journey to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>,
where Maria died. In 1809, Maria’s husband erected an obelisk on the spot where
the horses stopped on the day of her departure. The monument is 25 metres in
height and can be viewed from the main reception rooms of the house, as an eye
catcher or folly in the landscape.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQN8IKnXJGoAWvrEwFTHQnw-6KrTTyolwIzoqUNMZTRpQFMnOGcXnfrTss7DWTyqsNArzCBhHVRoFL9KrbdNzvzA714nzJq8jAlFv54gRqd2QLommO0eBK28C1vlfuKq1qASArTz3fNkH/s1600/DSC_1210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQN8IKnXJGoAWvrEwFTHQnw-6KrTTyolwIzoqUNMZTRpQFMnOGcXnfrTss7DWTyqsNArzCBhHVRoFL9KrbdNzvzA714nzJq8jAlFv54gRqd2QLommO0eBK28C1vlfuKq1qASArTz3fNkH/s400/DSC_1210.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">The image above shows the monument to Maria Browne as it is today</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11.88px;">The image of the monument below dates from 1880</span></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwsPhmmcfSqO1Mg7vuPiVeOedX2y_HhMMPdHvN8ObG803LZoTiUrn57Y2Rt11plGB2IqSxp76GL_Utnj2mpj2pnqjhhvXlsJqQ4j4aPzLJOcUUTsMTiCxy53or5nZeHi8u0skzehDXKly/s1600/Raheens+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="289" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtwsPhmmcfSqO1Mg7vuPiVeOedX2y_HhMMPdHvN8ObG803LZoTiUrn57Y2Rt11plGB2IqSxp76GL_Utnj2mpj2pnqjhhvXlsJqQ4j4aPzLJOcUUTsMTiCxy53or5nZeHi8u0skzehDXKly/s320/Raheens+House.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />In September 1910 it became necessary for repairs to
be made to this monument which had become unstable. The <st1:city w:st="on">London</st1:city> steeplejacks of
Mr. Will Larkins of <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">18 Alfred
Street</st1:address></st1:street>, Bow, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city>
were employed to rebuild the apex of the memorial obelisk. It is said at this
time that the estate at Raheens was in exceptionally condition as the then owner Dodwell F.
Browne had taken up permanent residence in recent years. The monument is built
of tapering chiseled limestone that rises to a height of 70 feet that sits upon
a plinth of 10 feet. Atop the monument sits a globe of limestone which had been
blown off the monument in a storm in the 1890’s which had remained on the
ground thereafter. It appeared that an iron dowel had rusted which allowed the apex
of the monument to collapse during the gale.
The masonry had also suffered over the years when a mountain ash had
become embedded high up on the obelisk that had began to dislodge loose stones
and it became necessary to have it removed.
Mr. Larkin, who was employed to carry out repairs to the structure,
supposedly began his career at the age of seven and during his working life he
had never suffered any serious injury despite working at extreme heights. He had carried out repairs to the
steeple of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Protestant</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place> in Athenry which
was struck by lightning and it was from here that he spied the lady who became
his wife. The work to the obelisk at Raheens was carried out by a Mr. Stacey
and a number of assistants over three days. The apex was reached by the means
of a telescopic ladder which was lashed to the structure. Thereafter a scaffolding was built around the apex which was supported by four small
pieces of timber. From this platform,
the root of the tree was extracted and the damaged courses rebuilt. A
copper dowel was inserted which allowed the fallen globe to be returned to its
position on top of the monument. </span><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: center;">When the monument was built in 1809, a slab was placed on the obelisk inscribed</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; text-align: center;"> with the words</span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">‘ A Marie<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">Et A L’Armour<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">Par son Chere Epouse<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">Dodwell<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">1809’<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">Followed by another slab, which is inscribed<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">‘ To Gaiety<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">and<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">Innocence’<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<i><span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">Higher on the monument is a profile of a women said
to be that of Maria who in the decade
prior to her death wrote to General Humbert who had just taken Castlebar in
1798. She allayed to him her concerns about the safety of herself and other
aristocratic ladies in the community. The General replied assuring her of his
protection and extended an invitation for Maria and her husband to dine with
him. It is said that General Humbert visited the Browne’s at Raheen’s on three
separate occasions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7oh7Ina_hieOAjiuFa4LFxKqR_23gPgHd60Luv0RAcUAkl3ZI2-qj_nSeLL_R9eg3Ng3s5xGZ2IPfEUq6_gqxeKs3aFJVFrc6TzpJaleUvV0NFm0v7l_rNBqKDMyz2LtliwbGQPNfvIz/s1600/DSC_1232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS7oh7Ina_hieOAjiuFa4LFxKqR_23gPgHd60Luv0RAcUAkl3ZI2-qj_nSeLL_R9eg3Ng3s5xGZ2IPfEUq6_gqxeKs3aFJVFrc6TzpJaleUvV0NFm0v7l_rNBqKDMyz2LtliwbGQPNfvIz/s400/DSC_1232.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The Entrance Front of Raheens House, once home to the Browne Family<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />Dodwell Browne died in the 1830’s and the estate was
inherited by his son Hugh John Henry Browne who proceeded to plant a number of trees
within the demesne including a number of trees along the original avenue. The
new house was built at the height of the famine however elements of the
original structure that existed on the site were retained such as the kitchen
which formed part of the basement of the new house and the out buildings to the
rear of the house were also retained. The expense of rebuilding the Browne
family home left Hugh John Henry heavily indebted, after his death the encumbered estate
passed to Henry’s brother Neil in 1870. Neil O’Donel Browne died on the 15<sup>th</sup>
March 1874 at <st1:address w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on">8 Upper Mount Street</st1:street>
<st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city></st1:address> and left an estate of less
than £6,000. With his passing the estate at
Raheen’s passed to his son, Dodwell, who spent most of his professional life in
the colonial service in Ceylon ( now known as Sri Lanka) from where he returned to Raheens in
1905. Dodwell had three sons, Dodwell,
Keppel and O’Donnell and a daughter Norah Lucy. On the 19<sup>th</sup> February
1895 it was reported that the only daughter of Dodwell Browne, Norah Lucy Frances Dodwell married
Thomas Yates Wright the younger son of C. Wright of Lower Oak, Tyldesley, <st1:place w:st="on">Lancashire</st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOec5OGhvzpa2MJmJe2J5btQ35x9xl9qdzP528fWQmxGaY04okMBgxsuz2q2SGR_-EsrZff-upqmsSMQeX3H6sVmF4AVdFIbcYlOz5xLjPjDNHUThDHGkSuCSSPcPQUxKKZEzTk7mANU6/s1600/DSC_1178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFOec5OGhvzpa2MJmJe2J5btQ35x9xl9qdzP528fWQmxGaY04okMBgxsuz2q2SGR_-EsrZff-upqmsSMQeX3H6sVmF4AVdFIbcYlOz5xLjPjDNHUThDHGkSuCSSPcPQUxKKZEzTk7mANU6/s400/DSC_1178.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The Rear Elevation of Raheens House<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />In October 1908 in Naas, Co. Kildare the death
occurred of Dodwell's son, Keppel Glenny
Dowell Browne, who was unmarried and aged 35. He was a barrister and had been
suffering from Leukaemia. He left £479 13s 4d in his will which was administered
by his brother Dodwell F. Browne. His remains were interred in the family vault
at Raheens with those of his ancestors. At the time of the census in 1911,
Dodwell Francis Browne aged 69 is in living in the house at Raheen's together
with his wife Annabelle aged 65, who was born in Co. Down. Their daughter Norah
Lucy Dodwell Browne Wright aged 36 who was born in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ceylon</st1:place></st1:country-region> and Dodwell’s granddaughter
Annabelle Dodwell Browne, aged 6 are also present in the house together with three
domestic servants. After the death of Dodwell Senior in 1920, his wife Annabelle continued to live in the house. Her son, </span><span style="font-family: "arial";">Dodwell, became the owner of the estate but he had emigrated to </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial";"> where he remained permanently after 1923 and was joined by his sister after the death of their mother in 1932.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrR66zDlfA9gUe6ExJMVkOWVR_7-KLwl-SiclqnC1lQOlR8tCav7zHlzxdNqiYOxPhz89QQdDfBN_GbU7Q7qSwNGTDef12Qtwiegbm8Wrptr4hzDHoYbyC8la-jP008rdPUzLjEBZPzDv/s1600/DSC_1176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1043" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkrR66zDlfA9gUe6ExJMVkOWVR_7-KLwl-SiclqnC1lQOlR8tCav7zHlzxdNqiYOxPhz89QQdDfBN_GbU7Q7qSwNGTDef12Qtwiegbm8Wrptr4hzDHoYbyC8la-jP008rdPUzLjEBZPzDv/s400/DSC_1176.JPG" width="260" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">The monument to Maria Browne when viewed from Raheens House<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />On the 4<sup>th</sup> December 1932, Annabelle Browne died who in her youth was said to be the envy of many young women when she made
her debut on the social scene in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city>.
She was received by royalty and was apparently a frequent visitor to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Buckingham</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Palace</st1:placetype></st1:place>. With the death of
Annabelle, the Browne connection with Raheens came to an end. The contents of the house were advertised for auction which was carried out over two days in
April 1933.
The contents of the entrance hall offered for sale included Indian and Chinese ornaments
together with mounted birds, exotic animal heads and antlers. What is
interesting, is that the animal heads must not have held much appeal for anyone
at the auction as it was noted in 1954 when the house was in ruins that these
remained on the walls in the house. In the dining room there was a circular mahogany table
with twelve chairs, an oak side board and a valuable collection of books
contained in a number of bookcases. The drawing room contained a collection of
ebony furniture, a grand piano, arm chairs and an Axminister c<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>arpet.
Also offered for sale were the contents of six bedrooms and the auction was
conducted by Robert Caldwell, an auctioneer from Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. Prior to
the sale of the house, the Land Commission had acquired most of the Browne
land in 1928 and divided it among the tenants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfm1EWAtHACKP8vglFzSpuUBaUPqsd-1Qkrtfk-UZXpdvCNdJiW4SSjJbREYiy-IAwnsIx-uVHfEaeKs1asCCgT5iiUNfos6vc2e_R5L-j4-BncK_rNzslJH74EAd7vDNedawDBjAW76n/s1600/DSC_1174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1094" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFfm1EWAtHACKP8vglFzSpuUBaUPqsd-1Qkrtfk-UZXpdvCNdJiW4SSjJbREYiy-IAwnsIx-uVHfEaeKs1asCCgT5iiUNfos6vc2e_R5L-j4-BncK_rNzslJH74EAd7vDNedawDBjAW76n/s400/DSC_1174.JPG" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">Looking into the hallway of Raheens House, very little remains<br /> Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />In January 1940, the remaining lands of the estate were offered for
sale which amounted to 168 acres, which was retained by the family
after the bulk of their lands were divided by the Land Commission. In April 1941 it was announced
that Reheens Demesne near Castlebar had been sold. It was at that time the
property of Dodwell Browne who had been in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Australia</st1:place></st1:country-region> for some time at the time
of the sale. It was said that the demesne had been purchased by a local man and
prior to this Raheens had been abandoned with irreparable damage having been
done to the woods surrounding the house. The mansion house at the centre of the
estate at this time was said to have been in good condition and that the
surrounding farm buildings were also in good repair. However, by 1954, the
house was in ruins with its large reception room open to the sky and large amounts of rubble having collected in the basement. A curious visitor to the house at this time,
recorded what they had seen and mentioned that the roof was stripped from the house in 1947. At this time they noted that there was a
strange gate post to be found on the avenue. It was actually the barrel of a seventeenth
century cannon, one of four other cannons that once could be found in the grounds of
Raheens House. Within walking distance of the obelisk, there is the Browne family
vault where several the family members are buried. The last member of the
family to buried there occured in 1940 approx. One mystery that is associated with the family vault are two interments whose deaths both occured on the same day. Hugh John Henry Browne and Neal O'Browne both died on the 2nd October 1868, what tragedy befell the family on that day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE43I8wY8le-omawfs7uJzmG00EyXxc-zyd8tXjogLxZTY3rWuXexmmfr8J0uXjmi4XP0u6b9_L6htIUq5R-RVzj7lU7kWDr9z12fny7gY0d7gSpQBBxaCnQ7NgIx6ynX9-RmHMbzAmpQx/s1600/DSC_1248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE43I8wY8le-omawfs7uJzmG00EyXxc-zyd8tXjogLxZTY3rWuXexmmfr8J0uXjmi4XP0u6b9_L6htIUq5R-RVzj7lU7kWDr9z12fny7gY0d7gSpQBBxaCnQ7NgIx6ynX9-RmHMbzAmpQx/s400/DSC_1248.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;">Raheens House descended into ruin after 1941 with its roof being removed in 1947</i><br />
<i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11.88px;"> Copyright ICHC</i><br />
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br />In recent years a planning application was lodged to
restore the house, which is indeed a noble endeavor however at the point of
writing this piece, no substantial works have been carried out. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";">My 2019 Calendar 'Country Houses of Mayo' which features Raheens on the cover together with the history of other country houses in Mayo. It is now available to buy by clicking on the link below:</span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial";"><br /></span></div>
<span lang="EN-IE" style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial;">https://irish-country-houses.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/country-houses-of-mayo-2019-calandar?fbclid=IwAR2w1D0yIFmUho6y2RXXZc9U1VtmEDD3iXw6K0X57XzL8JzhzCgWI2cx2gQ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 26.6667px;"><br /></span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-30834980782314627172018-09-02T10:14:00.001-07:002023-12-15T02:49:54.949-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Templeview House</b></span></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;">Ea</span></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 26.6667px;">skey, Co. Sligo</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 26.6667px;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVDsiX8t_qW3ShHkBdKFWMika2M1BOOdcyuz059gbsSIWKhdpcDJGvxE-j6WeAAfr8TaytnQcei_Iu7YBA6KpCwFxpppDtXEIUT0ltG1PwmJFHMzSvHjBoaZTH78_oiw6j9Y23lUJyLaPyomz7oHzaa41swm-XMcAt8IcYStYCLnMNdkq8pjJUWmkGjuH/s2880/20231209_183813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2880" data-original-width="2880" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVDsiX8t_qW3ShHkBdKFWMika2M1BOOdcyuz059gbsSIWKhdpcDJGvxE-j6WeAAfr8TaytnQcei_Iu7YBA6KpCwFxpppDtXEIUT0ltG1PwmJFHMzSvHjBoaZTH78_oiw6j9Y23lUJyLaPyomz7oHzaa41swm-XMcAt8IcYStYCLnMNdkq8pjJUWmkGjuH/w400-h400/20231209_183813.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">The decay of Templview over five years<br />Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />Templeview House located
outside Easkey in Co. Sligo is a well-known property, glimpsed occasionally
from the road through the gaps in the high stone wall that surrounds it. However
most will find it surprising that this forgotten house in the Sligo countryside
has a surprising connection, as the money that financed its construction
originated in Mexico. Described as a gentleman’s residence with large
distinctive bargeboards that give the house, what estate agents now call, ‘kerb
appeal’. Admired by many who dream of restoring this house to its former glory.
The rear elevation overlooks the Atlantic Ocean which was crossed by members of
the Hale family from Easkey in the 1800s. They returned to their native homeland extremely
wealthy men and displayed their affluence by building a house, which they named
Templeview.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqVdXmwQAs1RlKjaXnDavWKmyzkiEvsiv5TyVcVsegjEf5kIUeUngH1240T-5cWg8ilBASS-XEX3SEtYfxuocJvGVNt1Fk-r6PYozzi6UC5g6h0wvLiOymrs3LjIVp0ZWbN341UvNI7JN/s1600/DSC_0565.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqVdXmwQAs1RlKjaXnDavWKmyzkiEvsiv5TyVcVsegjEf5kIUeUngH1240T-5cWg8ilBASS-XEX3SEtYfxuocJvGVNt1Fk-r6PYozzi6UC5g6h0wvLiOymrs3LjIVp0ZWbN341UvNI7JN/s400/DSC_0565.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Templeview House in 2018<br />Copyright ICHC<br /><br /></i></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Templeview in the nineteenth
century was associated with the Hale family and was built by Peter Hale, a
native of Easkey in Co. Sligo who had emigrated to Mexico. His will dating
from 1864 gives an interesting insight in to the wealth of the man who built
Templeview. It states that he leaves all his real and personal estate in New
Orleans, Louisiana and Mexico to his nephew James Hale of Matamoras, Mexico except
for five thousand pounds that was to be distributed amongst his relatives and charitable
purposes. Peter Hale had lived in the Republic of Mexico for more than twenty
years and for a majority of that time between 1837 and 1851 he managed Hale
& Co. at Matamoras which had been established over forty years earlier.
After his retirement Peter was succeeded by James Hale, his nephew, who manged
the company for a further ten years. Hale & Co. was one of the first
companies to establish cotton factories in Northern Mexico and at the time of Peter’s
death the company still had considerable interests throughout the country. The
Hales were a wealthy and well-connected family, who were cousins of the Milmo
family who owned the banking house of D. Milmo & Co., Webb County in Texas.
A cousin of the Hale family, Patrick Milmo eventually became the President of
the Bank of Mexico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is said that
James Hale traveled from Easkey out to Mexico a number of years prior to
the death of his rich and unmarried uncle. Peter Hale had returned to Easkey in
Sligo in the 1850’s and purchased the Irwin estate in the townland of
Killeenduff in the Landed Estate Court for £4,100. In 1855, Peter built the
house that came to be known as Templeview however due to his early death, his
estate in Ireland as well as Mexico also passed to his nephew James. The
demesne around Templeview in Easkey extended to 54 acres which was surrounded
by a high wall accessed by the nearby gate and adjacent gate lodge that
reflects the style of the house. Peter Hale’s estate in Ireland at the time of
his death amounted to £7,000.00 which was a sizeable sum for the time but did
not reflect the substantial assets held by the deceased outside of Ireland.
After the death of his Uncle, James returned to Ireland, married and initially
settled in Dublin before relocating to Templeview in Sligo. </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">In May 1866, the birth of
James Hale’s son, Edward Joseph is recorded as having taken place at 32 Waterloo
Rd. It is noted on the birth certificate that James’s wife, Jane, was formerly
a member of the Howley family, a family who also originated in the locality
surrounding Easkey. In June of the same year, an Edward
Howley of Belleek Castle in Ballina died, his widow is mentioned as being
Priscilla Howley of Stone House in Dunleer in Co. Louth. Jane Hale is mentioned
as being one of the respondents of the will together with her husband James. It
was around this time that the philanthropic nature of the Hale family came to
the fore when they established a schoolhouse for the benefit of the local children
near Templeview. James managed the school, which was unusual for a time as most
schools had a religious connection. This arrangement became more unusual for
the times when his wife Jane took over after his death.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcxu04fAawtkx2RfC6gWCH1f-rHsiFcMTz0i4TDQmyNGpnQz2qH4t-tw8giRsds2lKx62i0ELNfn8lFsAFinbbCQRTyx_eImLQORKTw8LQ9e2QFLfTRytTXj30DvD8MVSfypdQkCSON3n/s1600/DSC_0812.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTcxu04fAawtkx2RfC6gWCH1f-rHsiFcMTz0i4TDQmyNGpnQz2qH4t-tw8giRsds2lKx62i0ELNfn8lFsAFinbbCQRTyx_eImLQORKTw8LQ9e2QFLfTRytTXj30DvD8MVSfypdQkCSON3n/s400/DSC_0812.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>The Franciscan Abbey in the heart of the town of Easkey where members of<br />the Hale Family of Templeview are interred <br />Copyright ICHC</i></span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In April 1869, the death
occurred at Templeview of Edward Joseph, the three-year-old son of James Hale
who <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was ,at that time, the High Sheriff
for the county of Sligo. However, this tragedy was followed the following year
in April 1870 by the birth of a daughter to James and his wife at Parry’s Hotel
in Monkstown, Dublin. In May 1871 another son named Edmund James was born to the
Hales at Templeview followed in July 1872, by a daughter whom they named
Adelaide. The family at this time were also living in Woodpark in Upper Rathmines
and James profession is listed as a landed proprietor. In 1876, the Templeview
estate extends to 2,952 acres however despite being a sizable estate the
neighbouring estate of Fortland was substantially larger extending to 6,730
acres. </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Sadness was never far away
from Temple View as James Hale died in March 1875. His obituary mentions that in
his youth he was educated in the ‘highest Catholic schools and colleges’ and
during his lifetime that nearly every school and chapel in the Dioceses of
Killala ‘can testify to the substantial aid he rendered towards their creation.’
He gave £1,300 to the Convent of Mercy in Ballina and £250 towards the building
of a chapel in the College of Maynooth which was once his alma mater. His
funeral mass was presided over by the Bishop of Killala, the Most Reverend Dr.
Conway and fourteen priests, indicating that the Diocese of Killala was
grateful for James Hale’s benevolence over the years. He was laid to rest
within the walls of the Franciscan Abbey in the heart of the town of Easkey
where his memorial stone is still visible on the wall today. The following month
it was announced that the representatives of the late James Hale had instructed
for the cattle, sheep and horses to be auctioned on the 24</span><sup style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> April
afterwards it was noted that James’s Irish estate amounted to under £35,000.00.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ot8dZNgvhYCBcP01_JeltgaEfvjwmwNT8ha0YtA5b1azzKgSF9wSJ5hdJDBXGg7SJOjyCqywJHdsLyUAvOaJQAhWRTBvWmEzjSaxe15NNjmy39y6NWWOqaJBVSVIL4Ea3Suo0mTdl7ts/s1600/DSC_0803.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ot8dZNgvhYCBcP01_JeltgaEfvjwmwNT8ha0YtA5b1azzKgSF9wSJ5hdJDBXGg7SJOjyCqywJHdsLyUAvOaJQAhWRTBvWmEzjSaxe15NNjmy39y6NWWOqaJBVSVIL4Ea3Suo0mTdl7ts/s320/DSC_0803.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><i>The memorial stone of James Hale who died in 1875 and his<br />young son who died a number of years earlier<br />Copyright ICHC</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v6JtRi7d6WAiBmQZVJDFHWQnhdoQ6v0ZvtFgQT_3kokwMkR_9E70JEoG-5iTahxBmJOT_XlFkqLOjHYPZUG7L8N_wP8b42IQunhQqwKiAf6hbXob_fsErBzASUvwRPoIaAGhXzwHAisy/s1600/DSC_0808.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v6JtRi7d6WAiBmQZVJDFHWQnhdoQ6v0ZvtFgQT_3kokwMkR_9E70JEoG-5iTahxBmJOT_XlFkqLOjHYPZUG7L8N_wP8b42IQunhQqwKiAf6hbXob_fsErBzASUvwRPoIaAGhXzwHAisy/s320/DSC_0808.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">After his death James’s widow
was held up as an ‘noble example’ of a landlord in the local press as she had
made a reduction of twenty percent on the rent of her tenants and ten percent to
the leaseholders. In August 1887, Mrs Hale’s second son Edmund James passed his
examinations in the first division from Beaumount College. Edward was the youngest
taking the examination being only a few days over the age of 16. In July 1888,
it was further demonstrated the high esteem in which the Hale family were held
in by the local community when a reception was given by the local tenantry on
the accession of James Hale to the property left to him by his father, James
was said to be the second eldest son. The tenants of the estate proceeded to
Templeview House for the purpose of paying their respects to the new landlord.
The tenants were accompanied by large contingents from the neighbouring
properties as well as deputations from the Easkey branches of the National
League and Gaelic Athletic Association. At Templeview, James Hale was presented
with a ‘happily worded address’ on behalf of the tenantry. Mr. Hale thanking
them for their kindness and that he hoped ‘the cordial relations that has
always existed between his family and the tenants would continue’. It is also
said that the present proprietor of Templeview was related on his mother’s side
to Colonel Howley of Cooga Lodge which was located nearby. </span><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">In September 1888, Mrs. Hale
and her youngest daughter were involved in accident when returning to Easkey
from Enniscrone when their pony and trap became unmanageable. When crossing the
bridge at Easkey, the pony caused the trap to collide with the side of the
bridge causing the trap to capsize, throwing the occupants to the ground. The
ladies were unconscious, but a doctor soon arrived on the scene and in several days,
they had recovered. In April 1894, Alice Hale, daughter of James Hale married,
in Florence, to Mr. Charles M. O’Connor from Roscommon. After the mass there
was a reception at the residence of the bride’s mother after which the happy
couple departed for Rome.</span><br />
<span face="arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">From 1900 onwards it appears
that the Hale family had departed the house and at the time of the 1901 census,
John Quinn aged 30 and his 35 year old wife Anne are resident in the house.
John born in Sligo and is a general labourer while his wife Anne is a domestic
servant. In October 1906, more than 700 acres of the Hale Estate was vested in
the Congested Districts Board, after this, the house served many purposes including
being the home of the parish priest, a police barracks and a dispensey. By the
time of the 1911 census, John and Anne Quinn are still living in Templeview.
John is now aged 41 but strangely the age gap between him and his wife has
extended to ten years, it is also recorded that they have been married nineteen
years. John is now listed as a steward are they are living in the sixteen roomed
house owned by James Hale.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In March 1919, it is reported
that James Howley Hale of 152 Ashley Gardens, London died in Kingstown Dublin,
it is said in his death notice that he originated from Templeview and was the
last surviving son of James Hale. On the 5<sup>th</sup> June 1919, the death
occurred of Jane Hale, a widow, formerly of Templeview, Easkey, Co. Sligo and
32 Clarinda Park, East, Kingstown, in Dublin. Her daughter is mentioned as
being Adelaide Hale, a spinster and that Jane has left £200 for Masses to be
said for the repose of her soul and £100 for the benefit of the poor of the
Diocese of Killala. In March 1920, an advertisement appeared stating that Templeview
House and demesne in Easkey was to be sold with immediate possession. The lands
around the house extended to 54 acres, while the house contained four reception
room and seven family bedrooms. The advertisement states that all furniture and
effects in the house at this time are to be sold also.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In September 1937, Templeview
appeared on the market again under the instructions of the executors of the
late Dr. P.J. O’Connor. The house now stands in 17 acres and 10 perches and
includes a ‘well laid out’ kitchen garden and orchard while the entire house
and grounds are enclosed within solid masonry walls. It is said that the house
is designed and built regardless of cost and presents ‘a very pleasing
appearance’. The house is listed as having an entrance hall, large dining room,
drawing room, eight bedrooms, servant’s quarters, kitchen and scullery together
with bathroom and lavatory accommodation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The house was to be sold by auction and the contents of the house were
to go under the hammer afterwards. Also offered in the sale was a 12-horse
power motor car, a Wolsley Hornet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
August 1938, the owners of Templeview House have offered a portion of the
premises and two acres of land as a site for Easkey Vocational School for £600.
The offer was considered but turned down however it was suggested that maybe
the house should be first rented for establishing a school to see if it would
have been a successful venture. However, when two inspectors from the
department visited the house, it was found to be unsuitable.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEl4k_tjIkHA5YsMxuoV9fpyjLHRVmHtJ2wprQoZfIYY0RnFOmFlRvQNZWwuPHrSFGpMiEVd4pQ6EjTWgUBEOyLR7_uaanD6_CWMzONdmZORLr-dzjnBP3UP7m_5N8XoJpjhdnxg3TN3iM/s1600/DSC_0578.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEl4k_tjIkHA5YsMxuoV9fpyjLHRVmHtJ2wprQoZfIYY0RnFOmFlRvQNZWwuPHrSFGpMiEVd4pQ6EjTWgUBEOyLR7_uaanD6_CWMzONdmZORLr-dzjnBP3UP7m_5N8XoJpjhdnxg3TN3iM/s400/DSC_0578.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Templeview House in 2018<br />Copyright ICHC</i></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In May 1939, it was reported
that Mr. James Devaney, Fortland, Easkey was the purchaser of Templeview House
and lands. After 1940, the wing to the rear of the house was demolished due to
the level of rates imposed on the property. In December 1950, Adelaide Howley
Hale, a spinster aged 76 died at 68 Merrion Rd., it is noted that she is of
independent means she was a daughter of James and Jane Hale of Templeview in
Easkey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In 2004, Templeview appeared
on the market now situated in just seven acres, the house did not sell and appeared
on the market again in 2010 with a guide of €350,000. The house has continued
to languish in its derelict state and in recent years the decline of this once
magnificent property has accelerated. With each passing winter the state of the
roof becomes more precarious with larger and larger holes allowing the ingress
of water, eroding whatever is left of its original interior.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Since 2018, I have documented the continued decline of this house, and on a number of occasions its plight has been highlighted in the local press using these photographs. Contact was made with Sligo County Council, highlighting the supposedly protected status of the house and its continued decline however no response has been forthcoming. By the winter of 2023, a large section of the roof had collapsed and the decorative barge boards are no more.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRd-q65QgN8Oxhok2iqv5hqt9RnFT3WPD_cgMByd4s-KeYzYccSm0pFAoCLEEIXbCEVF1kDxCO-hkq_imzYjlKWjgNpOGdMrqBLU9oFAjNeYtI5eFaYY6oKMUR3ACUPPgwO-chmBcrke-grSnJ4xS2Or8wm4sQ-QL6g6ElrAmiib5tWj4_MAGHC-z9jJd/s1048/IMG_20231210_092054_301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="530" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaRd-q65QgN8Oxhok2iqv5hqt9RnFT3WPD_cgMByd4s-KeYzYccSm0pFAoCLEEIXbCEVF1kDxCO-hkq_imzYjlKWjgNpOGdMrqBLU9oFAjNeYtI5eFaYY6oKMUR3ACUPPgwO-chmBcrke-grSnJ4xS2Or8wm4sQ-QL6g6ElrAmiib5tWj4_MAGHC-z9jJd/w325-h640/IMG_20231210_092054_301.jpg" width="325" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The decay of Templeview House over a five year period<br />Copyright ICHC</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span face=""arial" , sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-79403537617644635652018-08-18T09:35:00.000-07:002018-08-18T09:39:04.807-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Farmhill House</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Rathreagh, Killala, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Mayo</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnosvA0LVSZzPa8im8kgSKvGXriTPEfPddNaC1PGmUJnvPFzZrGV6-pAP3ANoU9wZA9a-JKEIh4GB2zcPeoysNP8seU_9g5nxGW__uhYSGbRTGYLHgnv1WsOfrZ4iho6CqwnPx2F4imoKN/s1600/Farmhill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnosvA0LVSZzPa8im8kgSKvGXriTPEfPddNaC1PGmUJnvPFzZrGV6-pAP3ANoU9wZA9a-JKEIh4GB2zcPeoysNP8seU_9g5nxGW__uhYSGbRTGYLHgnv1WsOfrZ4iho6CqwnPx2F4imoKN/s400/Farmhill.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The only trace of Farmhill
House to be found in the landscape near Kilfian, Co. Mayo are the high walls of its large
walled garden. When mentioned, even today, the name of Farmhill and
that of its most infamous occupant Harriette Gardiner, still conjure stories of her cruelty that reverberate
locally. Farmhill was home to the Gardiner family, the last male member to live
there was Major John Gardiner. He was
born in October 1797, the son of John Gardiner and Anne Gildea and was known to
be the grandson of Charles Gardiner of Tonroe and Maria Bourke of Heathfield
near Ballycastle. In May 1819, John married Elizabeth, the daughter of James
Cuff, Lord Tyrawley who is associated with Deel Castle and Castle Gore near
Crossmolina. This union produced a daughter in 1821, named Harriette, who became
notorious after inheriting the estate from her father.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="811" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNN02RzD-WX6uy2jKjm-9W5kTo9pMLAQJ5uo5NtmI1NojHwSerhf4Z6IlEcgqv_kcDUGXQF-IqKhTmhVViroaTBYiYZ59kztPOFy2FZlmHpa35PenKOR3ZPjiS4amGPZqcVIzuk7K6euXh/s400/Farmhill.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><i>The Entrance Front of Farmhill House</i></span></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By 1876, the Farmhill estate
extended to over 4,000 acres which was not entailed and as a result Harriet
inherited everything when her father died in in 1850’s. The house at Farmhill
was a two storey residence with a large entrance hall, drawing room, dining
room, seven bedrooms and other ancillary areas for servants including the
kitchen. Relatives recorded that Harriette was known as ‘Hassie’, and most
people who knew her thought her to be mentally unstable and an alcoholic. Whether this is true or not, it is said that Harriet had a masculine appearance, she
supposedly dressed as a man and had her hair cut in a mannish fashion. Her
course language was matched by her bad manners and she seemed to relish an opportunity to cause trouble
for the tenants of her estate. Her family decided that maybe a companion would
help placate Harriette and she would mend her ways. A lady, Miss Susan Pringle,
who was known to be extremely religious arrived at Farmhill. However, the plan
backfired, instead of Susan having a calming influence on Harriette, the
debauched Miss Gardiner corrupted Miss Pringle. Soon the new arrival to
Farmhill was a seasoned drinker and the duo became notorious in the local towns
for causing trouble. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><i>A site layout showing Farmhill House</i></span></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #182e04;">In the 1880’s the local and
national press often carried stories of evictions, tenants being imprisoned and
families being dispatched to the workhouse under the instruction of Miss
Gardiner. Harriette was ruthless as she pursued her goal of clearing as much of
her land of as many tenants as possible which she seen as a nuisance. Local
shop keepers were so disgusted by Harriette, that they banned her from entering
their premises. She retorted by threatening to shoot them with the gun she
carried at all times. Her need to be armed stemmed from an incident in 1869,
when an attempt was made on her life. On Christmas night in 1869, she was shot through
a window while sitting at her own kitchen table and received seven or eight
grains of shot to her head. It was reported that she would have been killed if
there weren’t two of her servants present at the time of the shooting. This was
supposedly an act of retribution as she had evicted a large number of tenants
over the preceding six months. As a result of this attack the RIC erected a
temporary police barracks opposite the gate to Farmhill. After this it
is said that Miss Gardiner spent little time at Farmhill, making it hard for
any would be attacker to know where she was in order to stage another attempt
on her life. The pettiness of Miss Gardiner was illustrated by a case that
appeared before the courts in 1881. Harriet had three of her tenants before the
Ballina Petty Sessions Court for the removal of mud from a nearby bog. The
tenants were using the mud as manure for their farms, which had been allowed in
Harriet’s father’s time however Harriet stated that if they wanted the mud,
they would have to pay for it. Miss Gardiner announced to all present in the
court that ‘ </span><i style="color: #182e04;">I do not care what my father
did. He chastised you with rods, but I will chastise you with scorpions</i><span style="color: #182e04;">’.
One wonders about the origin of this statement as there couldn’t have been too
many scorpions found in Kilfian in the 1800’s. In one week in 1885, she evicted
12 families from their homes aided by the sheriff and his bailiffs. The report
of this event concludes that ‘</span><i style="color: #182e04;">the only prospect
that now lies before them is the detested workhouse’</i><span style="color: #182e04;">. Harriet and her accomplice
Susan Pringle now had a reputation that preceded them and both became known as
‘</span><i style="color: #182e04;">The Witches on the Warpath’</i><span style="color: #182e04;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #182e04;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Harriet Gardiner
died aged 71 on the 24<sup>th</sup> July 1892 at her cottage in Tully, Belcarra
near Castlebar where Miss Gardiner also had extensive land holdings. Her
remains were removed from Belcara at 7 o’clock in the morning to Castlebar
Train Station and from there transported to Ballina for interment in Rathreagh. It appears
from newspaper notices that Miss Pringle was in residence at Farmhill at this
time. The Connaught Telegraph reported that ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a weird and grotesque figure, and a baneful one, has passed away from
this mortal stage’. </i>The reports continued that’<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> She will long be remembered in County Mayo not alone for her
semi-masculine attire and her repulsively eccentric ways, but for the Pharaoh–like
and utterly unfeminine hardness of heart which she exhibited for years towards
a most miserable and poverty stricken tenantry</i>……<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">She occupies an unique niche, even in the temple of that dark pantheon
which is filled with the ghosts of landlordism’.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJd1Nvh4jmcS7s5T7eWjUUP5pYilLzzNvtHBQMNfHwSlufA2S6l0KSMXV1QDslFQAg9Tho-spd7aKAxJCHe-vHHLh899CnCch9UWjldbOi6T_csxWZv-hv96PZNmUF68IyddVjxA0q7T9c/s1600/Auction+Notice.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="1269" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJd1Nvh4jmcS7s5T7eWjUUP5pYilLzzNvtHBQMNfHwSlufA2S6l0KSMXV1QDslFQAg9Tho-spd7aKAxJCHe-vHHLh899CnCch9UWjldbOi6T_csxWZv-hv96PZNmUF68IyddVjxA0q7T9c/s400/Auction+Notice.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">An advertisement for the sale of the contents of Farmhill in 1910</span></span></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><o:p><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Harriet Gardiner
left all she owned to Miss Pringlle who intended to continue Harriet’s
campaign of evictions however the Land Acts that were introduced ‘clipped’ her wings. Afterwards Miss Pringle began a period of
self-improvement, she drank less, no longer smoked her pipe in public and also
began to look more presentable in the local town. She became a member of
Killala District Council and a chairman of the Board of Guardians. Susan Pringle died on the 20</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> July
1910 and her will was proved by Robert William Christie of 21 Elgin Road,
Dublin and Charles Ball Fitzgerald of Provincial Bank House, Nenagh in
Tipperary. The entire contents of Farmhill were offered for sale in November of
1910. Farmhill contained a lot of valuable furniture, some of which originated
in Deel Castle in Crossmolina as Harriette’s mother was a member of the Cuffe
family. The hall contained half a dozen mahogany chairs with the Cuffe family
crest and another two chairs with Lord Tyrawley’s crest together with a set of
chairs with the Gardiner crest. The house contained a collection of oil
paintings made up of family portraits and landscapes. Full particulars of these
paintings were given in catalogues by the eminent London expert, Mr. J.L.
Rutledge of The Reynolds Gallery, Great Newport St., London which gives us an
indication of the importance and value of the art on sale. Two Sheraton inlaid sideboards, 12 feet long had been removed to the coach house for the sale .Over
500 books were also offered for sale which included volumes on history, travel
and a large number of novels. The auctioneer for the sale was Henry G. Black from
Westport as possibly no local auctioneer would handle the sale due to the
reputation of the Farmhill and the women who lived there. Some items of
furniture which were purchased went to some of the large country houses in the
area such as Palmerstown House near Killala. Afterwards Farmhill became the
parochial house for the local parish priest who lived there until 1953, after
which it was demolished, the land of the estate was previously divided among the local
tenants. Today nothing is left of Farmhill, but the infamous name of Harriet Gardiner
appears to live on well over one hundred and twenty years after her death.</span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-71374501465487672932018-02-26T12:25:00.000-08:002020-05-18T03:34:51.833-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Cooper's Lodge</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Dromore West , </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Sligo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">The Haunted House on the Hill?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0oT73eE_22fA1Si_YGlFb7yzdzwR8oW0cZhLYOCReQ2_GjC66vu-Z5yjM6wx5qPr4BizhCksIPwdzLKISSZSNUTpEyIjIJ_HVOsW-uDU6LZLtyych-bQuYWqRJHz1HNTBAe4pnbPcxR2/s1600/DSC_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0oT73eE_22fA1Si_YGlFb7yzdzwR8oW0cZhLYOCReQ2_GjC66vu-Z5yjM6wx5qPr4BizhCksIPwdzLKISSZSNUTpEyIjIJ_HVOsW-uDU6LZLtyych-bQuYWqRJHz1HNTBAe4pnbPcxR2/s400/DSC_0207.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Situated in the
Townland of Crowagh or Dunneill Mountain near Lough Easky in Co. Sligo, can be
found the remains of a structure now known as Cooper’s Lodge but was once known
as Croagh Lodge. This shooting lodge appears on the 1837 OS Map and was owned
by the wealthy and powerful Cooper Family of Markree Castle in Co. Sligo, hence it became known as Cooper's Lodge. All that remains today of this building are its bedraggled
gables that are in a state of gradual collapse in the stark setting of the surrounding bog land. There are long forgotten stories associated with
these ruins that have now come to light since I became aware of this
building a number of weeks ago. Cooper’s Lodge was once home to a number of
game keepers over the years who were in the employment of the Cooper family, including one unfortunate individual who met a violent end in 1880. Is this the restless spirit that supposedly
haunts these ruins and is this the reason for which this house was abandoned?</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnk4vrAIkuUL4VarWFDzdzVsH4B_-WNNsZ1QGb_3mOv6wb8bNxCAPopNwpDob2p7IVRJHVeFi-xULURZqTp_Z5PS5t8aO9ig_eid6POm16UdKOIrO-22R6H-OXLciEBh0gjNF7IbZht1vP/s1600/DSC_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnk4vrAIkuUL4VarWFDzdzVsH4B_-WNNsZ1QGb_3mOv6wb8bNxCAPopNwpDob2p7IVRJHVeFi-xULURZqTp_Z5PS5t8aO9ig_eid6POm16UdKOIrO-22R6H-OXLciEBh0gjNF7IbZht1vP/s400/DSC_0201.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">In 1869, it was
reported that Colonel Cooper’s game keeper, William Nichol, shot a fine female
golden eagle on Dunowl Mountain near Lough Easky in Sligo with one charge of No. 06
shot. The bird measured seven and a half feet from tip to tip of its wings and
it was said to be the largest of its kind that had ever been seen in the area. William
Nichol and his family lived nearby at Croagh Lodge, known locally as Cooper’s
Lodge, which they maintained for use by Colonel Cooper of Markree and his
guests. A number of years later, in
1880, William Nichol’s name would again appear in the headlines of the local
newspaper, however on this occasion, William would be one that would die at the
hands of another. On St. Patrick’s Day in 1880, William Nichol was assaulted by
persons unknown and the injuries inflicted were so severe that he died a number
of days later on the 23<sup>rd</sup> of March. He had been found lying on the
road leading to Dromore West having been severely beaten, he was removed to the
nearest Constabulary Barracks and was then moved to the hospital located in the
nearby workhouse. William’s death certificate recorded that he was aged 60 and
had died as a result of ‘<i>violence with
several injuries’</i> and ‘<i>inflammation</i>
<i>of the brain’</i>. A reward of £200 was
offered for any information on the attack on William but none was forthcoming.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCSehnnUcdVXqEWKbjjs5kI3305JK5UAGwMPjCo-7tJzrfZhKyHW-JqmYUPrws2oOZwUTDxFZM9stKnU2-PAcdbN1ypQswKSj2jaeBJTL7HmpjaBKBhQf0yrswk7SRRe-M5P3S0_41LTV/s1600/DSC_0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCSehnnUcdVXqEWKbjjs5kI3305JK5UAGwMPjCo-7tJzrfZhKyHW-JqmYUPrws2oOZwUTDxFZM9stKnU2-PAcdbN1ypQswKSj2jaeBJTL7HmpjaBKBhQf0yrswk7SRRe-M5P3S0_41LTV/s400/DSC_0268.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">William’s widow Anne
and their son aged 17, also named William, applied to the Grand Jury of Sligo
for compensation of £250 for the suspicious death of the head of the Nichol Family. It is
said a number of years before the murder there been a dispute over land. Former
tenants blamed William for their land being taken from them and resentment had been
brewing over the intervening years. It was reported at the time that ‘<i>It was Nichol who advised the Colonel to take in
the plantation. I heard he incautiously said he would take in the whole valley’</i>.
Another possible explanation for the attack on William is he was alleged
to have passed information to the police about illicit poteen distilleries in the
proximity of the shooting lodge. In October 1882, an application for
compensation was made to the Lord Lieutenant by Anne Nichol. As part
of this process, William and Anne’s children were named as Matthew,
Alexander, William, Charles, Mary and Jane. As part of the application, it was
said that William was murdered from being beaten by a party of men and as a result of the injuries he sustained, he died a number of days later. It is also
recorded that he had been murdered as a result of an ‘<i>unlawful association</i>’ but this is never elaborated on.
The Lord Lieutenant intended to open an investigation into the murder within
one week of the application however it did not result in any conviction. During
the application for compensation held in Tubbercurry in 1883, it was noted that
William, as Colonel Cooper’s gamekeeper, was paid €140 per annum and had the use
of Croagh Lodge. His widow Anne was eventually awarded £700 for the wrongful death of her
husband which was payable by the Barony of Tireragh however no one was brought to justice
for the murder of William Nichol.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4j7ng5OKXuEGA_6B9mqPoKaeNyl9UAIgxwvD4G8z19FU_ikXrcg07NHYXKzBSfk2w-AnPUDL3hAgALSB6pv_i9ouv5faxVWmeQkkObn3_pfFn_0iAksb-iozo533Lip6hOthaZ6HSKSI/s1600/DSC_0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4j7ng5OKXuEGA_6B9mqPoKaeNyl9UAIgxwvD4G8z19FU_ikXrcg07NHYXKzBSfk2w-AnPUDL3hAgALSB6pv_i9ouv5faxVWmeQkkObn3_pfFn_0iAksb-iozo533Lip6hOthaZ6HSKSI/s400/DSC_0245.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">At the time of the 1901 census there is a house
listed in the townland of Crowagh as having nine windows in its
entrance front, nine rooms in its interior and a slate roof. This is most
definitely Cooper’s Lodge as it is listed as being owned by The Right Honorable
Edward Henry Cooper of Markree Castle, in Co. Sligo. In 1901, the game keeper in residence was Robert
Walton Winters aged 46, a Presbyterian, born in Sligo who could speak both Irish
and English. He was married to Isabella aged 36, a house keeper born in Sligo
and also resident in the lodge was Francis Mc Hugh, aged 18, a Roman Catholic, born in Sligo and who was listed as being a servant. The owner of the lodge was Lieutenant
Colonel, the Right Honorable Edward Henry Cooper who died soon after the
census being carried out on the 26<sup>th</sup> February 1902 aged 74. He had been Lord
Lieutenant for Sligo, was late of the 7<sup>th</sup> Hussars, Grenadier Guards and
had been a Member of Parliament for Sligo from 1865. Among the many bequests in
his will was £2,000 to be kept in trust for the repair
and maintenance of the observatory at Markree Castle. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtyROqppYl2QSfdM5RAybvJbnxW-Z0iLKqlUrLMJ1tqZrhPoy1A-zUWSHeDDTigy8rL5Fpwtn-FgxUngFGxUGjEgAlLl6GRq1lPNqjySdhOW5Tim6SpEwJQDhuOhDUXo66R4DqXjzGb_K/s1600/Markree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="787" data-original-width="1193" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixtyROqppYl2QSfdM5RAybvJbnxW-Z0iLKqlUrLMJ1tqZrhPoy1A-zUWSHeDDTigy8rL5Fpwtn-FgxUngFGxUGjEgAlLl6GRq1lPNqjySdhOW5Tim6SpEwJQDhuOhDUXo66R4DqXjzGb_K/s400/Markree.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>Markree Castle Co. Sligo, the ancestral home of the Cooper Family </i></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>who
owned Cooper's Lodge</i></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">By 1911, the house was now owned
by Captain Byran Ricco Cooper, the grandson of Edward Henry Cooper, the house
is recorded as having eight out offices, ten windows in its entrance front and
ten rooms in its interior. Byran had inherited the impressive Markree Castle in
Co. Sligo, which according to the 1901 census had 104 rooms, sat in a demesne
of a 1,000 acres in addition to a deer park of 200 acres surrounded by estate lands that
extended to 30,000 acres. The more modest shooting lodge near Lough Easky at this time was home to Nathan
Campbell, aged 51 from Donegal, a gamekeeper and his wife Anna Selina aged 48 from Cork who have been married for 23 years. They had six children but only five are
living in 1911. Four sons are present in the house at the time of the census, Robert
Cecil aged 17, Richard Maxwell aged 17, Frederick James aged 15 and Nathan
Percival aged 8. The two elder sons were born in Mayo while the younger pair
were born in Sligo. The name of the house being Croagh
Lodge is confirmed from an advertisement that appeared in 1907, when Nathan
Campbell was selling his pony, harness and trap and it mentioned that these can
be viewed at ‘<i>Croagh Lodge’</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvW_dvZ5uc8uHvN59M4bkI1C8UjTLr6EjtE-TwR2vHNo8uPWqmbktauhoOWerQfTzpUsI3ng_lGodBWS8IvnzI74ozO_8orEN7RwW1V2FxYxIxJxYnnhKpey98DhA5zidy_MPMaosP-_5i/s1600/Edward+Henry+Cooper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="519" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvW_dvZ5uc8uHvN59M4bkI1C8UjTLr6EjtE-TwR2vHNo8uPWqmbktauhoOWerQfTzpUsI3ng_lGodBWS8IvnzI74ozO_8orEN7RwW1V2FxYxIxJxYnnhKpey98DhA5zidy_MPMaosP-_5i/s400/Edward+Henry+Cooper.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Lieutenant
Colonel, the Right Honorable Edward Henry Cooper </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>who was the owner of the
lodge in 1901.</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright The National Portrait Gallery, London</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Major Bryan Ricco
Cooper died at his residence in 1930 </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">in Dalkey, Co. Dublin</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">, the exotically named Khyber Pass. He was born in India in 1884, the son of Major
F.E. Cooper and the grandson of Col. Edward Henry Cooper. He was educated at
Eton and Woolwich, he became Second Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery in
1903. In 1905, he resigned and was gazetted to the Duke of Connaught’s own
Sligo Militia as Captain. In 1914, he resigned and was gazetted as Captain to
the 5</span><sup style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">th</sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Battalion of the Connaught Rangers. In 1910 he was elected
as a Unionist M.P. for South County Dublin, he was a Deputy Lieutenant and High
Sheriff for Sligo while also becoming Press Censor in 1919. In 1923, he was returned
to the Dail as an Independent candidate for Dublin and again in 1927. A
marriage in 1910 produced four children but ended in divorce in 1920. Bryan
died at the young age of 46 in 1930 and after bequests were made, the residue of his
estate passed to his son, Edward F. Cooper.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5Rfwi7cpNC7kmM8QxLcfa31jQlS7xIILzFA_GcIfmdo4fT2J1a9w0r_JbxddNIlKUvB-gVON5Sf2xzDGiMuHZcyZTEAFtIp9QlDI47ytVQ1PwjqTr1dPK54xnaE_cfRIc8LS74LdJvz2/s1600/DSC_0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><i><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5Rfwi7cpNC7kmM8QxLcfa31jQlS7xIILzFA_GcIfmdo4fT2J1a9w0r_JbxddNIlKUvB-gVON5Sf2xzDGiMuHZcyZTEAFtIp9QlDI47ytVQ1PwjqTr1dPK54xnaE_cfRIc8LS74LdJvz2/s400/DSC_0314.JPG" width="400" /></i></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>The
remains of Cooper's Lodge are found in the</i></span></div>
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<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> isolated bog land </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">near Lough Easky in Co. Sligo</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">In December 1938, a
young girl, named Maggie Ann Mullarky, recorded a story told to her by
her grandfather about the lodge being haunted. What is interesting
about this story is that it mentions that the lodge is in ruins at this time. Newspaper reports from the 1930’s may provide a reason why the idea of
the house being haunted was promoted. At various times, people were arrested for
keeping poteen stills near the house which was then referred to as ‘<i>Byran Cooper’s famous shooting lodge’</i>. Tales of a ghost would have
kept curious onlookers away from the house and left those distilling
there undisturbed. In 1939 another
individual was arrested for unlawful distilling and he was found ‘<i>near an old shooting lodge on the mountain’</i>. Markree
Castle has recently passed out of the ownership of the Cooper family and their former shooting lodge outside
Dromore West will soon cease to exist. The few weather beaten walls still standing, bear little testament to the local civil unrest nearly 140 years ago that resulted in the death of William Nichol. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>Lough Easky found a short distance from Cooper's Lodge</i></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-54912119776420643922018-01-10T11:43:00.002-08:002023-11-28T14:01:31.261-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Glenlossera Lodge</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Ballycastle , </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Mayo</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOyciAhZlirstt2eWbS3_WMp4UP-u4WckCczT0SWWuPWrr2JI-otw_6LUAYHBAc7HMPCKoUDos54relzQfxgqSi2mMT2xFELvgzODEmI-z8Ben7S-QHAIJt2s61YJW4mYnCrsR5xf7EqF/s1600/DSC_0767.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeOyciAhZlirstt2eWbS3_WMp4UP-u4WckCczT0SWWuPWrr2JI-otw_6LUAYHBAc7HMPCKoUDos54relzQfxgqSi2mMT2xFELvgzODEmI-z8Ben7S-QHAIJt2s61YJW4mYnCrsR5xf7EqF/s400/DSC_0767.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif">Glenlossera
Lodge found outside Ballycastle in Co. Mayo on the West Coast of Ireland is an
object of desire for some, many have dreamed about rescuing this structure from
ruin but may not have deep enough pockets to do so. Sitting high on a hill on a
steep bend on the road to Belmullet, the house enjoys unrivaled views of the Atlantic Ocean and the
surrounding dramatic countryside. What may surprise some is that this house was
once home to a woman who had connections with numerous historical figures
namely Queen Victoria, her servant John Brown, Oscar Wilde and Alfred Douglas. Lady
Florence Dixie, who made Glenlossera her home for four months in 1882 was the
aunt of Alfred Douglas whose relationship with Oscar Wilde led to a trial that
dominated the headlines of Victorian Britain. Lady Florence is also said to
have suffered the wrath of Queen Victoria who blamed her for the death of her
faithful servant, John Brown. When one enjoys the panoramic view from the front
of the house, one can understand why Zachary Mudge picked this spot to
construct his hunting lodge here in the 1850’s. However this is an isolated,
cold and unforgiving spot which receives the full brunt of the weather blown in
from the Atlantic Ocean, so Zachary's pioneering spirit in the 1850's has to be
admired. The longevity of Glenlossera Lodge will soon be curtailed with the
speedy acceleration of its decline in recent years. A glimmer of hope was
offered in 2008 when planning permission was granted for its restoration, however
since then its decline has been swift with the loss of large amounts of the
surviving roof structure and the collapse of a number of its chimney stacks.
The property has been on the market for a number of years however a willing saviour
has yet to come forward.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6YLdGi2g0Y_sURz6cMaC0a31DYvhCTXc64YoFUFvtA57XGq1nrpky-KBInleyw8BiTvkiduXNrp1huVrDiWPvUy7bip679XG7_1urKvQkzYLfipx4Fsjp5j2aCfZjCKIO2QEyG0N98Ni/s1600/DSC_0842.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6YLdGi2g0Y_sURz6cMaC0a31DYvhCTXc64YoFUFvtA57XGq1nrpky-KBInleyw8BiTvkiduXNrp1huVrDiWPvUy7bip679XG7_1urKvQkzYLfipx4Fsjp5j2aCfZjCKIO2QEyG0N98Ni/s400/DSC_0842.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif">The
story of Glenlossera Lodge begins in November 1853, when it was recorded that
Mr. Zachary Mudge purchased at auction, '<i>Lot 30 - Glenglassera'</i> containing 1,191
acres with a net annual rent of six pounds sixteen shillings and two pence for
£775. In the same sale Mr. Mudge also purchased Lot 26, <i>'Sralagagh West'</i> containing 1,662 acres for £1,065 and Lot 27
containing 181 acres situated at <i>'Glenora'</i>.
Zachary Mudge was the son of Admiral Mudge who died in 1852, meaning Zachary was
in possession of his inheritance when he purchased the lands in Mayo. He was
born in 1813 and was educated in Oxford where took an M.A. in 1840. He became a
barrister but did not practice as he succeeded to the family property. His
principle property was Sydney House in Devonshire and South Pill in Cornwall
together with the lodge he would build in Ballycastle Co. Mayo. His heir was
his son Arthur Mudge, a Lieutenant in the Second Queen's Royal Regiment. It
would appear that soon after the land was purchased, the lodge was constructed.
It would appear that the Mudge family only spent certain times of the year, such
as Autumn, in the lodge and never lived there on a full time basis. At times a
game keeper was retained however it would appear that the lodge was often leased
to various people, the most interesting and notable of these was Lady Florence
Dixie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif">In
September 1882, Lady Florence Dixie (1855-1905), a daughter of the 8th Marquis
of Queensberry, was in residence at Glenlossera Lodge in Ballycastle, Co. Mayo.
She was the sister of the 9th Marquis of Queensbury and aunt to the Alfred
Douglas who were both involved in the scandalous trial of that century with
Oscar Wilde. After marrying in 1875, Florence combined her love of sport,
travel and writing when she journeyed across Patagonia from 1878-9 where she
hunted big game and publishing a book about her adventures called '<i>Across Patagonia'</i> in 1880. A woman
fond of adventure, in 1879 she was the war correspondent for <i>The</i> <i>Morning Post</i>, covering the Zulu war in Southern Africa. She had
strong views on African politics, publishing ‘ <i>The Land of Misfortune'</i> in 1882. In Britain she was a keen
writer of letters to newspapers on a range of liberal issues. She had
forthright views on women, equality of the sexes in marriage and divorce. In
the 1890s, in a distinct turn-around from Patagonia, she condemned as cruel the
blood sports she had once so greatly enjoyed, in '<i>The Horrors of Sport </i>(1891)'. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyncOYqpS4twnsLbKO6Xgd9xAKnKT0YG9gpXm_8CTy0MWR3m3gwCEsV9FeZemecoaXh5qVhoaRBE4VchZYsQzDvQIn6iBXbgUW6fGGzQ3ZYlQn9iO5OAoALZYWWs35pqGJDW71OCaIhZ5/s1600/mw74711.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="563" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidyncOYqpS4twnsLbKO6Xgd9xAKnKT0YG9gpXm_8CTy0MWR3m3gwCEsV9FeZemecoaXh5qVhoaRBE4VchZYsQzDvQIn6iBXbgUW6fGGzQ3ZYlQn9iO5OAoALZYWWs35pqGJDW71OCaIhZ5/s400/mw74711.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Lady Florence Dixie</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright NPG</span></i></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif">In
1875, aged 19, Florence Douglas had married Sir Alexander Beaumont Churchill
Dixie, 11th Baronet. However according to his new wife, Alexander was "<i>a spendthrift, a hopeless gambler, a heavy
drinker" </i>and as a result the family estate of Bosworth in
Leicestershire had to be sold in 1885. Florence wrote <i>"For some time past I have been fighting against the terrible
consequences of my husband's immense losses on the Turf and at gambling . . It
was a great blow to me to find that the last remnant of a once splendid fortune
must at once go to pay this debt. Ruin ... Beau ... has been so accustomed to
have heaps of money at his command that he cannot understand that it is all
gone ....</i> <i>By selling Bosworth and the
property these (debts) could be met</i>.' Their marriage produced two sons,
born in 1876 and 1878. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFWNlfN0NeL4sbiq8bbp5_IVKlRxV7bGs__HOyqqEL0-rVeUORdez3BYVUBzsn2PqmJPbuogD-eGuxWSntLLV8i0Z-hR5hOx3l_Bl1OPzbWoseZB8DFOn-pJRVEaCpzgV1gTSoXgJEZ1g/s1600/DSC_0780.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFWNlfN0NeL4sbiq8bbp5_IVKlRxV7bGs__HOyqqEL0-rVeUORdez3BYVUBzsn2PqmJPbuogD-eGuxWSntLLV8i0Z-hR5hOx3l_Bl1OPzbWoseZB8DFOn-pJRVEaCpzgV1gTSoXgJEZ1g/s400/DSC_0780.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Panoramic views of the surrounding area</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color:; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif">Alexander
and Florence shared a number of interests however their love of alcohol earned
them the nickname of "<i>Sir Always and
Lady Sometimes Tipsy''</i>. Florence was the author of a number of books for
both children and adults and wrote many letters to newspapers on a number of
issues in particular Irish Home Rule. Her article ' <i>The Case of Ireland' </i>was published in <i>Vanity Fair</i> in May 1882. It had been the assassination
of the Secretary and the Under Secretary for Ireland in May 1882 that prompted
Lady Florence to come to Ireland where she resolved to do all she could for the
poor suffering tenants. In August 1882, she together with her husband, Beau and
brother Jim came to Ireland for a number of months. Despite receiving death
threats before her trip and being begged by members of her family not to go to
Ireland, she persisted and came to County Mayo to stay at Glenlossera Lodge.
When she was only one month in Ireland in September 1882, she received a letter
bomb, whether this was sent to Glenlossera we cannot be sure. During her sojourn
of four months in Glenlossera Lodge, she wrote to numerous newspapers to
highlight to the British public the great poverty amongst the small farmers on
the west coast of Ireland. She appealed for donations to assist her in the
formation of a fund which would help her to alleviate the suffering of the
truly unfortunate, destitute and those unfairly evicted. Her appeal was
generously responded to and contributions were received from within Ireland,
England and Scotland. However she stated publicly that she would not engage
with the Land League nor donate any of the funds raised by her to them. She
felt they received adequate funds from the Irish in America and she did not
agree with their violent methods. In 1883, a visitor to Ballycastle recorded
that on the road between Ballycastle and Belmullet ' <i>there are a few miserable hovels thinly scattered and one or two
hunting lodges of English gentlemen. During a great portion of the year these
lodges are closed up, the owners living elsewhere</i>.' It is also recorded
that '<i>on this road one passes Glenossery
Lodge, together with the houses of the chief and under gamekeepers...... In
this lodge, which belongs to an Englishman named Mudge, resided in for sometime
Lady Florence Dixey</i>.' Lady Florence continued to be critical of the Land League
after her departure from Ireland. Near Windsor she was reportedly attacked by
them in March 1883 however some doubted whether this attack had actually taken
place. Lady Florence had alleged that she was attacked by two gentlemen dressed
as women who tried to stab her and only for the quick actions of her St.
Bernard dog she would have been killed. This led to another extraordinary
connection, as the attack happened near Windsor Castle, Queen Victoria sent her
faithful servant John Brown to investigate. During his investigations carried
out in exceptionally cold weather, John Brown caught a cold from which he never
recovered and died soon after. As a result Queen Victoria is said to have
blamed Lady Florence for the death of her faithful servant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmCWrRGNG72oOsm4YCxu-0mPpSKXKhYD7_DrvNCDJpADYsuSXWsGmh2yv46GLKACjkft2m7hnz01o6lhaDAe9RuSiFh_YETXG3tvL-REbIhxIyZdAviGeVEPptf4Oxs1RGv6qiOQg4SNK/s1600/DSC_0823.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmCWrRGNG72oOsm4YCxu-0mPpSKXKhYD7_DrvNCDJpADYsuSXWsGmh2yv46GLKACjkft2m7hnz01o6lhaDAe9RuSiFh_YETXG3tvL-REbIhxIyZdAviGeVEPptf4Oxs1RGv6qiOQg4SNK/s400/DSC_0823.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif">In
January 1877, a man representing himself as Captain Baggot of Glenlossera Lodge
ordered goods to the amount of £39 in the town of Killala. He said at the time
that he had bought the lodge from Captain Wilde who was a tenant of Captain Mudge.
A few weeks later, despite never having paid for the goods, Captain Baggot
returned to Killala and informed the shop keeper that he had become a landlord
after purchasing a large property at Newport. He was going to London to pay for
it and needed funds prior to his trip. He withdrew funds of £25 on the basis of
a letter stating that he was £1,000 in credit with his bankers in London.
However it appears that Captains Baggot's stories were all a fabrication and he
was arrested for his dishonoured bank drafts. By December 1887, a Miss Priestly (or Mrs.
Mudge), was in residence in Glenlossera where she advertises a recommendation
for her Governess in order for her to find work in alternative employment in
the New Year. In 1893, a meeting was held in Ballycastle in relation to the
extension of the railway line from Killala to Ballycastle. A large number of
people attended the meeting including the large land owners of the area, and Mr.
A.J. Mudge of the lodge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8RA6a3pzyKJqJzTgh5kkUd48SENkSDqTuZQ2aEeL4TzsG3bSjWiUXSo4wVNW4GcCveEI-mi5INFAzX_w9tRqBMyupnhOWe0dM8zb68jUljlHfTYzLsUtqRx2gXJ3aYMPPumv99i76Jv0/s1600/DSC_0792.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix8RA6a3pzyKJqJzTgh5kkUd48SENkSDqTuZQ2aEeL4TzsG3bSjWiUXSo4wVNW4GcCveEI-mi5INFAzX_w9tRqBMyupnhOWe0dM8zb68jUljlHfTYzLsUtqRx2gXJ3aYMPPumv99i76Jv0/s400/DSC_0792.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif">At
the time of the 1901 census, the lodge is described as having 15 rooms, being
occupied by William Lynch and owned by Arthur J. Mudge. William Lynch was a
Game Keeper, a member of the Church of Ireland and from Cork City. He lived in
the lodge with his wife, three sons and one daughter. His youngest two children were born in Mayo
with the elder of these children is one year old meaning the family had come to the
area around 1900. The eldest children of the family were all born in Cork as was
his wife. By 1911, William and his wife are still in residence in the lodge but
they now have another child named Walter aged 8. By 1923, the lodge was still
the home of the Lynch family, in May of that year, a party of National troops
came to Glenlossera Lodge and asked for permission to be put up there. This was
granted with the stipulation that none of the troops were to enter the family
bedrooms. However later in October, a case was mentioned in the press where the
larceny of property from the house had taken place. A solider was later sentenced
to 12 months imprisonment for the thief of the jewelry. The Lynch's were still in residence in the lodge
by 1926, which is confirmed by a number of notices that appeared in the local
paper from that time. However it would appear that the Lynch's tenure of the lodge
ended in 1927 when it was sold. The Mudge family reduced their holding in Mayo
gradually over the previous decades with the sale of 2,731 acres taking place
in 1927 to the Irish Land Comission.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKo6WHoQWvZHqxvN60HwB0jzijcnPEcvwSMzQgGrFFC6jvt_EhCgjVFKzGniloZf82kC56YnLJYceSDYDgVqmB5ZNH7Qxt6tBLPush4WrSFsqAqtr2ZpsrnUo0C_gh0Koc4-fOMoaRYBW/s1600/DSC_0803.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKo6WHoQWvZHqxvN60HwB0jzijcnPEcvwSMzQgGrFFC6jvt_EhCgjVFKzGniloZf82kC56YnLJYceSDYDgVqmB5ZNH7Qxt6tBLPush4WrSFsqAqtr2ZpsrnUo0C_gh0Koc4-fOMoaRYBW/s400/DSC_0803.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<span face=""arial" , sans-serif">In
1931, F.H. Martin-Atkins passed away and left an estate of £ 11,130.00 and it
was noted that he was formerly of Glenlossera Lodge, Ballycastle, Co. Mayo. In
1934, Glenlossera was advertised for sale, fully furnished with 906 acres. The
interior is described as having three sitting rooms, five bedrooms, two servant’s
rooms and kitchen which was all available for the price of £1,000 however due
to lack of interest this was reduced to £500 one year later. In 1956, it was
advertised that instructions had been received by James King, who had now taken
up residence in Galway, to offer for sale
the property known as 'Glenlossera Lodge' on 7 acres of arable and
woodland with boat-houses and slips at Belderrig and Glenlossera lakes. The lodge
is described as a ' <i>beautiful cut stone
structure of the Bungalow type erected on dry elevated ground in perfect
structural and decorative order. It contains large entrance hall, sun lounge, 2
reception rooms, kitchen, kitchenette, cold room and pantry with tiled floors,
5 well appointed bedrooms, bathroom, W.C</i>.' The sale was to be carried out
by John Moran and the price included all furniture. In 1964, Albert Stephen Fallon
was in residence in the lodge, and when in 1992 Mr. Fallon passed away in
Clomel and his death notice stated that he was formerly of Glenlossera Lodge.
The lodge has become derelict over the years but full planning permission for
its restoration was granted in 2008. Despite being on the market with seven
acres for a number of years, for offers in the region of €125,000. there have
been no takers. As I am familiar with the house I have noticed recently that a
number of the chimney stacks have collapsed and the decline of the lodge has accelerated. However one still hopes that
someone might be brave enough to save this unique house with a surprising
connection with a number of historical figures.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: small;">A large number of the chimneys and external walls of the</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: small;"> lodge have </span></i></span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span face=""arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif" style="color: #182e04; font-size: small;">unfortunately collapsed.</span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: ; color: #182e04; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<br />David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-79847384268243836272017-09-21T04:59:00.001-07:002019-08-06T14:42:15.103-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Ballinafad House</b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<div style="font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif;">
<div style="font-size: 14.54px;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Belcarra, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Mayo</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 14.54px;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDd0KHuJyJg0G2k8XC2RAEKdUACRZ4sFuaSN5SWj5xxGFNudmPc5DsFCKQUKr3V4DDoNYtdegg6Nyky0BTpPrJbgBFe6GSS95inEzw7zfP_P3PwInMTd5Wf0pTrfW1r-8zeHtKxa-Y1kHY/s1600/20170910_021957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDd0KHuJyJg0G2k8XC2RAEKdUACRZ4sFuaSN5SWj5xxGFNudmPc5DsFCKQUKr3V4DDoNYtdegg6Nyky0BTpPrJbgBFe6GSS95inEzw7zfP_P3PwInMTd5Wf0pTrfW1r-8zeHtKxa-Y1kHY/s400/20170910_021957.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ballinafad House, found near Belcara outside Castlebar in Co Mayo, may
look to the causal observer like a country house that has seen better days
however be advised that in this instance to never judge a book by its cover. The
interior is a hive of activity since the arrival of Bede Tannock from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Australia</st1:country-region> who is tackling this challenging
restoration. The list of work is awe inspiring while the
quantities involved are staggering, 70,000 square feet of floor space, 340 sash windows,
110 rooms and surely a couple of acres of roof. Some people may think that the purchase price of €80,000 is a bargain, for this large house that sits on 8 acres, however it will take many multiples of the purchase price to restore
this building and make it pay its way. Ballinafad House was once home to the
Blake family but was donated by Llewellyn Blake, to
the Society of African Missions in the early 1900's. This generous gift was
given in the belief that it would atone for the sins of Blake's ancestors. Llewellyn
believed that religious ceremonies conducted in memory of his dead relatives would rescue
them from purgatory and admonish them of their past sins. However as you will
see from reading the following paragraphs, Llewellyn did not seem to notice the
living purgatory that his own tenants endured on his Mayo estate. Llewellyn's
endowment of the Society of African Missions in 1916 was the equivalent of a
donation in today's terms of nearly €6.5 million. Also the establishment of the
Society of African Missions at Ballianfad was not met with universal welcome, both the tenants of the estate and Llewellyn's
relatives were actively hostile to the very idea.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><i>The original Ballinafad House sits between two wings that </i></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><i>were</i> </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">added</span></i><br />
<i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> to the house in the 1940's & 1950's. From this viewpoint the </span></i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><i>claim</i> </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">that</span></span></i><br />
<i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> the house </span><span style="font-size: 13.3333px;">possesses</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> the widest chimney in </span></span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> appear </span></span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">to be </span></span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">well founded.</span></i></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ballinafad House was built in 1827 by Maurice Blake but over
the years has been enveloped by the ancillary buildings of the seminary and college
it became after being donated in 1908. Ballinafad was the home of the Blakes,
who were also connected with the Blakes of nearby Towerhill House but also
connected by marriage to the Moores of Moore Hall. The interior of the original section of Ballinafad is important as many surrounding country houses are lying in ruins or no longer exist. When in the drawing room of Ballinafad, one can imagine that possibly it bore some resemblance to the nearby, but lost, interiors of Moore Hall, Towerhill or Clogher House. Prior to it being extended
in the 1940's, Ballinafad House was a two storey over part raised basement
house with 28 rooms. Sitting atop the roof is an impressive chimney that serves
26 fireplaces and possibly lays claim to being the widest domestic chimney in
the country. The structural supports for the chimney dominate the layout of
the house, beginning with a series of vaulted ceilings in the basement which
support arches on the ground and first floor that in turn support the large
chimney above. The support structure for this mammoth chimney essentially
divides the house in two halves. The series of rooms to the rear of the house
are separated from the main reception rooms at the front of the house by an
elongated spine corridor that traverses the centre of the building. The
entrance to the house is via a pair of sweeping curved stone steps that lead to
an entrance porch, supported on an arch. A decedent of the Blake’s, Maurice
Moore, whose mother was born and raised
at Ballinafad, was of the belief that his grandfather, who had added the porch
to the house, was inspired by <i>‘an
imperfect memory of one he had seen in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Italy</st1:place></st1:country-region>’</i>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9DmuqPtRdg6rk_3Ngol6Vlil8hLVuOhQ1YTq9PO8cP-mWqAz9OsZCYBiVTTuL9fW_i5-9GgXzjJGhQxOa-i8bl4STgvRH_mqWza9rYySbPCMQg8AZxLwSHK5lhaxjExA5GRi1sQr4ikN/s1600/DSC_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1463" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia9DmuqPtRdg6rk_3Ngol6Vlil8hLVuOhQ1YTq9PO8cP-mWqAz9OsZCYBiVTTuL9fW_i5-9GgXzjJGhQxOa-i8bl4STgvRH_mqWza9rYySbPCMQg8AZxLwSHK5lhaxjExA5GRi1sQr4ikN/s400/DSC_0083.JPG" width="365" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The entrance porch to Ballinafad with its curved </i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>sweeping steps was said to have been inspired</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>by an Italian counterpart </i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moore</st1:place></st1:city>'s
of Moore Hall, as I have previously mentioned, were connected with the Blake
Family of Ballinafad through marriage. In 1851, George Henry Moore, of nearby
Moore Hall married Mary Blake, the 23 year old daughter of Maurice Blake of
Ballinafad House. Mary was one of ten children of Maurice and Anne Blake and upon
her marriage to Moore was bestowed with a dowry of £4,000 which enriched
the Moore Estate (This would be the equivalent of over €5 million in today's
terms). Mary would name her second son Maurice after her father with the first
born son, and heir of Moore Hall Estate, was given the name George. George Moore,
who became a famous literary figure, would later write about Ballinafad describing
it as ‘a <i>county house, surrounded by a
large park with a little quick running river close by’ </i>and that '<i>ancestors had lived in Ballinafad for many
generations; the obstinate Blakes they were called…</i>’ Based on this statement, it would appear that there was possibly an earlier house on the site, when George Moore speaks of the family living there for generations. In December of 1851,
Maurice Blake of Ballinafad died after a long illness and his remains lay in
Ballinafad until removed for burial to Cloughballymore in <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>.
The reason for Maurice's burial in Galway is that he had married the daughter
and heiress of Marcus Lynch. Therefore the large Lynch Estate at Cloughballymore,
Co. <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place> eventually passed in to the Blake
family. As Maurice had made a wise dynastic match with the Lynch family, his
daughters would also marry in to other landed families. In 1854, Catherine
married into the O'Connors of Elphin, Rosscommon , followed in 1858 when Julia
married in to the Browne family and in 1859, when <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Victoria</st1:place></st1:state> married in to the ffrench family.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBc61x4tkIkCGfG-K0rN_1Lrw9RWxEtRairkM8bjAXbrns_qwJVcf-FlvDlqOFEz93V1BrGY2dsijt-30qYIdmVPIRaLBP3DFreKAZ-qHIFCUEfl-nZTMxg-I8LZh6tMZVhv0AfMqw4EY/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="385" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoBc61x4tkIkCGfG-K0rN_1Lrw9RWxEtRairkM8bjAXbrns_qwJVcf-FlvDlqOFEz93V1BrGY2dsijt-30qYIdmVPIRaLBP3DFreKAZ-qHIFCUEfl-nZTMxg-I8LZh6tMZVhv0AfMqw4EY/s400/Untitled.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>LLewllyn Blake, son of Maurice Blake</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>who built Ballinafad in 1827</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Initially it did not look as if Maurice's youngest son, Llewellyn
Blake, would inherit his fathers estates as he had older brothers who would
inherit before him. Llewellyn Blake was born in 1842 and in his lifetime gained
the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the 6th Battalion of the Connaught Rangers
and held the office of High Sheriff of Galway in 1886. He also held the Office
of Deputy Lieutenant for Country Mayo together with the Office of the Justice
of the Peace for Counties Mayo and <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. In 1869,
Llewellyn was appointed to the Commission for Peace and was recommenced to the Lord
Chancellor by the Marquis of Clanricarde. In August 1877 at St. Michael’s
Church, <st1:city w:st="on">Kingstown ( now Dun Laoghaire)</st1:city>, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>, Llewellyn Blake married
Honoria Mary, the widow of William Murray (who died in 1874) of Northampton
House in Country Galway. William Murray was a successful pawnbroker in <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place> who moved to Kinvara and built Northampton House.
In December 1877, Llewellyn Blake was living at 2 <st1:city w:st="on">Willow</st1:city>
Terrace, Blackrock, <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>,
we know this as he was advertising land for lease in Offaly and Kildare and
mentions this as his address.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZwbRs29NPBo3LnA-twRdy0tEJLYigDd4rNmlRnJ4j615njbr7i_6ElENIuxCzsbl-g3hIjPeM6JMo1AivYhs5SUKmeNvkEC3zcPGcJZIcXQd4G3chvuGvtShB4h4wDWdpXt74bRvGh87/s1600/DSC_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZwbRs29NPBo3LnA-twRdy0tEJLYigDd4rNmlRnJ4j615njbr7i_6ElENIuxCzsbl-g3hIjPeM6JMo1AivYhs5SUKmeNvkEC3zcPGcJZIcXQd4G3chvuGvtShB4h4wDWdpXt74bRvGh87/s400/DSC_0040.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Further additions were added to the house over the </i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>years including the 'Priest's House' seen to the right</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>of the picture. </i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In November 1891, Llewelyn’s wife, Honoria Mary Blake died
aged only 41, strangely her death notice reports in great detail that she died from ‘<i>congestion of the lungs’</i>. She left an
estate valued at £15,105 and she died at her home Northampton House, Kinvara,
Co. <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. Northampton House no longer
exists, albeit for one wall, as the house was demolished in the 1930’s. Llewellyn
and Honoria's marriage produced no children and as result this branch of the
Blake family would die out with Llewellyn's death Llewellyn's brother, Mark Blake of
Ballinafad died in June 1886 and his estates passed to his brother Joseph
Blake. Joseph managed the Moore Hall estate
for his nephew George Moore after the death of his father, George Henry
Moore. It was after the death of Joseph ( Gontran) Blake who died at Ballinafad
in January 1893 that his estate valued at £12,581 passed to Llewellyn. As a
result of these deaths in close succession, Llewellyn had inherited the estates
and homes of his wife and brother so he was now a very wealthy man. At the time
of the 1901 census, Llewellyn Blake aged 61 is living in Ballinafad House, it
is noted that he was born in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>
and is a widower. Also present in the house is his 64 year old Land Stewart,
Michael Cloran, together with two female servants Honoria Glynn aged 50 and Mary
Mc Gurrin aged 40. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5RJy2EKGylkYt0BRXAUSFUpcSF06-zWOnWw5CU5Ti7V2k1e3eT6zj2Ky2Uc4apwFTTdrK5KWj04fZxnZAOWKrcQnRELSr5HUuvklFnO5Lq4Z7lM31oHp8mOlwSrPI8gc8KLGpIS18gK3/s1600/DSC_0897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5RJy2EKGylkYt0BRXAUSFUpcSF06-zWOnWw5CU5Ti7V2k1e3eT6zj2Ky2Uc4apwFTTdrK5KWj04fZxnZAOWKrcQnRELSr5HUuvklFnO5Lq4Z7lM31oHp8mOlwSrPI8gc8KLGpIS18gK3/s400/DSC_0897.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The beautiful ceiling rose in the Entrance Hall</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In January 1906, it was announced that the title of Count
was conferred by the Pope on Llewellyn Blake of Cloughballymore, <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place> and Ballinafad House, Mayo. This honour was
conferred in recognition of Llewellyn's generosity towards the Society of
African Missions based in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:city>
also known as the SMA. Llewellyn had also founded a scholarship at St. Jarlaith’s
College in Tuam for the education of priests for the foreign missions. In 1906,
it is recorded that Llewellyn held over 1,000 acres of untenanted land in Mayo
and it appears that not everyone was happy about Llewelyn Blake’s donation to
the African Missionary Society. A letter
to ‘<i>The Western People’ </i>in January
1906, a tenant of the Blake estate wrote the following <i>‘ A couple of weeks ago reading on your
paper that Colonel L. Blake of Ballinafad got a very high title from the Pope,
we, his poor unfortunate tenants in the bogs of Ballinafad were in hopes that
something would follow, and that as ‘Charity begins at home’ the gallant
Colonel would think of his poor tenants and how to improve their lot. He has
about fifty families living on 150 acres of bog.’</i> The author of the letter
points out that he lives on three acres of bog while Llewellyn farms 950 acres of
fine farmland. The tenant ends his letter saying that <i>‘ Many a fine good Irish boy and girl who left Ballinafad for the past
twenty years would be glad to return if Shanroy, Lakemount, Cloonflyn,
Castlelucan or Ballinafad grazing ranches were only divided up amongst the
people at reasonable rents'. </i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOlx7whVQ-5eAYo5uvlc5DgSmkN85Kc8lkQkXutrhRX4TW3XR7L6UbXVmPqRBjnhWuiutXfGL79-DnQObTTPp9effxmCvVL5_9Yl7YOYtOgW_ZofonBUpXr7FsWYyRFHRj0ykErqCyu53/s1600/DSC_0852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1226" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOlx7whVQ-5eAYo5uvlc5DgSmkN85Kc8lkQkXutrhRX4TW3XR7L6UbXVmPqRBjnhWuiutXfGL79-DnQObTTPp9effxmCvVL5_9Yl7YOYtOgW_ZofonBUpXr7FsWYyRFHRj0ykErqCyu53/s400/DSC_0852.JPG" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>One of the restored stained glass windows</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>in the chapel of Ballinafad, that commemorates</i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">the work of the Society of African Missons.</span></i></span><br />
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In January 1908, the Pope approved the establishment of a college for the education of priests for the African Mission at Ballinafad. The
announcement indicated that the African Missionary Society, who had a college
in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:city> were
about to take over Ballinafad House and demesne. Rev. Zimmerman from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Cork</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place>
had visited Ballinafad in early 1908 and was shown over the estate by Count
Blake. The dining room of Ballinafad was
readied for Mass to celebrate a new beginning for the house. The tenants on the estate reacted angrily to this
news and they believed the donation to be part of a ploy to cheat them out the
opportunity to buy their own land. While the tenants had no objection to the
college being established, it was their belief that they were
entitled to first consideration if any land of the estate was being disposed
of. When Father Zimmerman from the SMA, Count Blake
and a land surveyor visited a nearby land holding, they were met by tenants who
‘<i>booted them off the farm’</i>. It was the tenants hope that legislation
would be introduced to ‘come <i>to their aid
in their struggle with the Count, who, in his zeal for the Africans sees fit to
ignore the claims to simple justice which cry at his very door</i>;’ The
tenants protestations had the desired effect as it was announced in May of 1908
that all the tenanted land of the demesne had been offered for sale to the
Estates Commission. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCF_SWs41Jl6zRj17venFxnCziMqUwVWNed-sr_ISqaYFXeZYrPEQn-Sl6EvSA4O7oUOT_JmYmHfMbjsCFkHUY4cLkG7Kmgzyce8ZNGhz7m067Y3F-zev38sSZo7IRELaHAFdTQaGDZKV/s1600/DSC_0930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1071" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtCF_SWs41Jl6zRj17venFxnCziMqUwVWNed-sr_ISqaYFXeZYrPEQn-Sl6EvSA4O7oUOT_JmYmHfMbjsCFkHUY4cLkG7Kmgzyce8ZNGhz7m067Y3F-zev38sSZo7IRELaHAFdTQaGDZKV/s400/DSC_0930.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">The restored plaster work in one of the vaulted areas</span></i></div>
<br />
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">found on either side of the main staircase.</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">While his tenants were not impressed with the actions of the
Count, his relatives were even less enamored. George Moore of nearby Moore
Hall who was a nephew of Llewellyn made no secret of his dissatisfaction with
the arrangements made for his mother’s former home. In fact George Moore could
always be relied upon to present a less saintly representation of the Blake
family. When describing his illustrious uncle, he said the following <i>‘ Llewelyn is a tall as his brother Mark,
two or three inches over six feet, large in proportion, with sloping shoulders,
snapping his words out and then relapsing into silence</i>'. George also said
that his uncle had ‘<i>become uneasy about
his soul. He was warned of its disease by me years ago, but he paid no heed to
my warnings, and convinced of its continued existence, and that priests can
help him to save it, he has founded a monastery</i>.’ In 1914, George Moore
wrote about his uncle Llewellyn whom he said ‘<i>is my uncle and my mother’s youngest brother and he came into the property
of Ballinafad on the death of Joe Blake……His brother, Mark, from whom he
inherited Ballinafad, was a fine old country rake, leaving samples of his voice
and demeanour and appearance in every village and then going to Dublin to
repent of his sins….</i>' It would appear according to George Moore that both
Mark and Joe had indeed fathered children outside the confines of marriage as
it is also recorded that they both died <i>'without
lawful issue'</i>. Was it these actions of his brothers that prayed on the mind
of Llewellyn?, was his donation of all his property to religious orders, an act
to ensure that his deceased brothers were rescued from purgatory? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsY4ggyraJA-20t5m4K59bKgPy5UzkB9P4zugnR0PWpgnNXphOdNKoulc5ojcQhrSOsGzeXCwqv3r0mnfR9yE_v-Wu5pCy7vD1PVtgttgQi6PB5AznNrjLUJv-ERH2muMBCYstpKX8GpG/s1600/DSC_0872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMsY4ggyraJA-20t5m4K59bKgPy5UzkB9P4zugnR0PWpgnNXphOdNKoulc5ojcQhrSOsGzeXCwqv3r0mnfR9yE_v-Wu5pCy7vD1PVtgttgQi6PB5AznNrjLUJv-ERH2muMBCYstpKX8GpG/s400/DSC_0872.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">The ceiling and cornicing of the Drawing Room in Ballinafad</span></i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above and below) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNA6t4Lxf0FJKatTE3Yp7qaiZhfJ4F7z4UpimbXYG26CEMyrJeVPp29Hdumm5omKKKzYKCz0VqRR1yELIW06L6g0suOloDN3o_5tUcIxvZjmY22Xg9ZPBPxYenhP12EcYRzNaUtBAAF5i/s1600/DSC_0875.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkNA6t4Lxf0FJKatTE3Yp7qaiZhfJ4F7z4UpimbXYG26CEMyrJeVPp29Hdumm5omKKKzYKCz0VqRR1yELIW06L6g0suOloDN3o_5tUcIxvZjmY22Xg9ZPBPxYenhP12EcYRzNaUtBAAF5i/s400/DSC_0875.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">By the time of the 1911 census, Ballinafad House was now being used as Ballinafad College where a Rev. William Butler is listed as the
head of the household and the owners of the property recorded as the South
African Mission, Rev. Butler aged 30 from Kilkenny is a Professor of Latin and
English, also present were John Corcoran aged 27, a Professor of Latin,
History, French and Mathematics, William Cotter also aged 27, a Professor of
Latin, Music, French and Mathematics together with Bartholomew Ronayre a
Professor of Latin, English and Mathematics.
Johanna Cummins aged 63, from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tipperary</st1:place></st1:city>,
is listed as the Matron and Manageress while there are also two female servants,
Mary Mc Gurrin and Bridget Joyce. Llewellyn at this time is living in
Cloughballymore in <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>, the 4,000 acre
estate and 19 room house which had been inherited from his mother's side of the
family. On the night of the 1911 census he has two female visitors, Mary and Kate Regan and also present in the
house are three servants. Count Llewellyn Blake died on the 8th September 1916
at his <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place> home Cloughballymore in
Kilcolgan. His remains were removed from his residence to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Ballinderreen</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Parish</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place>. His death
certificate indicates that his death was sudden but that he suffered from heart
disease. The certificate is witnessed by his house keeper, Norah Hughes who was
with him when he died. The funeral mass involved nine clergy after which the
remains were brought to Ardrahan train station and were conveyed to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:city> for burial. At <st1:placename w:st="on">Wilton</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype>
in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:city>, High
Mass was again celebrated and interment took place in the church grounds. In
his will dated December 1907, he appointed as executors, the Roman Catholic Archbishop
of Tuam and the Bishop of Cork together with the Rev. Joseph Zimmermann of the SMA. Llewellyn left £1,500 to have Mass celebrated
in churches and chapels in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>
for the souls of his wife, mother, father, brothers and sisters. He left £50 to
his Parish Priest in <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place> to have additional
masses said for deceased members of his family and £50 to help the local poor.
He left £500 to the sisters of Charity in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>
to assist in their foreign missions for the propagation of the Roman Catholic
religion. After these deductions were made, the residue of his estate was to be
divided in fifteen equal parts. Six fifteenths of his estate were to go to the
new College of the Sacred Heart, founded by the <st1:placename w:st="on">Apostolic</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype> for Foreign Missions in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region> located
at Ballinafad House. Two fifteenths were apportioned to the Roman Catholic
Ecclesiastical Seminary in <st1:place w:st="on">Limerick</st1:place>. Two
fifteenths were allocated to <st1:placename w:st="on">All</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Hallows</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype>,
in <st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city>, <st1:city w:st="on">St. Joseph</st1:city>’s
College in <st1:city w:st="on">Wilton</st1:city>, <st1:city w:st="on">Cork</st1:city>
and St. Jarlaiths College, Tuam ,<st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. Another condition of the will stipulated that
each college should use the monies to enable poor students to train for the
Priesthood, who could not afford to pay for their own education. One final
fifteenth was to assist in the publication of Annals of the Propagation of the
Roman Catholic Faith. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9IpRIVhD8CSDhau4aSTwpwaMaI54b_Gw3scr16L9eiA8CNgOB1DW9NdGoSJWLxgzmoSW1W306v1rov0sBEvpAo3oHFjbdMcGnYGLBJyX0Wtk5pvZseYWCFd7miy_jwcvv_l_5DoxJWlM/s1600/DSC_0876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9IpRIVhD8CSDhau4aSTwpwaMaI54b_Gw3scr16L9eiA8CNgOB1DW9NdGoSJWLxgzmoSW1W306v1rov0sBEvpAo3oHFjbdMcGnYGLBJyX0Wtk5pvZseYWCFd7miy_jwcvv_l_5DoxJWlM/s400/DSC_0876.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Details of the Drawing Room Ceiling.</span></i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJsOW68xIbgubfaJh5Gc4BNCAEAFnzIkdvKlRkyw9sOd2v7agbj2qAuIeY7EEyUx8ufrZ0YQKxxRTd9KxkxglSC6vfkeWHQ8YIfVP4V3tou3digNFdgplWGKnFz47rf27gWcT4AwEZy9f/s1600/DSC_0879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="981" data-original-width="1600" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJsOW68xIbgubfaJh5Gc4BNCAEAFnzIkdvKlRkyw9sOd2v7agbj2qAuIeY7EEyUx8ufrZ0YQKxxRTd9KxkxglSC6vfkeWHQ8YIfVP4V3tou3digNFdgplWGKnFz47rf27gWcT4AwEZy9f/s400/DSC_0879.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Llewellyn left an estate with a value of £61,502.00 (of
which £11,225 was in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region>),
this would be roughly €6.5 million in today's money. The probate of his estate
was granted to the Most Reverend John Healy, Archbishop of Tuam and the Most
Reverend Daniel Coholan, Bishop of Cork. He left nothing to his relatives, so
Maurice Moore and his sister Nina Kilkelly (Llewellyn's niece and nephew) made
a petition to the Pope for a portion of their late uncle’s estate. The Pope
agreed to release a donation of £2,000 to Mrs. Kilkelly and £1,000 to Maurice
Moore which was paid in 1919. Maurice Moore had wanted to join with other
members of the Blake Family to over turn his uncle’s will. He was annoyed
that Ballinafad, his mother’s childhood home, was now passing out of the family
to become a religious institution. His brother George on the other hand took
offence at the way he felt his wealthy uncle had been pursued by members of the
religious order. George believed that they had prayed on Llewellyn’s
concern for the souls of his deceased ancestors and convinced him that by
donating his wealth he could redeem them from purgatory. However George would
not join with Maurice or support his petition for the overturning of the will,
using Maurice's respect for his Catholic faith against him. This would not be the
only time that Maurice would be disappointed by the last will and testament of
a relative. When his brother, George Moore died in 1933, he left no provision
for Maurice or his sons. At this stage Moore Hall had been burnt down a decade
earlier and lay in ruins. Maurice had hoped to restore the house but his
brother's will had prevented that. While Maurice had purchased the ruin of Moore
Hall, he had no funds to implement a restoration. Perhaps if his Uncle
Llewellyn had made provision in his will for his nephew, who bore the name of
his father, Maurice may have been able to resurrect the home of the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moore</st1:place></st1:city>’s on Muckloon Hill after its destruction.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WO8vRDxLD-uqx4o5cEmpsKysJWIHaa0T8h493yq61AHXq-SiYfvnZu8g7-U5ktYzYhx97saN-hQELdbb24koB4efv9rTUhPzenNs8k6qHjhY3T0epamM7NwRM2QEP3kFVBB4aqTWprNp/s1600/DSC_0865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1183" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0WO8vRDxLD-uqx4o5cEmpsKysJWIHaa0T8h493yq61AHXq-SiYfvnZu8g7-U5ktYzYhx97saN-hQELdbb24koB4efv9rTUhPzenNs8k6qHjhY3T0epamM7NwRM2QEP3kFVBB4aqTWprNp/s400/DSC_0865.JPG" width="295" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>One of the restored sash windows and shutters</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>in an area of the house that had been obliterated</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>by damp.</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Llewellyn's nephews, George and Maurice Moore visited Ballinafad after the order
had taken over. George walked around the drawing room and recalled the musical
renditions performed here by his mother, her sisters and her brother. He noted
at this time that ‘<i>remembered pictures’</i>
were still hanging on the walls. One wonders what became of the contents of the
house as they appear to have been donated to the Order that took over
Ballinafad. Also Llewellyn's other house, Cloughballymore in <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>,
which also donated, contained a number of family portraits still hanging on
the walls years after the order acquired it. During his visit to Ballinafad,
George spoke with one of the priests based there, who informed him that the first
group of priests , dispatched on the missions from Ballinafad, had found the African
climate intolerable and that ‘<i>large
amount’</i> of these men had died. Whether George was being
melodramatic or not, we do not know however the Priest did inform him that another
group was leaving shortly for <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place> and that he '<i> hoped not to lose so many’</i>. However
in a letter from George Moore to his brother Maurice dated August 1912, he says the following ‘<i>I enclose some papers that
I received this morning, and I think they will distress you. Apparently
Llewelyn is going to settle an ecclesiastical establishment in Ballinafad
unless he can be stopped. Will you please let me hear from you on the subject.
Miss Gough says it is to be sold…</i>’ This was followed by another letter
dated September 1912 <i>‘I have heard no
more from Tom Rutledge about the sale of the Property, Llewelyn Blake and
Ballinafad, Has everything come to a standstill?</i>’. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLd2Bd9ONGnzRuYBi6VyGcMKtMh18oEhmQ1ajrt4aoB1Vwh6fVit-V1FcUkHpDCSf0oY_c2F7ycz1ZSIOuGvW-i4xlIY-GXFLu7yM_0vI4v4USG4TJ8nc2aoD1VMX-MOV4qMfvw0jaCPXg/s1600/DSC_0966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1150" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLd2Bd9ONGnzRuYBi6VyGcMKtMh18oEhmQ1ajrt4aoB1Vwh6fVit-V1FcUkHpDCSf0oY_c2F7ycz1ZSIOuGvW-i4xlIY-GXFLu7yM_0vI4v4USG4TJ8nc2aoD1VMX-MOV4qMfvw0jaCPXg/s400/DSC_0966.JPG" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">A beautifully restored window on the half</span></i></span><br />
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>landing of the main staircase</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Ballinafad was initially a seminary after the SMA took over
but then adopted the duel function of being a secondary boarding school. In
1948, a new staff residence, dormitory and dining facilities were built
followed in 1955 by another block of classrooms and an assembly hall. It is
noted that Ballinafad ‘<i>never grew popular
as a local school’</i> however up until the 1960’s in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
secondary level education was for the favoured few. By 1960, Ballinafad had
produced 400 priests and it was hoped by the time of the centenary of the
establishment of the SMA at Ballinafad in 2016, they would have produced over 1,000 priests. In the 1960’s, the SMA built an Oratory
together with basketball courts, tennis courts and handball alleys at
Ballinafad. In 1966, the Vatican Council introduced changes in the approach for
the training of priests and this coupled with the introduction of free education
led to a decline in the fortunes of Ballinafad. As the population of the area
was too small, the outlay for providing facilities for boarders hadn’t been a
success and the order could no longer meet the running costs. In 1975, it was
announced that the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Sacred</st1:placename>
<st1:placename w:st="on">Heart</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place>
established at Ballinafad would close. For a time a skeleton staff were kept on
to maintain the place as no Government Department was interested in finding an
alternative use for Ballinafad. The College was still in possession of a 470
acre farm around the main campus and it was local contention that the land
should be divided amoung local farmers upon its closure. However the complex
was sold to Balla Mart who ran it as an <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Agricultural</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place>
for a number of years before it too closed. In the year 2000, Ballinafad House
appeared on the market with a price tag of £2.5 million for the house with 400
acres, however a price of £500,000 could buy Ballinafad standing on 8 acres. In
December 2002, at the height of the excesses of the Celtic Tiger it was
reported that Ballinafad had been sold to Preston Homes who intended turning
into a 5 star hotel however its appears that the recession killed this pipe
dream. By 2010, Ballinafad was back on the market with a price of €499,000 for
the college buildings but at this stage <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region> was in the midst of a
recession so there were no takers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 14.54px; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7IKN0ZZn3urln3cadozl8S0G6x8whDUa1jpFmBjtWiAEEDVJUDE2-_jYA6LNMbD9jopTVGKhtX5_mC1WPPu7XFWljhM783x9INFRxGpfbMZVA6pvnxWZJYOZ3Qw2mn8oN_FaDvT1y75a/s1600/DSC_0941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7IKN0ZZn3urln3cadozl8S0G6x8whDUa1jpFmBjtWiAEEDVJUDE2-_jYA6LNMbD9jopTVGKhtX5_mC1WPPu7XFWljhM783x9INFRxGpfbMZVA6pvnxWZJYOZ3Qw2mn8oN_FaDvT1y75a/s400/DSC_0941.JPG" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">The Dining Room of Ballinafad which shows</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">the condition in which the new owner found most</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">of the house after he purchased it. This room will be</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">subject of the next phase of works.</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The buildings saviour came in the form of a young
Australian, Bede Tannock, who first viewed
the building in 2012. He later purchased the house on 8 acres for €80,000
however but after decades of being abandoned, the phrase <i>‘ in need of renovation</i>’ did not do justice to the mammoth task
that lay ahead at Ballinafad. Work began in 2014 and initially consisted of
removing years of debris compounded by two decades of abandonment. Luckily
despite the neglect, the new owner found that the main block of the house, the
original Ballinafad House, still retained a wealth of original details such as plaster work,
door and window cases which had survived. Currently the entrance porch has its
diamond pattern windows removed for restoration but the beauty of the fanlight
of the original front door to Ballinafad can be appreciated. Once inside you
are greeted by a wonderfully restored elaborate ceiling rose and from here, you can access one of the most impressive areas of the house, a large double height hall where the staircase is contained. Illuminated by a large window, this
space retains beautiful vaulted spaces that contain delicate plaster work. It is
from these vaulted spaces that one gains access to the two large reception
rooms at the front of the house. The original drawing room to the front of the
house is luckily one of the most intact rooms to survive, and here a ceiling depicting musical instruments and foliage awaits redecoration, replacing the strong garish colours of its
previous colour scheme from possibly 40 years ago. One wonders if the choice of the musical instruments illustrated on this ceiling was to reflect the musical nature of the Blake Family that George Moore spoke about. The dining room on the
opposite side of the entrance front has not fared as well. Here the ceiling
with its central plaster ceiling rose of fruit is largely damaged however a
hopefully Bede directs my attention to a carefully collected and stacked pile
of fragments on the floor that will be reinstated. This room is thought to be
the dining room due to the choice of ceiling decoration and its proximity to the servants staircase, which is located directly across the vaulted hall, provided direct access to the kitchen in the basement. The dining room is not the
only room to be damaged during the years of neglect, a leaky roof caused the corroded
water tanks to collapse which completely destroyed rooms in one back corner of
the house. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuagjXrB-HAyI_DpzLS9sbvb4QEiqolM7PF-JdGmvkjZsmiGMMa1H5CJ58tU6O3R05V5KP-wLXnDc8ZZ7aPdwB-vhbahGf2XiJj-nVwn7HgUvarmr6SLTxO14gRYfkbacDeqhyphenhyphenbf-UfXN/s1600/DSC_0862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTuagjXrB-HAyI_DpzLS9sbvb4QEiqolM7PF-JdGmvkjZsmiGMMa1H5CJ58tU6O3R05V5KP-wLXnDc8ZZ7aPdwB-vhbahGf2XiJj-nVwn7HgUvarmr6SLTxO14gRYfkbacDeqhyphenhyphenbf-UfXN/s400/DSC_0862.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">A large room in the wing of the house that dates from </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">the 1950's, will be used as
a space for events such as weddings.</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above and below) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLje2lVjg6xifkWDQke4wYzzjltQ0QE2_M0Wi9Xi6HKiqzLNWOnA8YStSNzP0982Ey5WmtzIi5jeefRrp7B7Xb8QdcuvDgA0ggCkZERGuQltpcd6ZTufIR8eBHNbB18wrNYtCB8uFOSMG/s1600/DSC_0857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLje2lVjg6xifkWDQke4wYzzjltQ0QE2_M0Wi9Xi6HKiqzLNWOnA8YStSNzP0982Ey5WmtzIi5jeefRrp7B7Xb8QdcuvDgA0ggCkZERGuQltpcd6ZTufIR8eBHNbB18wrNYtCB8uFOSMG/s400/DSC_0857.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">This damaged area where these rooms once occupied was open from the ground
floor to what remained of the roof, the ceiling and floor in between were
obliterated and therefore necessitated a complete rebuilt. Today walking though
these reinstated rooms, details such as the cornicing, window shutters and high
skirting boards look pristine, not giving any hint of the scene of
destruction that originally confronted Bede. The SMA had extended Ballinafad House substantially over the years, adjoining wings built
in the 1940's and 1950's were added to either side of the original house,
together with an auditorium and a chapel. Today the beauty of the chapel's
stained class windows that commemorate the work of the SMA can be appreciated
having been recently restored. The 1950's wing and the auditorium have had
substantial restoration work carried out and work in the original house is
progressing at a steady pace. The 1940's wing will be a later project, but
stabilisation work has been carried out including work to the work to the roof, any further deterioration in this wing has been arrested. As a result of the
additions carried out by the SMA, the house is now easily adaptable for the new
venture proposed by its current owner as Ballinafad House will open next year as
an event venue. Here events such as weddings can be held in the Ballinafad's recently
restored large reception room with 13 restored sash windows and chandeliers. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BbgzhemQQikS0NO8l2ODwYBtvx5Dpxm1pU64tQub9rVkKClmMUQ_gKiKbVoIdJ2cd-u1n1LoImCFY15CEJVzdg12-1wh_mm8ksiz7Sd44g_NGN79IdJIQUWenRwQCzBWBTMrwwtmotCF/s1600/DSC_0992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BbgzhemQQikS0NO8l2ODwYBtvx5Dpxm1pU64tQub9rVkKClmMUQ_gKiKbVoIdJ2cd-u1n1LoImCFY15CEJVzdg12-1wh_mm8ksiz7Sd44g_NGN79IdJIQUWenRwQCzBWBTMrwwtmotCF/s400/DSC_0992.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">The interior of the Priests House which has been converted</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><i style="color: #182e04;">in a beautiful home, as I said at the
beginning of this piece,</i> </span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<i style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">to never </span></i><i style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">judge this house by its exterior.</span></i></div>
</div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<div style="font-size: 14.54px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Bede is currently working against the clock, Ballinafad will feature in a RTE programme
about the restoration of the house to be screened in 2018. For this programme, a
number of rooms will be completed and the main facade of the house will boast
newly restored windows. The people of Mayo are lucky that Bede is carrying out such a sensitive
restoration and is so committed to the project. Ballinafad could have languished for years on the market
before it was either vandalised further or eventually collapsed from neglect. Therefore I
wish Bede well and I look forward to making a return visit as Ballinafad House to
see the fruits of his efforts in reversing the fortunes of this country house. One of the things I noticed at Ballinafad is a religious painting that is hanging over the staircase, it is distressed from the time the house was abandoned and open to the elements. This painting has hung here since the time of the SMA and despite its condition I think Bede has made the correct choice to keep it. Once Ballinafad is complete, this painting will remind people of the changing fortunes of the house, the level of dereliction that it descended to and the herculean task involved in revitalising this surviving home of the Blakes.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81h1rWwZtPWuKtd2yafUGIQLuMNgv7Ri6upAFYjgoQHZfz2qcxmiOo6mnQhjAJy_oUQxkPZA_dHnf9NRxykyjSbUPwgfFamRp00xBH3RfxSCE57GKVFnfkYM67EnbMNcVRpZ6Ic_ihCXo/s1600/DSC_0952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1065" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi81h1rWwZtPWuKtd2yafUGIQLuMNgv7Ri6upAFYjgoQHZfz2qcxmiOo6mnQhjAJy_oUQxkPZA_dHnf9NRxykyjSbUPwgfFamRp00xBH3RfxSCE57GKVFnfkYM67EnbMNcVRpZ6Ic_ihCXo/s400/DSC_0952.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
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<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">A religious painting that has stood guard over</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">the main staircase, possibly since 1908, has</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">presided over the changing fortunes of the mansion.</span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">This painting endured while the house was abandoned </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">in the 1970's and water ran down the walls on which it hung. </span></i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">So it is fitting that the new owner has decided to</span></i></div>
<div align="center" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">retain it in situ as Ballinafad looks to a brighter future.</span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-68347501878301151862017-09-13T15:29:00.000-07:002019-07-26T06:27:47.179-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Towerhill House</b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 18.89px;">
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Carnacon, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Mayo</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9qSONx2doOQyrUtY1nN-ahr1XXVG3P4fjDBI178MCyQywZb_wAUmXpkfXwPhvL6sUuzMcATAn5lkQlDDk7BzYWeTgT9D4tV9jsxTl6WhDrqLfFpemmnI56EN2VoFUo-MopgOuYwhZEsM/s1600/20170913_111128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9qSONx2doOQyrUtY1nN-ahr1XXVG3P4fjDBI178MCyQywZb_wAUmXpkfXwPhvL6sUuzMcATAn5lkQlDDk7BzYWeTgT9D4tV9jsxTl6WhDrqLfFpemmnI56EN2VoFUo-MopgOuYwhZEsM/s400/20170913_111128.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Entrance Front of Towerhill as it once was </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>and as it is today, the ruin disguised by trees and ivy</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( bottom) C</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">opyright ICHC, </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture ( Top) from Walking Holidays Ireland Website</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">One country house in Mayo has a direct connection with the
famous Green and Red of Mayo, the colours that the GAA county footballers wear when they go to battle in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Croke</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place>. The demesne that
surrounds Towerhill House near Carnacon in County Mayo is said to have been the
setting for a Gaelic football match organised by the Blake Family, for whom
Towerhill was their ancestral home. It was here on the 23rd January 1887 that
the local team from nearby Carnacon first wore a green and red jersey which was
the origin of the colours that the Mayo team wear today. This event is
commentated with a plaque at the gates that once formed the main approach to
the house. The Blakes were Catholic landlords who provided employment, built a
local school and also are credited with supporting the early incarnation of the
Gaelic Athletic Association. Unfortunately Towerhill has not survived but has
disappeared from view, surrounded by a forest of trees that obscure its very existence.
The two storey over basement classical style house, unique in having a pediment
on each of its four facades, is now indistinguishable from the ivy covered hulk
we see today. Towerhill was once the home of the prominent Blake family who descended
from John Blake, the 4th son of Sir Valentine Blake of Menlo in <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. The Blakes of Towerhill were relatives of
prominent families in the locatity such as the Blakes of Ballinafad House and
the Moore Family of Moore Hall. The writer, George Moore once said ''<i>Moore Hall
had always seemed to me to be a mansion house inferior to Clogher and Tower
Hill</i>'. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The Entrance Gates to Towerhill near</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Carnacon, Co. Mayo</i></span><br />
<div style="font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">The mansion near
Carnacon in Mayo was said to have been built for Isidore Blake, who died in December
1818, so the only thing known is that the house was built prior to this date.
However Isidore married in 1767 which could give us a better indication of when
the house was built. Isidore's son, Maurice Blake, born in 1771, married Maria
O'Connor, the daughter of Valentine O'Connor in August 1803. The marriage
produced a son and heir to Towerhill, Valentine O'Connor Blake who was born in
1808. Valentine O'Connor Blake married the Honourable Margaret Mary ffrench the
daughter of Charles Austin ffrench, 3rd Baron ffrench of Castle ffrench in <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. Lord ffrench died in September 1860, aged 74
years, and strangely he is buried in the Blake family vault outside the church in Carnacon rather than in the ffrench family vault. Valentine O'Connor Blake was the
High Sheriff in Mayo in 1839 and was said to have been one of the first Catholics
since the Reformation to hold that position. Valentine O'Connor Blake died in
1879, aged 71 at St. Kevin's, Bray in Co. Wicklow where it is said he had been
staying for a number of months. His remains were conveyed by rail to
Claremorris Station where they were met by horse drawn hearse and brought to
Towerhill. Here they lay until his burial in nearby Carnacon in the Blake
family vault where his hearse was followed by a procession of 250 of the tenants of the estate. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9mZYFtxHHChfZu9MOC-tr41v8QJJ5TnMjO1PTd5HRlTPmbciDGRWN2DruRJZF1WrNiMN-2bC5Yp_JyQ7oSf2TWNPR1O5hwFWAOrmG9utRB46csFGHVzolpm590brKD8J_kPiXhjTbPWA/s1600/DSC_0587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1051" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9mZYFtxHHChfZu9MOC-tr41v8QJJ5TnMjO1PTd5HRlTPmbciDGRWN2DruRJZF1WrNiMN-2bC5Yp_JyQ7oSf2TWNPR1O5hwFWAOrmG9utRB46csFGHVzolpm590brKD8J_kPiXhjTbPWA/s400/DSC_0587.JPG" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #182e04; font-size: small;"><i>Bunowen Castle near Ballyconnely,Galway,<br /> The summer residence of the Blake Family <br />from Towerhill</i></span><br />
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Another property owned by the Blakes of Towerhill was <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Bunowen</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> in Co. Galway which they used as
a summer residence due to its maritime location. In 1853, Valentine O'Connor
Blake bought <st1:placename w:st="on">Bunowen</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype> and the estate in the parish of Ballindoon, Co
<st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>, from John Augustus O'Neill. Valentine improved the castle and made it
habitable. In the 1870's, Valentine O'Connor Blake of Towerhill and <st1:placename w:st="on">Bunowen</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype>
owned 4,198 acres in <st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Mayo</st1:placename> and 7,690 acres in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Galway</st1:placename></st1:place>.
The demesne around the house of Towerhill alone extended to over 300 acres. After the death of Valentine O'Connor Blake,
Towerhill passed to his eldest son, Maurice and Bunowen passed to his second
son, Charles, who made further improvements to the castle and left it ' <i>as imposing as any of the other <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place> mansions'</i>. However Charles choose not to live
there as he had purchased in 1880, Heath House at Maryborough and therefore a
younger brother Thomas went to live at Bunowen. The <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>
property was sold to the Congested Districts Board in 1909 and half the Mayo
property in February 1914. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Bunowen</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> is a ruin today,
however it seems to have faired slightly better than Towerhill.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWO1KLIMkVIc9-7kFEWh8IRn8mimldOSAt2D2nhuIrhEA_Prx7Z_GkilJWKUAG_RkPgQ25aLdRVtn5dqZ7oMruOIdP-M8d1jUH0bOI2WkdWzKPF-Mb-1iVd9mkAgijl_hdimxewY9SlTnG/s1600/Towerhill+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline; font-size: 14.54px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="835" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWO1KLIMkVIc9-7kFEWh8IRn8mimldOSAt2D2nhuIrhEA_Prx7Z_GkilJWKUAG_RkPgQ25aLdRVtn5dqZ7oMruOIdP-M8d1jUH0bOI2WkdWzKPF-Mb-1iVd9mkAgijl_hdimxewY9SlTnG/s400/Towerhill+Map.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>A site map showing the extent of the Towerhill Demense</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright OSI</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">In 1894, Towerhill is recorded as being the fine home of Colonel
Maurice Blake, he had married Jeanette in 1863, the only daughter of a surgeon
named Pierce O'Reilly from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>.
Colonel Blake was the High Sheriff of Mayo, a Colonel in the Mayo Militia and
was the Foreman of the Grand Jury. At the time of the 1901 census, Maurice Blake
and his wife, Jeannette are living in Towerhill with their son Valentine aged
34 and his three sisters Olivia aged 35, Georgina aged 22 and Margaret aged 25.
Maurice's brother, Thomas, who is a barrister aged 51 and listed as being
born at Towerhill is also present in the house. Staff in the house on the night
of the census extended to five female servants and a groom. In the same year, a serious fire occurred in
the stables of Towerhill which threatened all the buildings in the yard near
the rear of the house. Colonel Blake dispatched his three daughters on bicycles,
to cycle through the village and gather as many people as possible to help put
out the fire. Horses, carriages and carts were rescued from the stables before
the roof collapsed. A section of the roof near the adjoining buildings was pulled
down in case the fire might spread. By 1904, plans were afoot by the local
tenants for the estate to be broken up and the land sold to them, if the sale
price was agreeable to all parties involved. At the time of the 1911 census,
Maurice Blake is still in residence in Towerhill, he is now aged 73, is a retired Colonel, a Roman Catholic and his birthplace is listed as being Dublin. He
shares the mansion with his wife, Jeannette aged 69, their daughters Olivia,
aged 45, Georgina, aged 42 and Margaret aged 36 all of whom were born in Dublin
and are unmarried. Maurice's son Valentine also lives in Towerhill, he is a
retired Captain aged 44 and is also unmarried. Staff in Towerhill included five
female servants and Michael Hayden aged 28 from Tipperary who is the Butler. The
house is recorded as having 31 rooms and 30 outbuildings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>A surviving fragment of the window that once</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>over looked the landing of the staircase</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">Some of Maurice Blake's children predeceased him, his
daughter Cecelia Mary died in 1888 and Frances Mary died in 1897. In 1913,
Maurice's second son Charles died at Towerhill of pneumonia which developed
after a day out shooting on the estate. In
April 1915, Colonel Maurice Charles Joseph Blake died aged 77 years and left an
estate valued at £5,938.00. His wife Jeannette died just over a year later in
Dublin when visiting friends in December 1916, followed by the death of her
daughter Margaret Mary in October 1938. Towerhill passed to the eldest son
Valentine while his sisters Georgina and
Olivia Blake continued to live in the mansion with him. This is evident from
the number of advertisements they placed in the 1940's looking for suitable
parlour maids. However it was the death of Valentine that heralded the end for
Towerhill as the home of the Blake family. Valentine Joseph Blake died, unmarried, aged 81, in July 1947 at Towerhill and left an estate in his will
valued at £8,705. His two sisters remained living in the house for roughly
another year after which they auctioned the contents in 1948. The auction took
place over a number of days after which, the sisters moved to Loftus Hall, a
convent, in Co. Wexford. Allen and Townsend Auctioneers were tasked with the sale that
included furniture, live stock, farm implements and household effects to take
place on the 18th and 19th May 1948. Items sold included a full sized
billiard table, full sized concert grand piano and the contents of nine bedrooms.
It was recorded prior to the sale that the house contained '<i>many
fine apartments, antique furniture and portraits in oils of various members of
the family adorn the walls' </i>however<i> </i>there
is no mention made of any of the family portraits being sold.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_Pxyh1VVdZmLLR_4OUn025OOYfZxyXU95gqbs9ftFDMCX2AwKtuyL2a7Od_2zVI9uNFvfOEzmQB5te4_Otcheo9evXSMhG01G7yPUUlyNnt0H0MkAIW4U5AY_KsmBQpotHzlXK9XnhEy/s1600/DSC_0980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1073" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_Pxyh1VVdZmLLR_4OUn025OOYfZxyXU95gqbs9ftFDMCX2AwKtuyL2a7Od_2zVI9uNFvfOEzmQB5te4_Otcheo9evXSMhG01G7yPUUlyNnt0H0MkAIW4U5AY_KsmBQpotHzlXK9XnhEy/s400/DSC_0980.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The memorial over the Blake Family</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>vault in Carnacon Church which is</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>located near Towerhill</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;">With the departure of the sisters to Wexford, in June 1949,
a demolition sale was announced for Towerhill, where <i>'first class'</i> materials were available for purchase. The walls of
Towerhill were to be stripped bare as the advertisement speaks of a <i>'Highly Important Demolition Auction'</i> where
items for sale include <i>' Timber, Joists, Rafters, Mahogany Doors,
Slates, Slate Slabs, Mouldings, Panels, Mantelpieces, Fire grates etc. etc.</i>'
The house has remained as a ruin but this sadly cannot not be appreciated
today. As can be seen from the photographs, the house is barley visible,
surround by tress and covered with ivy. Here and there, little glimpses of
former grandeur can be seen. Fragments remain of the curved headed window that
once stood on the half landing of the stairs that overlooked a very wide hall.
Today even if you stood within 10 feet of the house, its ruin is invisible as
the forest has become so thick that surrounds it. The Blake sisters spent the
rest of their lives in St. Mary's Convent, Loftus Hall, Wexford where Georgina
Blake died in January 1959 at and Olivia died in 1966, both were returned for burial in the family
vault in Carnacon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNZqAv-SXTPACbdRSXFK5a5y6-NW894fxGGlVn850PAdyx7sH_S-YmZEvLM5kgIDlIk7TMgvBaipLHQkVmApgZ40UYTlccv0QaaZ1ksn4a9RMXZyJbAgOOgXYTfZw4bnuTLKoru7OB0Vb/s1600/42438141_1352785854855926_4319139698359402496_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1048" data-original-width="1600" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNZqAv-SXTPACbdRSXFK5a5y6-NW894fxGGlVn850PAdyx7sH_S-YmZEvLM5kgIDlIk7TMgvBaipLHQkVmApgZ40UYTlccv0QaaZ1ksn4a9RMXZyJbAgOOgXYTfZw4bnuTLKoru7OB0Vb/s400/42438141_1352785854855926_4319139698359402496_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The ruin of Towerhill prior to it being surrounded by trees </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>and its walls covered in ivy.</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright The Architectural Archive</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9XTqR-NDN6b4J59lB0ipsP6IRqG7pEBPw5U0BpsrP1gaRlwkMbgXSeObmq7bXVmgw4jcZKyqqFf4lD5YqMhenfxJ_NLCYwJ9mTzlRAIloaycP0P0KOJaLf8R9GbaAxWc4BVZQ3wiqGy9/s1600/DSC_0243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie9XTqR-NDN6b4J59lB0ipsP6IRqG7pEBPw5U0BpsrP1gaRlwkMbgXSeObmq7bXVmgw4jcZKyqqFf4lD5YqMhenfxJ_NLCYwJ9mTzlRAIloaycP0P0KOJaLf8R9GbaAxWc4BVZQ3wiqGy9/s400/DSC_0243.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The elegant bridge which once provided access to </i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>the entrance front of Towerhill</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">While the main gates of Towerhill are in relatively good
condition, a decorative bridge found near the house has become badly damaged
over the years. This is also obscured by trees and other vegetation with sections
of the decorative balustrade having fallen into the stream below. This
structure with its elegant arch spans a river that was realigned for Valentine
O'Connor Blake in the 1850's as a famine relief drainage project. Today the
only visible trace of the Blakes of Towerhill in the locality of Carnacon is a
monument found over the Blake family vault in the grounds of the nearby church
yard. While I understand that Towerhill is a ruin and the home to some rare
bats surely something can be done to protect and consolidate these ruins and
the nearby bridge. Yet again, I am astounded as I travel the country looking at
buildings of this nature, that the word </span><i style="font-size: 11pt;">'protected
structure'</i><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> is bandied about. Therefore I ask, looking at the photographs
here, how is the ruin of Towerhill or its surround structures protected by Mayo
County Council. While this house will never be anything more than a ruin, it
could be maintained in a fashion so that it could be appreciated as a piece of the
architectural and cultural heritage of Mayo.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The entrance hall of Towerhill is barely distinguishable </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>from the foliage that is slowly encroaching on the ruin.</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The entrance front of Towerhill is shrouded in ivy, only the </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><i>faint outline of the window opes and pediment give any</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-54476082736597387762017-09-01T14:26:00.000-07:002017-09-13T23:57:52.368-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;">The Staircase of </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Eyrecourt Castle</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;"> Co. Galway</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>A rare photograph of the entrance hall of Eyrecourt showing </i></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>the </i></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b><i>impressive </i></b></span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>carved staircase before its removal from </i></b><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>the house in the 1920's</i></b></span></h3>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The current fate of the elaborate staircase from one of Galway’s lost country houses reminds me of the final scene of the
film <i>'The Raiders of the Lost Ark</i>'. An elderly gentleman is seen pushing a
box through a warehouse filed with unopened timber crates containing unknown treasures.
One wonders if the warehouse of the Detroit Institute of Art is as vast, as it
is here that the staircase of Eyrecourt Castle from Co. Galway remains packed in boxes, unopened, since it left <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>
in the 1920's purchased by William Randolph Hearst. As this piece of our national architectural heritage lies forgotten and overlooked in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
certainly the time has come to repatriate this piece of unique craftsmanship back to its homeland of Galway?</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgki29Kq0I9l8zfv8BOGSr6jf2aCvie-VGJ38LQlbZnr1ybjT8bDdwd_zjMu1xDrjNCO6DzufnOTh8tpafrN1vQnURYl6NQCM6YTOKNh6bSd9Ny2Z1Ax_hX0HPFsWfFrQOZMXVcGwF4mUtZ/s1600/Eyrecourt+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="867" data-original-width="1221" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgki29Kq0I9l8zfv8BOGSr6jf2aCvie-VGJ38LQlbZnr1ybjT8bDdwd_zjMu1xDrjNCO6DzufnOTh8tpafrN1vQnURYl6NQCM6YTOKNh6bSd9Ny2Z1Ax_hX0HPFsWfFrQOZMXVcGwF4mUtZ/s400/Eyrecourt+House.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Eyrecourt Castle as it appeared in a sketch from 1854</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Eyrecourt also
known as <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Eyrecourt</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>, was a house in Co.
Galway that was built in the 1660’s. It was described as a two storey over basement house with a high dormered
attic. At the apex of the roof was a flat platform which was surrounded by
rails that allowed members of the family to access the roof and view the
surrounding country side. What could be seen from this vantage point was the land owned by the Eyre family, as the</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px;"> estate lands once extended to 48,000 acres.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt;">The interior of the house had a square foot print which was divided up by two thick
internal walls that housed the four chimney stacks. It was one of the first Irish country
houses built on a symmetrical plan and was also one of the earliest examples of
an undefended country house in </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt;">,
as it predecessors would have been tower houses and castles. It was built by
John Eyre, a colonel in the Cromwellian army, who was rewarded with Irish land for his loyalty.
The exterior had the appearance of a heavy eaved Dutch style house with a high
pitched roof. One of the most impressive elements of the exterior was a carved
entrance door case. This door case included an oval fan light above which
rested a carved panel inscribed with the words ‘WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF LIBERTY’. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>A photograph of members of the local hunt in front of Eyrecourt<br />in the background can be seen the elaborate carving </i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>of the door case .</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">John Eyre who built
the Eyrecourt had marred Mary Bigoe from Offaly, he entered Parliament and became
an Irish Privy Councillor after 1680. This marriage had a significant effect on
the construction of the house as his new wife’s family owned a glass works
which is said to have contributed to the fifty windows that the house
possessed. The large amount of openings in the structure of the house is said to have contributed to collapse of the building in
later years when it became ruinous. Despite having an abundance of windows it was said that none of them actually opened to provide ventilation. At the time of Eyrecourt's construction, it was the common held opinion that any substantial home especially the one of an up and coming gentleman should have a large and imposing staircase. Therefore John Eyre certainly
wished to impress visitors to his home as one third of the floor area of his
new house was occupied by the staircase. It was said that to have been carved
in <st1:city w:st="on">Holland</st1:city> and shipped to Galway to be installed
in Eyrecourt however some sources say that Dutch craftsman came to <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place> and made the staircase in situ. The newel posts of
the staircase were topped by carved urns filled with flowers and upon entering
the house one was faced with the coat of arms of John Eyre and his wife Mary Bigoe.
This grand staircase provided access to the principal reception room which were
situated on the first floor of the house. The staircase had two flights which
met on the half landing which returned on itself one hundred and eighty degrees
and continued on as a single flight to the first floor. One visitor to the
house in 1835, Samuel Leigh, noted that the house ‘has a curious and handsome
staircase’</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HyZOlYO15KKVHdiO7WJvrowMS_yf-WJasC5TTCbo4CViTZgh0D-qm8TLI7hsxCyReg9GeYNkag6-GcwwtJGmRw9QM1G58xqmP7kGdZfAp7BAzAT4SBaMf8tNmNSjkv11NnWMydX5MtIr/s1600/Eyrecourt+Stairs.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="616" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HyZOlYO15KKVHdiO7WJvrowMS_yf-WJasC5TTCbo4CViTZgh0D-qm8TLI7hsxCyReg9GeYNkag6-GcwwtJGmRw9QM1G58xqmP7kGdZfAp7BAzAT4SBaMf8tNmNSjkv11NnWMydX5MtIr/s400/Eyrecourt+Stairs.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>A sketch of the staircase in Eyrecourt by Lady Gregory <br />from Coole Park</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Over the years the
house passed through members of the family, a large amount of the recipients in each generation were named John possibly after the man who built the house. The first John Eyre, who built
Eyrecourt, was succeeded by his son also
named John who died in 1709. He in turn was succeeded by his son, George who
died in 1711 without issue and was therefore succeeded by his brother named
John. This John married the daughter of Lord Louth and the union produced two
sons John and Giles. After the death of their father in 1741, meant John came
into possession of the estate. He had married but this union produced a
daughter who</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt;"> predeceased him by two years. When John died in 1745, the
estate went to his brother Giles. He was the Dean of Killaloe and when he died
in 1757, he was succeeded by his son named John. John Eyre was elevated to
the peerage in 1768 and he became Baron Eyre of Eyrecourt. He married and the
union produced a daughter, Mary who married the Hon. Francis Caulfield, the
third son of Viscount Charlemont, and they had a son named James Eyre Caulfield.
Unfortunately Mary, Francis and James died in 1775 when the ship on which they
were travelling sank during a hurricane during their passage from </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt;"> to </span><st1:city style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12pt;">.
When Lord Eyre died in 1781, his title died with him, so he was the first and
last Lord Eyre. The estate passed to his
nephew Giles who died in 1830, after which Eyrecourt passed to his eldest son by his first wife,
another heir name John. The large rent roll of the Eyre Estate had allowed members
of the family to indulge their passion for hunting. At Eyrecourt there was once
kept a stable of 40 horses, also the noise from the hounds kenneled there would disturb the solemn
atmosphere of the Sunday service in the nearby church. However this
extravagance coupled with the loss of £80,000 on an unsuccessful election in
1811 resulted in the estate appearing for sale in the Encumbered Estates
schedule in 1854. The Eyre Family managed to hang on to Eyrecourt but by 1883,
the Eyres were again considered insolvent.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>A map of Eyrecourt showing the house and stables</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">John Eyre who now
owned the estate was born in April 1820, he married Eleanor Maria Moore in
October 1846 and the marriage produced twelve children. He died in April 1890
and the estate was inherited by his third son William Henry Gregory Eyre as
two elder brothers had died in 1878 and 1881. In the 1901 census Gregory Henry Gregory Eyre,
an assistant Land Commissioner aged 40 and unmarried, lived in the house with
his mother Eleanor and his 22 year old niece Isobell together with their 4
servants and their gardener. By the time of 1911 census, the house was occupied
by Eleanor Maria aged 85 and her daughter Bessie Caroline, a widow, aged 44.
They lived in the house with their b<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">utler</st1:place></st1:city>, gardener, cook and three maids. The house is described as having 36 rooms and 21
out buildings. In 1915, during the First World War, George Haberer, a German
who was employed as a butler at Eyrecourt was arrested and send to the
interment camp at Oldcaslte. William Henry Gregory Eyre was a popular gentleman
in the local community who had renovated <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Eyrecourt</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>
and had installed electricity. Eleanor
Eyre died in December 1922 and her son William Henry Gregory died in February
1925 aged 64 in a <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>
nursing home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NtgQIH8lG9pVlUmH63Fu7oCEXi68Fe6CllaXpsseSXeUMt-ZC4WHHXxC5F1se-Y58PgWYh6pRhKCtrhhrX5a7UCWSk5He2e6w8HTa-lo3EeLbfqTUhzoYPzB1_K5sptpvOVhk5SCkX3L/s1600/02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="865" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NtgQIH8lG9pVlUmH63Fu7oCEXi68Fe6CllaXpsseSXeUMt-ZC4WHHXxC5F1se-Y58PgWYh6pRhKCtrhhrX5a7UCWSk5He2e6w8HTa-lo3EeLbfqTUhzoYPzB1_K5sptpvOVhk5SCkX3L/s400/02.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Gradually over the years Eyrecourt decayed and descended into<br />ruin</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-IE" style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In March 1926, the
sale by public auction of the Estate of William Henry Gregory Eyre was
announced in the national press to begin on Tuesday 4th May at 12 o’clock. The
estate was to be sold in five lots by Taylor Auctioneers of Portumna Galway. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Eyrecourt</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> and its demense of 600 acres was
purchased by Richard Howard for £5,000. The <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city>
firm of White Allom, a firm owned by the English decorator Sir Charles Allom,
purchased the staircase and other woodwork from Eyrecourt and sold it to
William Randolph Hearst. Sir Charles Allom was the decorator of choice for
Hearst as he had an impeccable client list having been knighted for his
interior decoration of <st1:placename w:st="on">Buckingham</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Palace</st1:placetype> for King George V. William Randolph Hearst was
the owner of the largest newspaper chain in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region> and at the time was
probably one of the richest men in the world. He purchased the staircase and
the panelling from the Eyrecourt as it was to be installed in his vast mansion
under construction in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">California</st1:place></st1:state>
called San Simeon which would eventually extend to 165 rooms and sat at the
centre of a 40,000 acre estate. In the late 1920’s William Randolph Hearst was
touring <st1:place w:st="on">Europe</st1:place> satisfying his hunger for
collecting art, antiques and architectural salvage. As well as collecting these
unique architectural treasures he was also looking for a castle as a base in
Europe, which he found in St. Dona’s in <st1:place w:st="on">South Wales</st1:place>.
It was here that the panelling from the drawing room of Eyrecourt was installed
as Hearst intended to renovate the castle to suit his needs. This included the
installation of over sixty bathrooms for house parties where the guest list
might extend to over one hundred guests. It was at this time that Hearst began
to increase his consumption of items that might be suitable for any one of his
homes. Allom began sourcing fireplaces and other items for the Welsh castle and
kept Heart abreast of auctions and items of interest. Telegrams crossed the
Atlantic which informed Hearst of ceilings, staircases, fireplaces and even
barns were coming up for sale. In an
exhibition catalogue from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city>
in 1928, a panelled room from Eyrecourt is advertised. It is reported that an
exhibition of works of art organised by the Daily Telgraph included pine
paneling and chimney piece taken from Eyrecourt. In the report it states that
the paneling has never been painted, however the curators of the exhibition
decided to paint it green and silver so it would harmonise with the furniture
that was featured in the same display. After he staircase was sold to Hearst,
it was removed from the house in a number of crates, it crossed the Atlantic
and was deposited in one of his vast warehouses in the Bronx in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:state>. One of these
ware houses was a five storey building where staff were employed to photograph and catalogue the collection. To have some understanding of the nature of
Hearst insatiable habit of collecting, one warehouse in 1937 was found to
contain 10,700 crates which contained the stones of a Spanish monastery. From
1937, Hearst began to divest himself of some of his collection as the Great
Depression was beginning to affect his finances. Hearst died in 1951, aged<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a> 88 and in 1958 the staircase from Eyrecourt was donated to the
Detroit Institute of Art where it remains in storage. In 1973 and attempt was
made to have the staircase returned to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>. By 1975, Desmond Guinness
said that The Detroit Art Institute was interested in a proposal to swap the
staircase for a number of American Indian artifacts contained in the collection
of the National Museum of Ireland. However the deal foundered and the staircase
remains in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>.
Gradually what remained of Eyrecourt in <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>
collapsed and today is barely recognisable as the magnificent house it once was.</span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-773833037540428412017-07-30T13:20:00.000-07:002017-07-30T13:24:38.193-07:00<div style="color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 26.6667px;">The Ancient Clock </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 26.6667px;">of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Moyne Abbey</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;">Killala, Co. Mayo</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 106%;">One
might wonder what connection an ancient monastery in county Mayo has with the
world of the Irish Country House but Moyne Abbey located near Killala is where the Knox family made one of their first homes in the county in
the early 1700’s. In the next one hundred years they would come to dominate the
county through the vast tracts of land that they would accumulate and the large
country houses that would be built by later generations of the family. However
it beggars belief that an ancient clock, said to be centuries old, had existed
at Moyne Abbey and survived in the Knox’s possession up until the 1920’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 106%;">The
Franciscan Friary of Moyne was founded by Mac William de Burgo in 1455 and the
building was consecrated in 1462. The monastery was burnt in 1590 by Sir
Richard Bingham, the English Governor of Connaught. The friars left after suffering
persecution at the hands Bingham and the lands of the abbey came in the possession
of Edmund Barrett. However it soon came into the hands of an English widow who
allowed the friars to return to the Abbey in 1606 where they remained until
1618. After which the monastery was owned by the Lindsay family who demolished
part of the monastery with gun powder. It is also said that they sold the bell from
the tower of Moyne for £700, which was a gift to the friars from the Queen of Spain.
It was purchased for the Protestant Cathedral of Armagh and as a result of this
sale and their treatment of Moyne, the Lindsay family were cursed and despised by many.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 106%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Later
in 1718, the abbey came in to posession of the Knox family when Francis Knox,
the son of William Knox of Castle Rea, took up residence at Moyne after his
marriage to Dorothea Annesley. Initially it is said that parts of the abbey were
still habitable and that Francis re-modelled a wing of the monastery and lived there.
It was recorded by that Knox Family that <i>‘
in 1750 the then proprietor was building a dwelling house on the site of the
old walls and that some of the buildings on the north side were taken down for that
purpose’</i>. After the Knox family left Moyne to live in Rappa Castle near
Crossmolina, the property at Moyne was bought by the Kirkwoods, who are
remembered for their association with Bartra Island and the nearby town of
Killala. The Knox family may have left Moyne but it appears that they took a
number of items with them to Rappa from the monastery that included an ancient
clock.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 106%;">A visitor to Rappa Castle in
1882 noted that ‘<i>the entrance hall - a comfortably furnished apartment - across a second,
into the crowning glories of a third, where we were requested to wait till
Captain Knox made his appearance</i>’. He showed the visitors the many treasures that the castle
contained including the clock from Moyne Abbey. This ancient artefact was found
sitting on the flagged floored kitchen of the castle where they were told by Captain Annesley Arthur Knox that the clock had
ticked as it had done for 300 years. The visitor went on to describe that <i>‘The case of some dark wood beautifully
carved. I thought it was bog oak, Captain Knox said mahogany, which would make
the case to be much younger than the clock. The Captain assured us that it was
the best time-keeper in the world. It only requires winding once a month, it used
to show the day of the month, but some meddler disarranged that part of the
machinery. The dial plate is of some white metal, brilliant and silvery.
Captain Knox said it was brass, but I have seen things look more brazen that
not so old.’ </i>The clock was recorded
as being in good working order in 1903.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 106%;">Captain
Annesley Knox died in 1897, his nephew inherited the castle at Rappa and its
contents but a number of family deaths in close succession resulted in the sale
of the contents of Rappa in</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 106%;"> December 1924. The vast scope of items on
offer ranged from a 1924 Chevrolet de Lux motor car to an ancient cannon on a
stand. Interestingly also listed in the contents for
sale, is the Holy Water font from Moyne Abbey but there was no mention of the
ancient clock. However it was later recorded by a member of the Knox family
that the ancient clock that came from Moyne Abbey was sold as a box of scrap
metal and had left the castle before anyone realised its true value. As a result of this oversight one of the most fascinating artifacts associated with this monastery situated on the banks of the Moy disappeared from sight and has never made a reappearance.</span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-1552108642953615942017-03-01T04:57:00.000-08:002018-09-03T03:06:16.694-07:00<div style="color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Rappa Castle</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;">Crossmolina, Co. Mayo</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;">& </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;">The Mias Tighearnain</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;"><br /></span></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_Ba5ktQUhK8n5MS7hh4h7_n2e-v9TGEHjZQUW888IZb7nnAbKLh1X0v9ri7zgDe9wYzaOpoRZ88IDMNyk527begU9cL0Z7_1zGa5wqGWrkAHTBMNephuhuh5IbB6_M2aqYzy1jUuo9ER/s1600/20170301_101441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_Ba5ktQUhK8n5MS7hh4h7_n2e-v9TGEHjZQUW888IZb7nnAbKLh1X0v9ri7zgDe9wYzaOpoRZ88IDMNyk527begU9cL0Z7_1zGa5wqGWrkAHTBMNephuhuh5IbB6_M2aqYzy1jUuo9ER/s400/20170301_101441.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>The Mias Tighearnáin </i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Many times when in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>, I visit the National Museum of
Ireland and head straight to the first floor. There I find an ancient artifact
known as the Mias Tighearnáin or St. Tiernan's Dish, which is now displayed
in a glass case but would have originated in Crossmolina, Co. Mayo. I
always stand back and study it for a few minutes, looking for further clues to
an ancestor of mine that once owned it, maybe seeing something that I missed
previously. The ancestor in question was my great, great grandfather, Annesley
Arthur Knox who died in 1897 and who lived in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> near
Crossmolina in Co. Mayo. A mysterious man, a contradiction, an enigma who took
many secrets to the grave with him. Despite having died over 120 years ago, his
influence on our family has trickled down through the generations to me today.
This artifact in the glass case, known as the Mias Thighernáin, is one of the
few things that I know that he held in his hands and would have been housed
in the now bare walls of the ruins of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
Another interesting aspect to this story is that Oscar Wilde’s father would
have visited Rappa Castle in the mid 1800’s to study this artifact which
is meant to have the power to turn one's face to the back of their head if
a lie was told when swearing upon it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MR5wKAik5tU8ZjGQ8nZOUflsnxbkq0bfqv5zUhCnR0ir_LYCnFPV9NVYVPJs21veAHaHDFZjxP5zBkjMG3VFLOYlB6iQkFPl07Wkm23nkqorKYVXQnlVNkB3qnQteRcotfEhCAn__li5/s1600/Rappa+Old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MR5wKAik5tU8ZjGQ8nZOUflsnxbkq0bfqv5zUhCnR0ir_LYCnFPV9NVYVPJs21veAHaHDFZjxP5zBkjMG3VFLOYlB6iQkFPl07Wkm23nkqorKYVXQnlVNkB3qnQteRcotfEhCAn__li5/s400/Rappa+Old.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Rappa Castle as it was in the 19th Century, the home of <br />the Knox Family found near Crossmolina, Co. Mayo. </i></b></span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright: ICHC</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Mias </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tighearnáin</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">, an alms dish, was said to have
been dug out of the grave of St. Tiernan near Errew Abbey beside </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Lough</st1:city> <st1:state w:st="on">Conn</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> in
Crossmolina, Co. Mayo. There are a number of stories of how it was found
including local folklore which says that it was found in </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Lough</st1:city> <st1:state w:st="on">Conn</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> when
it floated to the surface having lay at the bottom of the lake for centuries.
Researchers have differed over the age of the object, as it could possibly date
from anywhere between the 6th and 14th centuries, also it appears to
have been repaired, embellished and damaged many times over the years. It was
preserved for a number of years in the family of O'Flynn who were said to have
been the hereditary wardens of Errew. They were induced in the 18th century
during a hard summer, when provisions were expensive, to sell it to Francis
Knox of </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> located near Crossmolina. In
later years during the 1800's the relic was used by the peasantry of the area
for the act of swearing upon with the consent of Mr. Knox. It was said to
possess the miraculous power of causing the face of anyone who did not tell the
truth, when swearing upon it, to turn round to the back of their head. When the
Parish Priest of Kilmore in Erris heard about this practice he had it removed
from the people who were using it. The priest brought it to Ardnaree Barracks
and the members of the Royal Irish Constabulary had it returned to the Knox
Family who were told in no uncertain terms to put an end to this practice.
Around this time, the superstition grew up that the Mias </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tighearnáin </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">brought
misfortune to those who trafficked in it, whether true or false, the Knox
family of Rappa endured a great deal of sadness and their former home is in
ruins today.At the time of Griffith's Valuation the Rappa estate included six
townlands in the parish of Bekan and one townland in parish of Aghamore, barony
of Costello and at least three townlands in each of the parishes of
Ardagh,Ballysakerry and Kilfian, barony of Tirawley, county Mayo. In 1876 the
Rappa Estate consisted of 6,855 acres in </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">county</st1:placetype><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><st1:placename style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Mayo</st1:placename><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> and 724 acres in </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">county</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Galway</st1:placename></st1:place></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>The private burial ground of the Knox Family of<br />Rappa Castle which despite being a unique surviving<br />feature of the estate is unrecorded and is not <br />protected in any way by local authorities. </i></b></span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Copyright: ICHC</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In “ A Guide to Irish Country House”, Rappa Castle located
near Crossmolina in Co. Mayo is described as an early or mid-eighteenth
century house consisting of a three storey centre block of four bays with two
storey wings on either side. The centre block and the side wings also had high
pitched gable ended roofs, with tall chimneys in the gable ends. The castle was
once home to the Crofton family with a castle being built on the site in the
fifteenth century by the Burke family. It eventually came in to the ownership
of a gentleman by the name of Francis Knox who was resident in the castle in
1798 and previously in 1786 the house was mentioned as being ‘the pleasant seat
of Mr. Knox’. Francis Knox was the third son of Francis Knox of Moyne Abbey and
Dorothy Annesley. Francis died in 1813 having married and produced six sons and
six daughters. He was succeeded by his eldest son Annesley Gore Knox who died
in 1839. He had married Harriett in 1793 who was the sister of Sir Ross Mahon.
Harriett and Annesley had eight sons and five daughters. The eldest
surviving son inherited Rappa, also named Annesley was succeeded by his son
Captain Annesley Arthur Knox.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In 1841, the Mias </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tighearnáin</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> was exhibited
by W.R. Wilde at the </span><st1:placename style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Royal</st1:placename><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Academy</st1:placetype><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> in </span><st1:city style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> having been lent to him by
Annesley Knox. William Robert Wills Wilde, was an Irish doctor who specialised
in afflictions of the eyes and ears and was also the father of the famous
literary figure, Oscar Wilde. He had a particular interest in the archaeology
and folklore of ancient </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> which
explains his interest in the Mias. Again in 1846,
the Mias </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tighearnáin</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> was brought before the </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Royal</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">Irish</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Academy</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> by
W.R. Wilde and at this time two very accurate drawings of the artifact were
made and deposited in the pictorial catalogue of the museum of the academy. It
appears that Doctor Wilde was extremely interested in the piece and concerned
about its safety, as in 1851, the Mias </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tighearnáin</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> was
deposited in the Museum of the Royal Academy, at the insistence of
Dr. Wilde. However it was noted later that the relic was returned to Mr. Knox
of </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>William Robert Wilde, the father of<br />Oscar Wilde, whom took an interest<br />in the Mias Thighernain.</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In 1882, a visitor to the castle found
the Mias </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tighearnáin</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> in the procession of Captain Annesley
Arthur Knox. They give the following description of their visit and the
relic ‘The owner of </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">, a landlord against whom nothing
in the way of blame is said, was assuredly of as much interest to us as the
relics which his house possessed. A tall, fine looking, kindly faced man, rosy
with health, courteous and pleasant, came into the room. We told our errand and
the Captain went for the Mias </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tighearnáin</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> and placed it in our hands. It is
evidently only part of the original dish, the socket where the upper part
rested being still there. It is very heavy, formed of three layers of thin
bronze bound at the edge with brass - evidently a later thought, and done for
preservation. There are three bands of silver across it, which show the remains
of rich figuring. There was originally a setting of three stones, one of which
still remains and looks as if it might be amber. It is as large as a soup
plate. Something is among the layers of metal which rattles when shaken. It is
one of the oldest relics in the country. Whoever made it had no mean skill in
the art of working metals. According to a certain Father Walsh it was used to
wash the saint's hands in at mass. This dish, after lying at the bottom of </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Lough</st1:city> <st1:state w:st="on">Conn</st1:state></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> for
a hundred years, come up to the surface and revealed itself. It has been used
as a revealer of secrets ever since it came in to the hands of the Knox family.
We requested afterwards to see the clock of Moyne Abbey, and were taken by the
courteous captain across the other rooms to the flagged kitchen, where the
clock ticked as it has done for 300 years - or since the abbey was dismantled,
how long before history hath not recorded. The case of some dark wood
beautifully carved. I thought it was bog oak, Captain Knox said mahogany, which
would make the case to be much younger than the clock. The Captain assured us
that it was the best time-keeper in the worked. It only requires winding once a
month, used to show the day of the month, but some meddler disarranged that
part of the machinery. The dial plate is of some white metal, brilliant and
silvery. Captain Knox said it was brass, but I have seen things look more
brazen that not so old.’</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrNnoygNIg7MshyLrak17OlibPLd67dAEVxsV9IXFR88UKExrkmknNR1NzkAxBmEpswpJKzSlJqtvHKqhbDzH4MrU1lVGjG7pZE-d3M2nh5RnWGg3Py0pmBctStsGqDRT_i3EVDmz705c/s1600/gl.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrNnoygNIg7MshyLrak17OlibPLd67dAEVxsV9IXFR88UKExrkmknNR1NzkAxBmEpswpJKzSlJqtvHKqhbDzH4MrU1lVGjG7pZE-d3M2nh5RnWGg3Py0pmBctStsGqDRT_i3EVDmz705c/s320/gl.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The gate lodge and entrance gates to Rappa Castle <br />which survive today. Copyright: ICHC</span></i></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In 1897, Captain Knox died and his estate,
castle and contents passed to his nephew Ronald Annesley Knox who was only a
six year old child at the time. Captain Knox had a brother Ross, the father of
Ronald, but he was by passed in favour of his son. Captain Knox’s will
was probated in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city> by
the executors of the will, Richard Francis Knox of Thornfield, Ballina and
Charles Knox Kirkwood of Bartra House, Killala, Co. Mayo. His estate was valued
at £4,342 3s 6d. In 1900 the estate was being administered in the Chancery
Division of the High Court. The Mias was now in the custody of the Accountant
General and it was noted that he '<i>had not, so far made an order for its
sale</i>'. The importance of this relic was recognised at this time as Sir
Thomas Esmonde, wished for the Chief Secretary to ask the Lord Lieutenant
of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region> if he
would make inquiry as to the possibility of procuring it for the <st1:placename w:st="on">National</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Museum</st1:placetype> in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>. Captain Knox
left his estate to his nephew Ronald Knox on his attaining the age of 25 years.
In the intervening period Ronald's father, Ross Mahon Knox, had the use
of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>, plate , furniture, vehicles and
harness together with a yearly allowance of £300. Ross Mahon Knox had married
Violet Florence May Knox Gore in 1890 in Killala Cathedral, who was also a
cousin, her father originating from Broadlands, a Knox house located near
Ballina. Their son Ronald was born in 1891 and a daughter Una in
1895. Violet, Ross and their children now occupied <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> after
the death of Captain Knox, but were visited with much misfortune. It appears
that Ross and Violet did not have a happy marriage and in 1903 Violet
left <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> taking her two children with
her. It was said she returned to her native <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:city> due to the violent nature of her
husband. Ross initiated legal proceedings to have the children returned and was
successful. However Ross and Violet's daughter Una died a year later in 1904, in her grandfathers house in Youghal, Cork aged only ten years and by 1907, Ross and Violet had separated for good. It is
recorded in the 1911 census that Violet was now living in Park House in Youghal
in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:city> with
her father. In 1916, Ronald Knox came of age and was now in control of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> however he never enjoyed
good health and died in 1918 of TB. He was buried with his sister on the hill
near <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> where many generations of
the family had been interred. His father, Ross, also succumbed to the same
disease as his son and died in 1920. Ironically it was the one person that was
banished from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> who would inadvertently come
to own it and determined its future. It appears that Ross and Violet had never
divorced and as a result <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>, land and its contents including
the Mias </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 13.3333px;">Tighearnáin </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">came into her ownership after the death of her estranged
husband. It appears that Violet intended to sell everything, in October 1921,
an advertisement appeared for the sale of the rabbits of the estate and for
further particulars, the manager of the castle was to be contacted. In 1923 the
timber around the demesne was sold which included a large quantity of ash,
beech, larch and scots pine, in total about 1,500 tress were on offer.
Permission was also given by Violet Knox to set up a temporary saw mill. In
December 1924, Violet put the contents of the castle up for sale and sold the
castle with its remaining land to the Land Commission. Bitterness existed in
the extended members of the Knox family, as Violet sold a number of items that
were in the Knox family for generations. She was classed as an ‘outsider’
despite the fact that she was a cousin of her husband and that her grandfather
would have originated from </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> also.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Rappa Castle in ruins today after it was dismantled <br />in the 1930's</i></b><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Copyright: ICHC</i></b></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In January 1925, Violet Knox, (Ross's widow), married
Thomas Dodd Lowther of Queen Ann’s Mansions Westminster London. It is obvious
that she took the Mias with her to <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region> as
it later appeared for sale in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city>.
I<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a>t
was said that the reason the sale occurred outside Ireland was that Violet
wanted to make it as difficult as possible for it to be purchased by the
Knox’s or the National Museum of Ireland. In December 1930, it was reported in
the press 'that an ancient alms dish which was brought to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city> by the last
of the Knox family' was to be sold at the Grafton Galleries. It was
said to have been sold for between £750 and £800 as accounts differ. In October
1934, Mrs. V.F.M. Knox Lowther of <st1:city w:st="on">London</st1:city> and
formerly of <st1:city w:st="on">Glasgow</st1:city> and late of
Castlerea and Rappa Castle, Co. Mayo, wife of Thomas Dodd Lowther died and left
a personal estate in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> valued
at £11,992. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place> fell in to disrepair after
1925 and by 1938 was dismantled and had its roof removed. The Mias had been
purchased by the Marquees of Bute and became part of his private collection
at <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mount</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Stewart</st1:placename>, Rothesay, Isle of Bute in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Scotland</st1:place></st1:country-region> until
in 1999, it was purchased by the National Museum of Ireland. The Mias did
return briefly to Mayo in 2004 when it was displayed in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Museum</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Country Life</st1:placename></st1:place>
in Castlebar.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-38953582999642176372017-02-01T01:28:00.001-08:002018-01-16T05:52:41.455-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Carramore House</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">&</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">The Vaughan Jackson Memorial Fountain, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Ballina, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Mayo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The Font in Ballina, Co. Mayo is a well known landmark and
is often mentioned when giving directions due to its distinctive appearance and
location at the junction of <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Teeling
Street</st1:address></st1:street> and <st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Bury Street</st1:address></st1:street>. Now well in to its second
century, having been erected in 1901, few may know of the tragic reasons for
its construction or its associations with a local country house. The
memorial is still emblazoned with the name George James Vaughan Jackson who
once resided at Carramore House, a large Georgian mansion about two miles from
the town. Today, Carramore is a forgotten ruin and few will know of the
connection between this house and the memorial fountain in Ballina. It is interesting to note that the committee, in charge of commissioning the monument,
discussed numerous designs and locations ranging from Crossmolina to Ardnaree. There was even the possibility of surrounding it with metal railings and accommodating drinking troughs for dogs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">George James Vaughan Jackson was born in 1860 and was the
son of Captain Oliver Vaughan Jackson of Carramore House, Ballina. He appears
to have been a man who had interests in all things equine, as he was a member
of the North Mayo Hunt but also appears to have owned a number of horses, one
in particular Bedouin who had won the Cairo Jubilee race in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It was
said that George had come in to the ownership of the Carramore Estate upon the
death of his father in 1890. On the night of the 8th April 1898, George James
Vaughan Jackson was returning home from Ballina where he had been doing
business during the fair day. As turned his horse and trap off the main road at
Rehins he encountered <i>'a light from a travelling caravan'</i>
which was drawn up near the side of the road close to the railway bridge. As he
drew closer it appeared to be an ' <i>encampment
of peddlers'</i> who had a cart piled
high with baskets beside which they had lit a fire. As his horse was a young
animal, George alighted from the trap and intended to remove the horse from the
shafts to lead it past the obstruction in the road. However the horse bolted
and broke its reins resulting in the shafts of the trap breaking free and
striking George on the side of his body, knocking him to the ground. Once he
regained his feet and being unable to find his horse, he walked the two miles to his
home, Carramore House. There he was met by his sister, whom he assured that
nothing serious had happened to him but the following morning he was feeling extremely unwell. The local doctor was sent for and it was found that George had serious
internal injuries from which he would die the next day. It is said that he
passed away after ' <i>bidding a most
affectionate farewell to his mother and sisters'</i>. His large funeral cortege
extended to over 140 horse drawn vehicles which left Carramore House and made their way to the family burial plot in
the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Crossmolina</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place> yard. The probate of the will of
George James Vaughan Jackson was granted to Dr. Percy V. Jackson also of
Carramore House who was a surgeon and a brother of the deceased. His estate was
valued at £2,177 7s 9d ( which is nearly €300,000 in today's money).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt;">One month after the passing of George it was
proposed that a memorial would be erected in his honour. In May of 1898, a
meeting was held in the Moy Hotel in
Ballina town where gathered '</span><i style="font-size: 10pt;"> the friends
and admirers of the deceased'</i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">. It was the members of the North Mayo Hunt
who first intended to erect a memorial however with the volume of support from
the people of Ballina for the project, the
subscription for the memorial was opened to the public. Firstly it was proposed that a monument would be erected
over his grave, however it was then considered that as ' </span><i style="font-size: 10pt;">he was buried in a remote place....that very few of his friends could
have an opportunity to see it</i><span style="font-size: 10pt;">'. Then it was suggested that the memorial
should be placed in St. Michael's Church in </span><st1:place style="font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Ardnaree, </st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Ballina, however
there were a number of objections to that proposal. Eventually it was decided
that a water fountain would be erected in the town and that the fountain should be of benefit to both people as well as horses. It was proposed that
the fountain should have a statue or the likeness of George placed upon it,
however it was agreed that until funds were accumulated, the design of the
fountain could not be decided upon. As an illustration for the enthusiasm for
the project, by the end of this initial meeting, £67 12s had already been
collected. By September of that year £118 10s 6d had been gathered, however the
committee were £20 short of what they required and £50 short for the iron
railing that was to be placed around the fountain. By March 1899, the committee
met again and discussed a design for the memorial fountain, proposed by
Harrison & Co., </span><st1:address style="font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Great Brunswick St</st1:address></st1:street>.</st1:street>,
<st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city></st1:address><span style="font-size: 10pt;"> which was to be made of
limestone. The committee had earlier contemplated a design made of metal but due to budget implications but it
was rejected. Also at this meeting it was proposed that as well as having a
trough for horses that a trough should also be integrated for
use by dogs. I had thought that this was something what wasn't included in the
final design, but if you look at the fountain today you will see the lower troughs
for the use of dogs are found nearer the ground under the main troughs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">By June of 1901 a decision had been made on the final design
of the fountain and Mr. E.E. Atkinson wrote on behalf of the Jackson Memorial
Committee requesting the permission of the Urban Council to erect the memorial,
which was given. In August 1901, the fountain was completed by the contractors opposite
</span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">'Baxter's Corner'</i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> in the town of </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ballina</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">. It was made of </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Aberdeen</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> granite, cost
£184.00 and stood on a hexagonal concrete foundation. It was made by Scott & Rae, </span><st1:address style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:street w:st="on">Bothwell St.</st1:street>,
<st1:city w:st="on">Glasgow</st1:city></st1:address><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> and was erected in
Ballina under the supervision of their very capable representative, Mr. Robert
Taylor. The company of Scott and Rae were established in </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Glasgow</st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
in 1881, it appears they had completed a number of public drinking fountains in
their native </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Scotland</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
and usually worked in pink granite. The fountain is composed of three large
drinking troughs for either ' <i>cattle or horses</i>', and rising from the centre is
a red and grey granite column diagonally carved and topped by a grey granite
ball. Above one of the troughs is a bronze shield having an engraving of a
horse. Above another trough was a tablet with the inscription:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">'To the memory of<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">George James Vaughan <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jackson</st1:place></st1:city><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Carramore, Ballina,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Who died on the 10th
day of April 1898'<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">On either side of this main plaque were smaller tablets with
the inscriptions ' <i>Erected by public
subscription' </i>and<i> 'He passed from among us in the prime of life, respected and
beloved by all</i>'. However the fountain wasn't fully completed at this time
as the Memorial Committee did not have the funds to undertake a number of works
themselves. The entire cost for the project came to £184 ( which is would be
about €25,000 in today's money) but the fund had only raised £179 however the
contractors in an act of generosity remitted the difference. Now that the
fountain was it in place, it was still necessary that guard stones should be erected
around the monument to protect it from damage from cart wheels for which the
committee had not the funds. Therefore
the committee asked the Urban Council if they would be in a position to
complete these works and in early photographs of the memorial we can see that
these were indeed put in place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXssueG3kxV3y3cPwqO7qyixns_6Cb5wpLlV5jdHedsvCHl_YzHo7kdunbWHxy66bNDEigugb8eLyOOSpsolbYXuAsfyoGtT_eUbSNGA3Xs0vc73C-hoGHN05xO0RnwqmxwHdeKSiVSC6O/s1600/Carrowmore+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-size: 14.54px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXssueG3kxV3y3cPwqO7qyixns_6Cb5wpLlV5jdHedsvCHl_YzHo7kdunbWHxy66bNDEigugb8eLyOOSpsolbYXuAsfyoGtT_eUbSNGA3Xs0vc73C-hoGHN05xO0RnwqmxwHdeKSiVSC6O/s400/Carrowmore+House.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">This grainy newspaper
photo from 1957 is one of the</i> </span><b style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;">few images </span></i></b></div>
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<b style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;">I can find of Carramore </span></i></b><b style="color: #182e04; font-size: 12.8px;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9pt;">before the removal of its roof.</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><br />The family home of the Vaughan Jackson family was Carramore
situated about two miles from Ballina town. It was a two storey over basement
Georgian house built around 1819. The house is surrounded by a large walled
garden and an impressive coach house which is still in relatively good
condition today. After the death of George for whom the memorial was erected,
Carramore House passed to his brother Percy and in later years in October 1920,
£75 was claimed by him for malicious damage to Carramore House. Whether this
was the reason or not, Percy left Carramore to live in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">England</st1:place></st1:country-region> in 1926
having previously resided at Carramore for 27 years. Percy Vaughan Jackson died
in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Herts</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">England</st1:country-region></st1:place> in 1943. The house then
came in to the ownership of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Reid and in 1935 it was
reported that their son Ivan, of the Indian Medical Service, was to be married in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Rawalpindi</st1:city>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">India</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
By this time, Miss Beryl Reid, a daughter of the owners of Carramore, was
visited by a a reporter who was covering her various enterprises at the
house. They were amazed at her
achievements in the garden and the intricate planted beds in the area to the front
of the house that she had created. Miss Reid appears to have been an
enterprising woman for her time, she had constructed three large glass houses,
one alone measured 125 x 30 foot and was in addition to the two older smaller
glasshouses that already existed on the site. In July 1935, she had over 2,000
tomato plants growing and 10,000 chrysanthemums plants waiting to go to market.
In the 1930's Carramore was also advertised as a guest house, so its appears
Miss Reid was doing everything possible to make an income from the property. In
1936, Thomas Reid died, leaving his wife and their two unmarried daughters
responsible for Carramore. In 1939 the house suffered a fire and one bedroom
was burnt out, it was reported that two sisters Phyllis and Beryl Reid and their
invalid mother, Florence, were present in the house at the time. The fire was started by a
wireless set which the sisters fought for three hours on their own with
buckets of water. In April 1944, Beryl's and Phyllis's mother died and she was
buried in St. Michael's Church in Ballina. </span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">This map illustrates the extensive house that Carramore once<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">was with extensive outbuildings and a walled garden<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 9.0pt;">Picture ( above) Copyright : OSI<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">As a result of this, in August 1946, Carramore
House was advertised in the national press for auction under the instruction of the representatives of the late Mrs. Florence
Eleanor Reid, in the advertisement the house is described as <i>'a Magnificent
Gentleman's Residence'</i>. The accommodation of the house extended to four
reception rooms, lounge, front hall,
kitchen and twelve apartments ( which must mean bedrooms). The grounds included
a walled garden, coach house and tomato houses with room for 3,000 plants. A person who visited
the house in the 1940's recorded that the family had only retained forty acres
around the house and that the library of Carramore contained over 3,000 books. In November 1957, it was reported that
Carramore was to be demolished as it had recently been purchased with its land
by two local farmers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Today (shown above) the walls of Carramore still stand, shrouded in ivy
but this house like the history of its occupants is forgotten. The font that
now stands in Ballina is one of the few tangible connections we have with
Carramore House and the Vaughan Jackson family. As the town of </span><st1:city style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ballina</st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> has changed around the font, it became
necessary in 1968 to move it 12 feet further back from the edge of the road and
it was moved again in 1983 to its current location. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">While the Vaughan Jackson
memorial is one of the few attractive pieces of sculpture that we have in
Ballina, the area around this memorial has never been designed or landscaped in such away to show off its true beauty. It might be something to be considered
by Mayo County Council, as next year will mark 120 years since the death of the
man the fountain commemorates.</span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-22638455452564774702017-01-04T15:43:00.000-08:002017-12-05T06:37:15.203-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Heathfield House</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Ballycastle, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Mayo</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAH9s0n6jwsILXjTXgQNJVbpChhngIiQgigzysD3M8rAzyQ-pSbTiXRzk35YupSRUgZTAdEJT5StuPyhsGA5wGARQ7foeXWPAcTP0SZC6Qz1sCRKb3HVbAwq0K0r8JtjfYrPQ9Gv-5pyw/s1600/Heathfield+01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAH9s0n6jwsILXjTXgQNJVbpChhngIiQgigzysD3M8rAzyQ-pSbTiXRzk35YupSRUgZTAdEJT5StuPyhsGA5wGARQ7foeXWPAcTP0SZC6Qz1sCRKb3HVbAwq0K0r8JtjfYrPQ9Gv-5pyw/s400/Heathfield+01.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><i>The Entrance Front of Heathfield House found near Ballycastle in Co. Mayo</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">Picture</span></i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> ( above) </span></span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> Copyright : Taylor Architects, Castlebar, Co. Mayo</span></span></i></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">I was recently surprised
when reading the obituary of Eileen Wren, Countess of Mount Charles that her
birthplace was listed as Heathfield House in Co. Mayo. For a number of years I
had observed this house from a distance when travelling nearby Ballycastle town in the county. Eileen was the mother of Henry Mount Charles, the current Marquess
Conyngham of the world famous Slane Castle in Co. Meath. Lady Mount Charles was
born in Heathfield House near Ballycastle in Co. Mayo in 1924. Her father, Clement
Wren Newsam, was also a descendent of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren,
who designed St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Clement moved to Ireland from New
Zealand and married in 1921 the widow of Bertram Bourke of Heathfield. Bertram,
the heir to Heathfield, had died in action in 1915 during the First World War. In 1927, when
Eileen Wren was only three years of age, Heathfield was taken over by the Land Commission
and the family were allocated a farm in Beauparc in Co. Meath. Much later in
1950, Eileen married the Earl of Mount Charles and became the chatelaine of
Slane Castle, where in later years their son, Henry, would become famous
for holding rock concerts. As well as a direct connection with the Mount
Charles family, this house situated in the Mayo countryside, also has a
connection with the first female President of Ireland. Mary Robinson who is a member
of the Bourke family who would consider this house their ancestral home.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0-Ixu_hPu8v92fsmCwc2G24Rzi7ULoM-lqIcOwB1swqeyfqbvksKFCZsNggtMV1pzBhs6IMj3Dq4KXvIdDXhGfAYNHH1ixrZwspNlsOyqnyY3UE3Hdwbu4z7_-n1_ZPNcfyi7TcaSG69/s1600/IMAGE+03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0-Ixu_hPu8v92fsmCwc2G24Rzi7ULoM-lqIcOwB1swqeyfqbvksKFCZsNggtMV1pzBhs6IMj3Dq4KXvIdDXhGfAYNHH1ixrZwspNlsOyqnyY3UE3Hdwbu4z7_-n1_ZPNcfyi7TcaSG69/s400/IMAGE+03.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><i>Heathfield before the reinstatement of its roof in 2011</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">Picture</span></i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> ( above) </span></span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> Copyright : Taylor Architects, Castlebar, Co. Mayo</span></span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: small;">In the records of <i>The</i> <i>Architectural Inventory of Ireland</i>, Heathfield is described as a detached, five-bay, two-storey farmhouse with dormer attic, which was known to be in existence in 1775. The house was originally a five-bay, two-storey house on a T-shaped plan however a later addition of a projecting battlemented tower to the front of Heathfield gave the house a more imposing presence. This addition to the front of the house probably occurred pre-1896 when it was recorded that the house was ‘improved’ at this time. This tower obscured the earlier pediment on the front of the building which would have given it a similarity to nearby Summerhill House in Lacken. Heathfield has always been considered the ancestral home of the Bourke Family, a Walter Bourke was born in Heathfield in 1770 to Oliver Bourke and Elizabeth Rutledge. Oliver later married Barbara Ann Gildea and the marriage produced ten children. Walter Bourke passed away in 1819 followed by his widow Anne who died in 1829. Both are buried in the graveyard in nearby Kilcummin where their mausoleum remains today. In 1846, Heathfield was recorded as being the home of Robert Bourke, who was possibly the son of Oliver and Anne. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">It was reported that a Walter Bourke of Heathfield House in Co. Mayo was gazetted by purchase to an Ensigncy in the 56th regiment in June 1849.</span><span style="background: white; color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The following year, in June 1850 in Monkstown Church in Dublin, Rev. William Bourke of Heathfield in Mayo married Harriette Sarah, the fourth daughter of Jacob West of Loughlinstown House, Co. Dublin. It is recorded in </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Freeman's Journal</span></i><span style="font-size: small;"> of 1852 that the wife of Rev. William Bourke gave birth to a son on May 27</span><sup><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: small;"> at Heathfield. </span><span style="font-size: small; mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">In 1876, the Heathfield estate extended to over 1,600 acres which passed on to the next generation when Reverend William Bourke died on the 20th April 1881. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1XovWnjoy7NGX2iw89z6Ohhg_jLBGkTWDX5Z6hOeJTkm7Myoalytyw0eHTuabqYUK4AkObmRBhQOzLFDp0Pm9OApjLjxX1YepgVbokQ80-zjDJ1lINCeFfFzbSdiKKXfFy4eOcbMGs3Ca/s1600/DSC_1009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1XovWnjoy7NGX2iw89z6Ohhg_jLBGkTWDX5Z6hOeJTkm7Myoalytyw0eHTuabqYUK4AkObmRBhQOzLFDp0Pm9OApjLjxX1YepgVbokQ80-zjDJ1lINCeFfFzbSdiKKXfFy4eOcbMGs3Ca/s400/DSC_1009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><i>Summerhill House situated in nearby Lacken would bear a similarity to Heathfield before the addition of the tower to the front elevation that would have obscured its pediment.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">Picture</span></i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> ( above) </span></span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> Copyright : ICHC</span></span></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The next owner of Heathfield House was Major William Henry Bourke of the North Mayo Militia who died in 1896 in an exotic location in comparison to his Mayo home. His death occurred at Villa Porte Rouge, St. Servan France and his last will and testament was probated by his widow Sarah Louisa Bourke of 38 Colbeg Road, Upper Norwood London. Heathfield now passed to William’s and Sarah’s son Bertram Walter Bourke. In December 1902 a display of fireworks took place at Heathfield for the tenants in honour of the coming of age of Bertram. Two years later Bertram lost his mother when she died in June 1904 at Frognal Mansions, Hampstead. In September 1907, a former clergyman of the parish, Rev. Canon Foley was formally presented with the furniture for his new rectory in Tralee in Co. Kerry. This was the generous gift of his former parishioners in Ballycastle and Lacken. The presentation took place at Heathfield House, the residence of Bertram Walter Bourke. Forty people gathered at the house and were entertained by Mr. and Miss Bourke, this would indicate that Bertram lived in the house with his sister. The parishioners were grateful to the clergyman’s wife, Mrs. Foley who trained the church choir. Despite it being a poor parish, £26 had been collected to purchase the furniture for Canon Foley who had spent eleven years in the parish. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><i>Bertram Walter Bourke of Heathfield House who died in the First World War in 1915</i></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">Picture</span></i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> ( above) </span></span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> Copyright : Our Heros Website</span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The outbreak of the First World War resulted in the death of Captain Bertram Walter Bourke. He died on May 9th, 1915 aged only 33 and is buried in Ypres. He had become a Captain in 1908 and in 1913 had married Eileen, daughter of Mr. George Neville Ussher of Ballinacarrig House, Carlow. After his death, Heathfield passed into the ownership of Bertram’s widow and their two daughters. Eileen Bourke remarried </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">Clement Wren Newsam which resulted in the birth of the daughter who would later become the Countess of Mount Charles. </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mFDBumVNp75pP79_t_utf3g-JnqI-KOSLZR1xiT1ecvfEsq9YXjBKcZi-44xH4pYYT5hz6BHJXMptWq2toS8qJgWdMVXS76h2d0C0AriwWVHAfUcZ0ilSqdQsxcQekv2XGLrwtkIHIt0/s1600/Heathfield+02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4mFDBumVNp75pP79_t_utf3g-JnqI-KOSLZR1xiT1ecvfEsq9YXjBKcZi-44xH4pYYT5hz6BHJXMptWq2toS8qJgWdMVXS76h2d0C0AriwWVHAfUcZ0ilSqdQsxcQekv2XGLrwtkIHIt0/s400/Heathfield+02.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><i>Heathfield during the reinstatement of its roof in 2011</i></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">Picture</span></i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> ( above) </span></span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> Copyright : Taylor Architects, Castlebar, Co. Mayo</span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">In </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Irish Independent</span></i><span style="font-size: small;"> of 6th May 1922, it was said that Heathfield, a mansion in Ballycastle, Co. Mayo with an estate of 500 acres and the property of Captain Newsam had been seized by the Executive Forces. They announced that in the future it was to be worked for the benefit of the Belfast Expelled Workers Fund. In 1923, Mrs Newsam of Heathfield House, Ballycastle was awarded compensation for malicious damage that had been done to her property.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> The unsettled political situation and the offer of the Land Commission to resettle the family resulted in the decision in 1927 for Bertram's widow together with her family to move to County Meath. After the departure of Bertram's widow, Heathfield came into the procession of the Brice/ Bryce family. In the following decades the house went in to decline and eventually its roof of heavy Mayo slates collapsed.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> Previous to this occurring, some items of furniture from the house made their way, through family connections, to Enniscoe House in nearby Crossmolina where they remain today. The house remained as a ruin up until 2011 when the structure was stabilised and its roof reinstated.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><i>Slane Castle, Co. Meath</i></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">Picture</span></i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> ( above) </span></span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #182e04;"> Copyright : ICHC</span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-51485872314127006542016-11-17T07:30:00.001-08:002017-09-11T03:02:11.055-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px; line-height: 68.48px;"><b>Castle Ellen House</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Athenry, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">Co. Galway</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwO3W34ixCf40TMN39a24-kBzHr32s1OKYJOtKZ-7BTHCtPKYcc2J5N9E_Fl_fegRwgv_gV9WCmky9NbBwnCJduZJAEUZWEhVl3lTwUZ4h6HloEDKHzfQMo0bxCDgoFKhYabwnnyFue_g/s1600/DSC_1765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwO3W34ixCf40TMN39a24-kBzHr32s1OKYJOtKZ-7BTHCtPKYcc2J5N9E_Fl_fegRwgv_gV9WCmky9NbBwnCJduZJAEUZWEhVl3lTwUZ4h6HloEDKHzfQMo0bxCDgoFKhYabwnnyFue_g/s400/DSC_1765.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Entrance Front of Castle Ellen, Athenry, Co. Galway</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Today near Athenry in Co. Galway there is a house known as
Castle Ellen that not only has connections with the political heavy weight, Edward
Carson but also the literary genius, Oscar Wilde. There is even a possibility
that they met here many years before fate brought them together in one of
the most famous trials of that century. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Today</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>
Ellen is the home of <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1d2129;">Mr. Michael
Keaney, a man who is devoted to this house and to whom we must grateful for his
attempts to rescue it from ruin since he purchased it in 1974. While still a
work in progress today, Michael has saved this house from the absolute brink of
ruin and thus has preserved so many wonderful original features such as
decorative plaster work and joinery. If a house could be heated by the warm
welcome that it's host offers, Castle Ellen would be one of the warmest homes in
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEm9AyyKxavIT2fO8LeqnwTF430blZt_v5K2Q-bz8ZIgihYh-iV5C3BKl__db3JrAUH3Gq__OjKQJXVuKGc6XVeylJ8-4HKIKxyD8ChCA8gdP5urCo7DEHJkDAhV-fR8cM1FVaA1HnZos/s1600/DSC_1783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOEm9AyyKxavIT2fO8LeqnwTF430blZt_v5K2Q-bz8ZIgihYh-iV5C3BKl__db3JrAUH3Gq__OjKQJXVuKGc6XVeylJ8-4HKIKxyD8ChCA8gdP5urCo7DEHJkDAhV-fR8cM1FVaA1HnZos/s400/DSC_1783.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The owner of Castle Ellen, Mr. Michael Keaney, pictured on the front steps of his wonderful home</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Castle Ellen is a large two
storey, over raised basement house dating from the early 1800's which is found
at the end of a meandering avenue covered by a canopy of ancient trees.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The first Lambert residence in the
area, was a castle, the remains of which can be found in the grounds to the
front of Castle Ellen House, Michael has also done his best to retain what remains of this ancient structure. It is said that the house was built around 1825, however
some historians date its construction as taking place earlier in 1810. Peter
Lambert, the head of this branch of the Lambert family, at that time, found the
castle too small for his growing family and built the house to better suit his needs.
One of the first children to be born in the new house was Isabella Lambert who
would eventually marry Edward Henry Carson, an architect from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city>, and this union would produce Edward
Carson. Isabella's brother Walter made many improvements to the estate during
his tenure which included having a range of impressive greenhouses constructed.
At this time the estate was at its peak and the grounds were made up of tennis
courts, croquet grounds and expansive gardens while the lands of the estate
extended to 3,500 acres. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtARm-MjcItl6sfr_sSFNf7Ed-ESmT7ZYUeecj7ws13TuNis-RYTGVpa9nJIcuGGgEI4w0gSKN2fZ2cl3W0VMEeVtbJzBZsVrx8IVezdCUUHTvhCarSVWBxNuzOKgwsD1Iz60tqrZHodlC/s1600/mr-lambert4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtARm-MjcItl6sfr_sSFNf7Ed-ESmT7ZYUeecj7ws13TuNis-RYTGVpa9nJIcuGGgEI4w0gSKN2fZ2cl3W0VMEeVtbJzBZsVrx8IVezdCUUHTvhCarSVWBxNuzOKgwsD1Iz60tqrZHodlC/s400/mr-lambert4.jpg" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Castle Ellen when it was the home the Lambert family before their departure in the 1920's</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright Castle Ellen</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black;">In 1859,
the Lord Lieutenant appointed Walter Peter Lambert of Castle Ellen to the
office of High Sheriff for <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. The
following year, in September of 1860, an advertisement appeared in the national
papers indicating that Stump Hill House and demesne in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Cork</st1:place></st1:city> was being offered for lease. People who
wished to lease this property were directed to send their proposals to Walter
P. Lambert of Castle Ellen, <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. This
property had come in to the ownership of the Lamberts when Walter Peter Lambert
married Elizabeth who was the daughter of William Mc OBoy of Stump Hill in Co. Cork.
Walter Peter Lambert died in October 1892 in the Imperial Hotel in Tuam
supposedly he choked to death while eating breakfast. He is described as a gentleman
farmer who left an estate valued at £ 35,558 11s 5d ( which unbelievably is approximately £3.5 million in the money of today). His will was proved by his
son Peter Fitzwalter Lambert of Castle Ellen also described as a gentleman
farmer. Peter Fitzwalter Lambert married Julia Mary Hewetson in 1887 but their marriage would not
be a long one. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtvDyLlqbIO-xxnx_WZFDDCTuVhtLxoLr0BlRCkMVnN_ZAkAXW5VxPu8fdp5JdS-SyR4Jg-OvkwJxjVpZQKbjWk5PI0eD1QO492AGG5emv9uKs4DJ_3FTxJoPqUPpTZL_EXLJO36v4iQo/s1600/DSC_1809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtvDyLlqbIO-xxnx_WZFDDCTuVhtLxoLr0BlRCkMVnN_ZAkAXW5VxPu8fdp5JdS-SyR4Jg-OvkwJxjVpZQKbjWk5PI0eD1QO492AGG5emv9uKs4DJ_3FTxJoPqUPpTZL_EXLJO36v4iQo/s400/DSC_1809.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The ancient castle of the Lambert's, the remains of which are found to the front of Castle Ellen</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: black;">Peter Fitzwalter Lambert died on the 24<sup>th</sup> February in
1894, aged only 45 and left an estate valued at £10,806 10s, 7d. </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Peter had been experiencing ill health after
his father’s death, dying a year and a half later and five months before the
birth of his third son, William Robert. A stained glass window was erected in
the local church to his memory. An elder son of Peter Fitzwalter named William Peter was born in
1891 and inherited the estate after the death of his father. By the time of the
census in 1901, Castle Ellen is described as having 23 out buildings with the
main house comprising of 23 rooms which is owned by Mary Lambert, Peter’s widow.
The house at the time of census is occupied by five servants, the house hold
staff was made up of the cook, housemaid, kitchen maid, coachman and stable
man. By the time of the 1911 census the house is again only occupied by four
servants. In November 1907, the estates of Walter Peter Lambert (a minor) and
Julia Mary Lambert (his guardian) in the townlands of Dunkellin, Athenry and
Kilconnell in the </span><st1:place style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">Galway</st1:placename></st1:place><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> were sold to
the Estates Commissioners.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7qixwYT4kJeYcSRk66e_UMfNR6iZElHdYLRCQTwcAgDNbCKJh9Etv3M1ZIyiZu8fzbRuS6qaevYOmAITrebGQim_pWOIsxYWRFXSTGms7eM6Z6z_EZFixZtS0NVYcY3eaS8jWCT4nEUC/s1600/IMG_20161107_230347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7qixwYT4kJeYcSRk66e_UMfNR6iZElHdYLRCQTwcAgDNbCKJh9Etv3M1ZIyiZu8fzbRuS6qaevYOmAITrebGQim_pWOIsxYWRFXSTGms7eM6Z6z_EZFixZtS0NVYcY3eaS8jWCT4nEUC/s400/IMG_20161107_230347.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Dining Room of Castle Ellen is decorated with exotic stuffed birds </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>that Michael has accumulated over the years</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The connection with Edward Carson was through his mother
Isabella who met the architect Edward Henry Carson when he came to Castle Ellen
to design a stable block for her father. Isabella was the daughter of Peter
Fitzwalter Lambert of Castle Ellen and Eleanor Seymour of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Ballymore</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>.
Peter Fitzwalter died in 1844 and Castle Ellen was inherited by Isabella’s
brother Walter. In May 1851, the marriage took place of Isabella Lambert and
Edward Carson at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Athenry</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">Church</st1:placetype></st1:place>, where the
ceremony was conducted by the groom's brother Rev. William Carson. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">There is an
entry in the Dictionary of Irish Architects which indicates that the architect
Edward Henry Carson received a commission in 1863 to carry out extensive
alterations and additions to Castle Ellen for his brother-in-law Walter Peter
Lambert. Edward Henry Carson was quite accomplished in his field having
designed the </span><st1:placename style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Colonial</st1:placename><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Building</st1:placetype><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> in the center of </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Galway</st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
city (opposite Brown Thomas today) and was also Vice-President of the Royal
Institute of Irish Architects. The newlyweds made their home in </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> and over the years
welcomed six children, one of which was Edward Carson. Edward wanted to follow
his father in to the architectural business but his father had decided that his
son would enter the legal profession. As a child Edward Carson spent his summers
in Castle Ellen and during this time spent in </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Galway</st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
he became friends with the Shawe-Taylor family of Castle Taylor in Ardrahan (Castle
Taylor is featured in my second book </span><i style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;">Irish
Country Houses - Portraits and Painters</i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">). It is also said that Castle Ellen
provided the backdrop for the meeting of Carson and Oscar Wilde prior to the
famous trial that would bring them together again in later years. It is also
said that Edward attended many hurling matches and became so fond of the game
that he tried to introduce it to </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Trinity</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype w:st="on">College</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> when he was a
student there. Edward Carson's career in law progressed until he became one of
the most divisive figures in Northern Irish politics with his opposition to
Home Rule for the </span><st1:place style="font-family: arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">island</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">Ireland</st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFBV36F628_KNl8OY0QhbQXmrlP8uX1zqAFwhFrYONCzdiuxkI4_OI6rkFWKRPrGzpQvia6K4yXTY9udhwcNGrYkD8BUBJF5rbig6H-0LAw3xaVa8jg0CSFd2RG_ajoOYld5WZjTr8zTR/s1600/IMG_20161106_203804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFBV36F628_KNl8OY0QhbQXmrlP8uX1zqAFwhFrYONCzdiuxkI4_OI6rkFWKRPrGzpQvia6K4yXTY9udhwcNGrYkD8BUBJF5rbig6H-0LAw3xaVa8jg0CSFd2RG_ajoOYld5WZjTr8zTR/s400/IMG_20161106_203804.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Side view of Castle Ellen (</i></span><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC)</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Despite the
time that he spent in Castle Ellen with the catholic community in his early
life, his battle cry in later years was that ' </span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Home Rule is <st1:city w:st="on">Rome</st1:city> Rule'</i><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> as </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Carson</st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> wished to retain </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">’s
union with </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">.
Today outside the </span><st1:placename style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Stormont</st1:placename><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><st1:placename style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Parliament</st1:placename><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Building</st1:placetype><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
near </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Belfast</st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> in </span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Northern
Ireland</st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">, stands a statue of Edward Carson which indicates the
long shadow he still casts over Irish politics. In June 1914, it was reported that despite his
efforts in Northern Ireland, it appears that Edward Carson was still fondly
thought of in Athenry, as a local Catholic farmer was heard to declare’ </span><i style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Ned Carson is a decent man. I take no notice
of his ranging and ranting among the Orangemen of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Ulster</st1:country-region></st1:place>. Sure, isn’t every
successful lawyer a bit of a play actor!’.</i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> Edward Carson obviously had great affection for the maternal
side of his family as when his first son was born in 1880, he was named William
Henry Lambert Carson, and thus ensuring the Lambert name would be carried in to
the next generation of his family.</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMOWX-lS6mnxr4ChiKnlR8NO75btH1MQ6GO5pbuFx2qzv8tkOW9EZgciQ3O5-nhTaO4_8HcosHOqz6bCK9osH7ICndA8h6GJzJQUYTrDDned3NiKSho8W-AHqX5QTS7EVK0KNwGMqDsZn/s1600/DSC_1760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMOWX-lS6mnxr4ChiKnlR8NO75btH1MQ6GO5pbuFx2qzv8tkOW9EZgciQ3O5-nhTaO4_8HcosHOqz6bCK9osH7ICndA8h6GJzJQUYTrDDned3NiKSho8W-AHqX5QTS7EVK0KNwGMqDsZn/s400/DSC_1760.JPG" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A statue of Edward Carson found outside Stormont in Northern Ireland</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">The famous playwright and wit, Oscar
Wilde and Edward Carson's paths often appeared to have crossed many times
throughout their lives. As children in </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
their homes were located near each other, when in Galway Carson and Wilde were
said to have met at Castle Ellen and then they were contemporaries in </span><st1:placename style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Trinity</st1:placename><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><st1:placetype style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">College</st1:placetype><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">,
</span><st1:place style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city></st1:place><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">. However
it was their most infamous encounter that has gone down in history. In 1895, Oscar Wilde took a libel case
against the Marquis of Queensbury, the Marquis was appalled at the nature of Wilde's
relationship with his son and had used a public forum to express his opinion.
Wilde sued the Marquis who had chosen to be represented by Edward Carson in the
trial of the century, whose every detail was picked over in the press. Caron's
skillful cross examination of Wilde, extracted all the lurid detail necessary to
ensure Wilde's case against the Marquis collapsed. Wilde was subsequently arrested and tried for
gross indecency which resulted in his imprisonment and ruin. For two men who
started life in similar circumstances, upon their death, one was celebrated
with a state funeral and the other passed away in penury. Wilde was released from jail in 1897 and
immediately left for </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">France</st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
where he died 3 years later, </span><st1:city style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Carson's</st1:city><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> career flourished,
he became a key figure in the politics of </span><st1:country-region style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Northern Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">, dying in 1935 and
received a state funeral.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUp07H6fmW2rHzWeMvUNFi4VxAKuA4it_ONCyf-aqQT_OVI57j_Pbq60xny39XkDBR7PwMDOSxRqE-99XqoIDZCPMhMn3fsDXvCZ9JQMBAZ7McwjcVmVwmI2Ah-SiMyTLs9GBk5Bcsx9X-/s1600/mr-lambert3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUp07H6fmW2rHzWeMvUNFi4VxAKuA4it_ONCyf-aqQT_OVI57j_Pbq60xny39XkDBR7PwMDOSxRqE-99XqoIDZCPMhMn3fsDXvCZ9JQMBAZ7McwjcVmVwmI2Ah-SiMyTLs9GBk5Bcsx9X-/s400/mr-lambert3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>This image shows the expansive glass houses that once existed to the side of Castle Ellen</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright Castle Ellen</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">There has been a lot of
discussion over the years as to what precipitated the departure of the Lambert
family from Castle Ellen. However an incident that occurred in 1920, I think,
shows the beginning of the end of the family's tenure of their ancestral home.
When Walter Peter Lambert, who inherited Castle Ellen as a minor, came of age
he joined the Connaught Rangers where he rose to the rank of Captain. After the
First World War he returned to Castle Ellen and was on extremely good terms
with his neighbours and the local community. His father, before his death, had
sold all his available land to his tenants, retaining only a small amount of
demesne lands around Castle Ellen. In early 1920, it appears that not all in
the locality were on such good terms with the then current occupant of Castle
Ellen. In January of that year, it was reported that a group of men approached the
house and demanded the land that the Lamberts still held in their possession.
Walter Peter Lambert responded that he had no land to give and owned nothing other
than the demesne around the house. Walter also informed one of the men in the
group that they actually owned more land than himself. The angry group departed
but as they did, they informed Captain Lambert that they would take his
remaining lands by force and would plough the land that surrounded Castle Ellen
up to the front door. The following day, those who worked for the Lamberts received
threats that they should cease working for them or face the
consequences, threats were also received by Captain Lambert and members of his
family. Local people condemned the attack but possibly it left Captain Lambert
in no doubt as to which way the wind was blowing. A friend of the family, Frank Shawe-Taylor of
Castle Taylor in Ardrahan was shot in March 1920 while travelling to the fair
in Galway which probably only heightened the fears of the family. It is part of
local lore that the family left suddenly on St. Patrick’s Day in 1921 and it is
possibly as a result of the unsettled times in which violence and the burning
of landlords houses was commonplace in Ireland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIhz8CZrog1_MyBPgAF5wKj_4kItjnZWm6CgsBbnOzUDsIsoD6THSkmrgjTHZzFbtPxOvKlGuYmsqW9Dmx4uMmKg4SGhIS3tOKO75I02ufyQ6laedpwZotNojhOlc_0AwVYEOeYUbZ3Ex/s1600/1921+Ad+House.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaIhz8CZrog1_MyBPgAF5wKj_4kItjnZWm6CgsBbnOzUDsIsoD6THSkmrgjTHZzFbtPxOvKlGuYmsqW9Dmx4uMmKg4SGhIS3tOKO75I02ufyQ6laedpwZotNojhOlc_0AwVYEOeYUbZ3Ex/s400/1921+Ad+House.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #182e04; font-size: x-small;"><i>Advertisement for the sale of Castle Ellen in 1921</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">In November 1921, an
advertisement appeared in the national press offering Castle Ellen and 600
acres for sale by auction on the 1</span><sup style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">st</sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> December 1921 in a </span><st1:city style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Dublin</st1:place></st1:city><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> auction room. The
house is described as having an entrance hall with double staircase, two
drawing rooms with folding doors and marble chimney pieces, morning room and dining
room. Also on the entry level was a butler’s pantry, gun room and store room. On
the first floor were six family bedrooms, two dressing rooms, a bathroom, two
lavatories and linen press. Servant’s
quarters in the basement extended to a tiled kitchen, scullery, pantries, dairy
and maid’s rooms. The enclosed yard consisted of out offices, garage, chauffeurs
living quarters, stables, two stalls and nine loose boxes together with a large
coach house, lofts, kennels, cart sheds, haggard, large hay shed and cattle
sheds. Also included was the large walled garden, the ruins of a castle and
tennis courts.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuPfX5UndyX405Zx1FxWU6Bf85-Pk2sKiccTn-UGUPgwNKbfTxg2XxQBjzf9H_ggLxiXNFU2jHX-Mx1LFZMe4s-COdO85s4MXAY7ZEDqeZ7VCzFG-mxkxAhlf26tZmRhDmKTDQ220Eaog/s1600/IMG_20161106_203126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUuPfX5UndyX405Zx1FxWU6Bf85-Pk2sKiccTn-UGUPgwNKbfTxg2XxQBjzf9H_ggLxiXNFU2jHX-Mx1LFZMe4s-COdO85s4MXAY7ZEDqeZ7VCzFG-mxkxAhlf26tZmRhDmKTDQ220Eaog/s400/IMG_20161106_203126.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A decorative capital found on a pilaster on the half landing at Castle Ellen</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Now that the house was on the market, the auction of the house
contents was set for Monday 19th, December 1921. The sale consisted of antique
and modern furniture, silver, </span><st1:place style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on">Sheffield</st1:place><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> plate,
farm vehicles, farm implements, farm horses, carts, ewes, hay, oats, straw,
turnips and potatoes. These sales were carried out under the instruction of
Captain Lambert, the last Lambert landlord of Castle Ellen. Some of the
furniture was described in later advertisements for the auction, included in the sale was an antique cellarette sideboard, a set of mahogany pillars, a claw foot dining
room table with twelve chairs and two carver chairs. The drawing room had
tapestry covered chesterfield sofas, a Sheraton writing table, Venetian mirrors
and mahogany bookcases. Walls were decorated with coloured engravings, sporting
prints and tapestries, floors were covered with Axminster carpets and around the
windows were hung damask curtains. The yards offered up a range of
items associated with a time when the horse was the king of the road which
included a Governess cart and numerous farm wagons.</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKR0IxgzF8SJT094fHey8S0TN7cymlRCny8CALV0Gx7bhpTOiepIQmcEBDUSIYqrUL_gWJfQy_tb0vwad6OA7KA5QwUGgP2_h9UtwEembMTRlxLwhqJGfcUCYa3cXqa7bZyCuAyecS0e-/s1600/IMG_20161106_202818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKR0IxgzF8SJT094fHey8S0TN7cymlRCny8CALV0Gx7bhpTOiepIQmcEBDUSIYqrUL_gWJfQy_tb0vwad6OA7KA5QwUGgP2_h9UtwEembMTRlxLwhqJGfcUCYa3cXqa7bZyCuAyecS0e-/s400/IMG_20161106_202818.jpg" width="400" /></a> </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;">The poly-chromatic plaster work found in the entrance hall</span></i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above and below) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">In January 1940, Castle Ellen
appeared on the market again, this time under the instruction of the Irish Land
Commission for sale by public auction however the land associated with the
house was reduced to 66 acres. The house at this time is described as being in
excellent condition. Another fascinating glimpse in to what the interior would
have looked like is provided, interestingly the entrance hall is described as
having stained glass windows and a glass dome overhead. The grand staircase only provided access from
the ground floor to the first floor bedrooms and would have been solely for the
use of the family. A secondary staircase was discretely located to one side of
the main stairs. This plain, utilitarian stairs provided access from the
basement to the top of the house and was used by the servants. The dining room
was located near this stairs which provided access from the kitchen in the
basement. The dining room has two doors, one door allowed the family and guests
to enter from the main entrance hall whereas the second door provided access
for the servants from the kitchen.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrRz8rvWzolxy4Mb7V8KhIE7ye1zWZ0Hncn-IK5QoMUG-1BS_SCHdu5KgPMg1MGXx7B0Lk1WAqvjob1YoaZAdlxwnGbo4b3nWxEBYO-Oead23gQMyjxByJWZN5rEF9fLm5FjENNoBH-zV/s1600/DSC_1751.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrRz8rvWzolxy4Mb7V8KhIE7ye1zWZ0Hncn-IK5QoMUG-1BS_SCHdu5KgPMg1MGXx7B0Lk1WAqvjob1YoaZAdlxwnGbo4b3nWxEBYO-Oead23gQMyjxByJWZN5rEF9fLm5FjENNoBH-zV/s400/DSC_1751.JPG" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>One of a pair of entrance door to the Dining Room, this one was for the use of the servants</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">The stained glass window on the half landing
of the staircase was emblazoned with the Lambert crest and coat of arms. The
advertisement now says that there are seven large bedrooms on the first floor
with two attic bedrooms. The description of the basement is further elaborated
on from earlier advertisements, which is said to contain a kitchen, large
servant’s hall, three servant’s bedrooms, three pantries, two coal houses, wine
cellar and a single w/c. A number of years later in September
1945, four young men were sentenced to two months imprisonment for stealing
apples from the garden at Castle Ellen which was now in the ownership of Mr.
Herbert Mc Nally of <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>. In 1951, Castle
Ellen was again offered for sale described as a ‘<i>Georgian Residence in the centre of <st1:place w:st="on">Galway</st1:place>
Blazer Country, standing on 70 acres of land’</i>. Castle Ellen was sold by a Mrs Mc Nally back to
the Land Commission, it would appear that she sold it after her husband had
died. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">In 1961 when the local school
was being repaired and was not fit for use, Castle Ellen was sequestered and
used a temporary school house. The house at this time was beginning to
become down and at heel as the staircase is described as not </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">being suitable for use </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">and there was a hole in the roof.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnk1CK1PHnTdwSEC48uJxT7uwZ5xnn0-LvS1YymZawLeXYJFc9V6QR8u2YIfp-rWYEYvHu79xJbCaRQfLKCcTEGhi3QsPOCp-pngcZdc-jPxplyAvVrLU0Orp6fB67FWkPdm48CSga0Cmm/s1600/1974+Ad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnk1CK1PHnTdwSEC48uJxT7uwZ5xnn0-LvS1YymZawLeXYJFc9V6QR8u2YIfp-rWYEYvHu79xJbCaRQfLKCcTEGhi3QsPOCp-pngcZdc-jPxplyAvVrLU0Orp6fB67FWkPdm48CSga0Cmm/s400/1974+Ad.JPG" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The advertisment that appeared in 1974 which first drew Michael Keaney's attention to Castle Ellen</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">By 1974, Castle Ellen
and 11 acres are offered for sale by public auction by the Irish Land
Commission however the house is now described as derelict. Michael Keaney
spotted this advertisement and fortunately purchased the house for sum of
£6,800. The house he now owned was badly vandalised over the previous years that it
had remained empty. Windows had been broken and lead had been removed from the
roof which allowed water to destroy the interior, rot floors and destroy
ceilings. Any fixtures such as fireplaces had been stolen and the only way to
enter the house was through a window. Over a number of years, before Michael
made the house his full time residence, he secured the external fabric which meant reinstating
the roof and windows in an effort to make the building water tight. During his
restoration, any element of architectural merit was saved and stored until the
time came that it could be reinstated. A lot of decorative plasterwork survives
in the reception rooms of the house, however the entrance hall and staircase
ceiling had collapsed before Michael's tenure. Large sections of this ceiling
survive and give tantalising glimpses of what this area of the house once
looked like. Decorative capitals of pillars remain on the half landing of the
stairs around which cling elements of the polychromatic plasterwork with its
daring red, green and gold colour scheme. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuFTW6jvJ0B9Z5RCfrG69HuhqErVIV7NfC9h1mzCm4KnbALS0kVw1j0Uwctx40QWrsQu6etfAfhoPJRo1_5bhY2PUqwLw4flyfMDMPgpVU_RlF3Oho3twuvSF_-xl64Da6f5WqgqQfaXf/s1600/IMG_20161107_230004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjuFTW6jvJ0B9Z5RCfrG69HuhqErVIV7NfC9h1mzCm4KnbALS0kVw1j0Uwctx40QWrsQu6etfAfhoPJRo1_5bhY2PUqwLw4flyfMDMPgpVU_RlF3Oho3twuvSF_-xl64Da6f5WqgqQfaXf/s400/IMG_20161107_230004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Wonderful pieces of joinery and plaster work that survive in Castle Ellen</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture</span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> ( above) </span></i><i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Copyright ICHC </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Michael over the years has used many
ways to publicise his historic property which once involved an appearance on </span><i style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">'Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners - Country
House Rescue'</i><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;"> on Channel 4. In this programme, two individuals were tasked
with de-cluttering Castle Ellen but a lot of items hold memories for
Michael so this job wasn't always easy.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">Despite a few disagreements during the course of the episode, the
kindness of Michael's character couldn’t help but shine through. </span><st1:place style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;" w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Today</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">
Ellen is open to the public by appointment and for special events. Michael has
also grasped the nettle of modern technology and rooms in Castle Ellen now
appear on Air B&B. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 10pt;">I am so grateful to have
been offered an opportunity to visit Castle Ellen and meet with one of the most
engaging and interesting people whom I have encountered in the last few years. I wish Michael all the best with Castle Ellen and do hope to make a return visit in the near future.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGOCvTs8rLEQwp5F2jC-1HC7o8RVMC2J1D_-UgHvikrc7a86nNmhyMST6jXChL_faDR2PBXXMQhx5n8aRfx4hQ_QbadWfJusdk8YtHZUOhOGdZALIDGiWymkPKU7vRwfjoT6HDr4denzG/s1600/IMG_20161107_225603.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJGOCvTs8rLEQwp5F2jC-1HC7o8RVMC2J1D_-UgHvikrc7a86nNmhyMST6jXChL_faDR2PBXXMQhx5n8aRfx4hQ_QbadWfJusdk8YtHZUOhOGdZALIDGiWymkPKU7vRwfjoT6HDr4denzG/s400/IMG_20161107_225603.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;">The wonderful detail of entrance porch is illuminated in the autumnal sunshine</span></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rvp6OcFozmJqFtZcO2el7sv4a8lyF4D7pgh6KhKbR3D58jF3_Xh87nGrRgBg6a_l6WrO-vjUCH6vLgHyb19jSXLrdY_VqwKpNe13SnndfnyH1ZDVI9TKfGiIKDQfK_EkH9Imtdl9S9bS/s1600/IMG_20161106_203531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0rvp6OcFozmJqFtZcO2el7sv4a8lyF4D7pgh6KhKbR3D58jF3_Xh87nGrRgBg6a_l6WrO-vjUCH6vLgHyb19jSXLrdY_VqwKpNe13SnndfnyH1ZDVI9TKfGiIKDQfK_EkH9Imtdl9S9bS/s320/IMG_20161106_203531.jpg" width="320" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiYEfteXwbaH504DTIEr4u0uWcEg0P91pHjEF5_3xrxRWtPmyTrRmJNyqiXiTcYG1gkaijp3L_zMrmciQ-J-0q-BUDJHxjbo4GDGFXXu7wENVcjhmydsYqbANnqEQKwP25KGabPPLHErY/s1600/IMG_20161108_223617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiYEfteXwbaH504DTIEr4u0uWcEg0P91pHjEF5_3xrxRWtPmyTrRmJNyqiXiTcYG1gkaijp3L_zMrmciQ-J-0q-BUDJHxjbo4GDGFXXu7wENVcjhmydsYqbANnqEQKwP25KGabPPLHErY/s320/IMG_20161108_223617.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Some of the original plaster work that survives in Castle Ellen, together with a piece Michael has salvaged for reinstatement.</i></span></div>
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-75941913818505921492016-10-15T08:58:00.013-07:002023-07-13T23:55:37.273-07:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px;"><b>Sheskin Lodge</b></span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: book antiqua, serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;">Belmullet, Co. Mayo</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: book antiqua, serif;"><span style="font-size: 26.6667px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div style="font-size: 14.54px; line-height: 18.89px;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Whiskey & Literature </span></div><div style="font-size: 14.54px; line-height: 18.89px;"><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">meet </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt;">in the wilds o</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 26.6667px;">f Co. Mayo</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWyA4Tz64Cky7mFj8Z5bmDWgxtO9Ob5wk5H0yrEmVv4SuIoVC0lYQD_RrIfZeTw_9PZ-LztQaOVtMiqjzszSmnAEByK9oJdWFWTWVARM9MFB6aM5ll8tOYDKZgJJUDIa19gWFpVE9QVjG/s2048/Collage_20210509_084017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBWyA4Tz64Cky7mFj8Z5bmDWgxtO9Ob5wk5H0yrEmVv4SuIoVC0lYQD_RrIfZeTw_9PZ-LztQaOVtMiqjzszSmnAEByK9oJdWFWTWVARM9MFB6aM5ll8tOYDKZgJJUDIa19gWFpVE9QVjG/w393-h393/Collage_20210509_084017.jpg" width="393" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 107%;">Many
times I have heard the word ‘lost’ being bandied about when referring to some large country
house being misplaced as if it was a child’s toy. However Sheskin Lodge in Co.
Mayo, the subject of this piece, does truely fulfill this description. Located in the
wilds of county Mayo on the west coast of Ireland, lost in a wood and easily passed by, this former hunting lodge
is not accessible by car and is a forty minute walk from the nearest public
road. This building does not appear on any list of protected structures or
indeed it does not feature in the architectural heritage of Mayo. Overlooked and forgotten, the modern world has passed it by, very few
people may know that this house has a connection with one of Ireland’s most
famous whiskey distilling families and is also associated with
the world of literature.<span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz087JBXnBBQsDEfreBwTAWmpBHXsfS3_ezv_JWW7J_nuSqeoExt1No7QtexwHU4IHIeUkSjdd2UOEEW0sWb_uGIPwGge1PFz1MVj_xZHjA2-T-IuU0XaBX4BBtzK_mkSTBNN76gPJBqP5/w342-h512/02.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="342" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="clear: both; line-height: 20.79px;"><p align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i>A Monkey Puzzle Tree which indicates the location of Sheskin
Lodge <br />
that was once surrounded by beautiful grounds. <br />
Picture Copyright ( above) ICHC</i><o:p></o:p></p></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz087JBXnBBQsDEfreBwTAWmpBHXsfS3_ezv_JWW7J_nuSqeoExt1No7QtexwHU4IHIeUkSjdd2UOEEW0sWb_uGIPwGge1PFz1MVj_xZHjA2-T-IuU0XaBX4BBtzK_mkSTBNN76gPJBqP5/s1600/02.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: arial;"></span></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEUZYmpebHdED0_sY7WqsMGTs-3bnQ92tJ3cMS8-K3j-tQ9Q1fhX0yd8eonm0cslsQBXjSflEG6SYxx1R0QVgSc7KmVKArU9gSVoxylhaNn9aki3FPxcR96FBCRTCKVk0fiN1hV-DLmzu/w512-h341/04.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="512" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Cast Iron Verandah to the front of the lodge<br />Picture Copyright ( above) ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 107%;">Sheskin
Lodge is difficult to locate but one of the few features that indicate its
presence at the heart of a wood is a monkey puzzle tree which looks out of
place in this wild Mayo landscape. I came to know of this hunting lodge though
a family connection as members of the Wills family once acted as the stewards
of the Sheskin Lodge for the Jameson family. The first mention of Sheskin Lodge, that I could find, is in November 1858 where it states that road repairs will
take place ‘between the mail car road and the lodge in Sheskin’. In November
1866, it is noted that a Charles Monck Wilson is listed as being the owner of
Sheskin Lodge however in July of 1868, the estate was listed for sale in The
Landed Estate Courts. The estate is described as running to 7,012 acres which
included a ‘comfortable shooting lodge, gardens and offices’ all situated in
the centre of the estate. This sizable estate stretched from Ballyscastle to
Bellacorick in Co. Mayo. Sheskin Lodge and the
surrounding 7,000 acres were purchased by John Jameson. In August 1878 it was
recorded that, John Jameson, now the owner of Sheskin Lodge, had donated
£5 to the repair of local churches. It is said that when the Jameson family
purchased the lodge they made many improvements, which probably included the
addition of the distinctive glazed veranda to the front of the lodge with its
decorative cast iron supports that have survived to this day. The owner of the lodge was the
descendant of John Jameson from Scotland, who founded the famous Whiskey
Distillery that still bears the family name. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: arial; line-height: 17.12px;">John Jameson was extremely wealthy and when he died in Dublin in December 1881, he left an estate valued at over £300,000. He died at the family home St. Marnock's in Dublin which is now the Portmarnock Hotels and Golf Club. He was succeed by his son, also named John, born in 1835 who inherited his holdings including Sheskin Lodge. King </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Edward VII, known as the party King, visited the Jameson family home at St Marnock's, where the golf-keen family also developed an early nine-hole course, founding one of the city's oldest golf clubs.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> The King was friendly with the youngest brother, Willie Jameson, a good sailing friend of his since 1880. It was Willie who personally helped Edward to commission his racing yacht, Britannia. Members of the Jameson family owned impressive homes in Dublin, o</span><span class="drop-cap" style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">ne of the most grandiose is</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> Sutton Castle commissioned by Andrew Jameson, a grandson of John Jameson who founded the famous distillery near Smithfield. Andrew made the decision to decamp from his townhouse on Fitzwilliam Square for the fresh air of the Howth Peninsula, and commissioned architect Alfred Darbyshire to design Sutton House, a 40-room Tudor-style mansion finally completed in 1895, it eventually became known as Sutton Castle. The last Jameson to own the house was Harriet Kirkwood, Andrew's daughter, a well-known artist. While the Jameson family were wealthy and mixed in the highest echelons of society, they were no strangers to scandal. James S. Jameson, one of the Dublin whiskey heirs and a well known explorer, had died of fever on an expedition in the Congo in 1888. But by 1890 revelations were being published about his lifestyle prior to his death. The most shocking story related to his purchase of a 10-year-old slave girl, whom he handed her over to cannibals so he could observe and make sketches of the child being killed and eaten. That expedition became the inspiration for Joseph Conrad's novel "Heart of Darkness". The revelations brought considerable hostility towards the privileged family and possibly made the lodge at Sheskin a welcome retreat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHwuLnLJvYWDWlI_WWqLzwt87QFh5exHvGzDidC6eLAHtDx88JbG7OztUiitvv-zduhtFp0D11Pj7_hKzIwp3nYQZ_PJ8_Jy3Aki6kOvlEcneo7gH4iiVUvwQRH7WRqqO8VlctHlhtMHRY4GdNjn7iW3MPcaJwYkmqUKc1wNhyCH7i_XM3Nfd-zAVgERm/s2994/IMG_20230614_163708.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2994" data-original-width="2058" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsHwuLnLJvYWDWlI_WWqLzwt87QFh5exHvGzDidC6eLAHtDx88JbG7OztUiitvv-zduhtFp0D11Pj7_hKzIwp3nYQZ_PJ8_Jy3Aki6kOvlEcneo7gH4iiVUvwQRH7WRqqO8VlctHlhtMHRY4GdNjn7iW3MPcaJwYkmqUKc1wNhyCH7i_XM3Nfd-zAVgERm/s320/IMG_20230614_163708.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>John Wills, from Rosserk, Steward of Sheskin Lodge until 1909<br />Picture Copyright ( above) ICHC<br /><br /></i></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial;">It
is recorded in the census of 1901 that John Wills, aged 33 (my own great grand uncle) was the Steward of
Sheskin Lodge and lived there with his wife Mary Jane, aged 26, their two year old daughter Gladys. John Wills was from Rosserk outside Ballina, his wife Mary Jane Patterson was from the neighbouring townland of Carrowkelly. They had been married in Ballysakeery in 1899. Also resident in the lodge at the time of the census, was a servant, Maria Clarke, aged 25. Mary Jane and John had six children, Gladys Victoria born in 1901, Edith in 1903, twins Violet and Janet in 1907. Their sons John, born 1904, and George, born 1909, were born at Sheskin Lodge. Unfortunately John Wills contracted stomach cancer and was being removed by the Jameson family to Dublin for treatment in 1909. However, he was only well enough to travel as far as the home of relatives in Ballina, where he died in Arran Street, Ballina on the 15th February 1909. He left behind his widow Mary Jane and their six children, his youngest son had only been born one month before. Mary Jane and her family returned to be near the Patterson family and lived at Ballysakeery, followed by Castle Road and Arran St. in Ballina. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9OjsiIbFzzbRajMk376RWQuYDshhBiRNCRG6QWLArrLsMMP-QqTD76Klxx8kSJXl2iKOIDatg00Ft53jArUSR3pxJlp3bbB3oWGXk7lnzNH6KBxBlqYuU6qYZsFu6lG90l_rOlE_jQLoDdSIZi7c6QaUExRfuksBEZl1oHeBVV9yzANhgf0xR0X4eBJ8/s2583/IMG_20230614_162428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2583" data-original-width="2079" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV9OjsiIbFzzbRajMk376RWQuYDshhBiRNCRG6QWLArrLsMMP-QqTD76Klxx8kSJXl2iKOIDatg00Ft53jArUSR3pxJlp3bbB3oWGXk7lnzNH6KBxBlqYuU6qYZsFu6lG90l_rOlE_jQLoDdSIZi7c6QaUExRfuksBEZl1oHeBVV9yzANhgf0xR0X4eBJ8/s320/IMG_20230614_162428.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mary Jane Wills, widow of John Wills, and their six children<br />Picture Copyright ( above) ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 107%;">By
1911, Sheskin had another steward, William Wills (John Wills' brother)
aged 34 who lived there with his sister Sarah aged 44. The lodge at this time is described as having
five outbuildings, seven windows in its front elevation and consists of ten
rooms internally. A later auction advertisement describes the building as
having four bedrooms, a drawing room, dining room and kitchen. It appears that
the Jameson family’s connection with the lodge ended in May 1922, possibly due to the death of John Jameson at the age of 85 in 1920, the family no longer had a use for the lodge. An auction was advertised of the household effects of Sheskin Lodge, sold under the instruction of William George Jameson, the brother of John.
The furniture was removed from the lodge to Boland’s Salesrooms in King Street,
Ballina, Co. Mayo. Afterward it appears Sheskin became the home of a number of
individuals during the course of the 1930’s. In 1931, Sheskin
Lodge was the residence of Col. J.F. Champion, who complained in the local
newspaper about the state of the Crossmolina to Belmullet road. In March 1938,
it was advertised in local newspapers that C.G.T. Morrison of Christ Church,
Oxford intended to dispose of the contents of Sheskin Lodge.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-Cf5oX4fmN1GqFMJyYzNil1AhDnQKzgpwPkFUhazICAYbF45KMt3yiV-Kkkkuw8nzrcut7QIS4hKQFNv8qEl8-vif2WPmNW_-Q3grF06C28fj9m3S1CMNhlVNKZICNovDVG_J0x3R6is/s907/Sheskin+Lodge.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="907" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-Cf5oX4fmN1GqFMJyYzNil1AhDnQKzgpwPkFUhazICAYbF45KMt3yiV-Kkkkuw8nzrcut7QIS4hKQFNv8qEl8-vif2WPmNW_-Q3grF06C28fj9m3S1CMNhlVNKZICNovDVG_J0x3R6is/w512-h386/Sheskin+Lodge.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sheskin Lodge prior to the removal of its roof<br />Picture Copyright ( above) NIAH</i></td></tr></tbody></table><i style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 107%;">In
June of 1939, Sheskin became home to the British writer, Terence Hanbury
White, who travelling to County Mayo to look for a suitable isolated location to
rent, in particular a grouse or fishing lodge. He became known for his books
which were based on the court of King Arthur and his knights of the round
table. One of his best known works is ‘The Sword in the Stone’ which was
adapted into an animated film by Walt Disney. He took Sheskin Lodge for the Autumn of 1939 and intended to have a large house party, unfortunately the Second World War was
looming and his guest list began to shrink. The lodge at this time was
described as a crumbling aristocratic bungalow with a glassed in winter garden
set amid feral rhododendron and pine. While White was visiting Belmullet on
September 1<sup>st </sup> 1939, he first
heard that Germany was at war with Poland. Just over a week later, while his friends, the Garrett Family were passing through Crossmolina , they had made the journey to Mayo to
stay at Sheskin with White, confirmed the news that England and Germany were
now at war. White remained at Sheskin until October 1939, all the while living alone in the woods in a lodge lit by candle light.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> After his departure, the lodge was abandoned for a
number of decades, its decline appears to have been accelerated with the recent
removal of its roof. The building's location is its
downfall, the isolation that have attracted so many people over the years to
escape from the bustlingly world has now resulted in its very existence being
forgotten.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpYSVmEYoXqv7wotkPcKofVua8mRFgDPgDj3BQGyhCLGYyp8okEMEjJlEYxXTowJdsgIsghcwWNeqGRrLQ3fkJkqidOg6HUa2KdYdhtG-Q3OzHob5CuRlQ5-yJETR-OzS_3Ris-OZHim2/s1600/05.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpYSVmEYoXqv7wotkPcKofVua8mRFgDPgDj3BQGyhCLGYyp8okEMEjJlEYxXTowJdsgIsghcwWNeqGRrLQ3fkJkqidOg6HUa2KdYdhtG-Q3OzHob5CuRlQ5-yJETR-OzS_3Ris-OZHim2/w512-h335/05.JPG" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Cast Iron Verandah to the front of the lodge<br />Picture Copyright ( above) ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; line-height: 107%;"></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 18.89px;"><br /></div><div style="line-height: 18.89px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGIr-j-cxyJoHdVd6mrc190a61lR4hXnGW-vai-ITBxvh5vd7_-1Jv55BnSKhIY-pU9f1TpQxCe5iLUnelnRDq8zOte4mXRKiur1n-tTkrgX8e2PH3L_IH3uNUgQALq5S9bdsafPC1Awl/s1600/01.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGIr-j-cxyJoHdVd6mrc190a61lR4hXnGW-vai-ITBxvh5vd7_-1Jv55BnSKhIY-pU9f1TpQxCe5iLUnelnRDq8zOte4mXRKiur1n-tTkrgX8e2PH3L_IH3uNUgQALq5S9bdsafPC1Awl/w500-h333/01.JPG" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The isolation of Sheskin Lodge in Co. Mayo<br />Picture Copyright ( above) ICHC</i></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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David Hickshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06880868687512631251noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7048571566108279175.post-1784854526789748262016-08-16T11:38:00.002-07:002019-01-21T11:40:47.668-08:00<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #182e04; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 64px; line-height: 68.48px;"><b>Castlereagh</b></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
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<div style="color: #182e04; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.54px; line-height: 18.89px;">
<span style="font-family: "book antiqua" , serif; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 28.53px;">Killala, Co. Mayo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>Castlereagh located near Killala, Co. Mayo was the ancestral home of the Knox family. </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">One
of the surviving features of Castlereagh is its gate lodge which was located
next to the main gate, the entrance to the demesne. This entrance was found
just below <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Palmerstown</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bridge</st1:placetype></st1:place>, but today nothing of the main
gate remains. It was intended at one stage to align the bridge with this
gateway however this pipe dream was never implemented. The main gate was
removed during the 1930’s but the associated gate lodge remains and was lived
in until the 1950’s. Castlereagh was the first Knox residence established in
the area but the original structure was damaged in 1798 and as a result a new
house was built. It possibly incorporated sections of the older building as it
took the name of ‘castle’ from a tower that formed the left wing of the
building. It would appear that a castle did indeed exist on the site as
Castlereagh is the anglicised version of the Irish for grey castle, caislean
riabhach. In the eighteenth century when it was the home of John ‘Diamond
Knox’, the house was described as a large mansion but it was remarked that it
was ‘unbeautiful’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>One of the surviving features of Castlereagh is one of its gate lodges.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The
Knox family originally hailed from <st1:country-region w:st="on">Scotland</st1:country-region> and
came to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region></st1:place> when
a William Knox settled in Donegal in the seventeenth century. This Donegal
settler's son named William Knox came to Killala in the Cromwellian period and
had a son Arthur who married Hannah Palmer, a member of the family who gave
their name to the nearby Palmerstown. Arthur Knox died in 1744 and is buried in
St. Patricks Cathedral in Killala. His son John ‘Diamond’ Knox was born in 1728
and married Anne King in May 1750. John's wife was extremely well connected as
her father was Sir Henry King,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a> and
her mother was Isabella Wingfield of Rockingham, the sister of Viscount
Powerscourt. John 'Diamond' Knox was branded with his unusual middle name due
to the large dowry he gave his daughter upon her marriage which included a
large suite of diamonds. He was a magistrate for Mayo, <st1:place w:st="on">Sligo</st1:place> and
Roscommon and was elected to Parliament in the 1760's. He died in February in
1774 supposedly as a result of a riding accident and was buried in the family
vault in Boyle Abbey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i>Portrait of Anne King who married John 'Diamond' Knox. This portrait once hung in Rockingham House in Roscommon.</i></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture Copyright ( above) Adams</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">John
'Diamond' Knox's son and heir was named Arthur, who was born in September
1759 , settled at Woodstock in Wicklow an estate that he purchased from Lord
St. George and served as High Sheriff of that country in 1791. He married in
1781 Lady Mary Brabazon eldest daughter of Anthony 8th Earl of Meath. He
died in <st1:city w:st="on">Bristol</st1:city> in October 1798 and is
buried in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Castle</st1:place></st1:city> in
Wicklow in a vault which he had constructed for the use of family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>The Knox Sporting Screen painted by Roper for John 'Diamond' Knox</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">One
of John 'Diamond' Knox's possessions still survives today, a painted screen
known as The Knox Sporting Screen and was sold in 1985 for £247,500
in Sotheby’s. The work of art ,which is signed R.Roper and dates from
1759, comprises of twelve paintings of hunting subjects on the front of the
screen while the reverse has eighteen portraits of celebrated race horses of
the time with their grooms. This screen which is considered a masterpiece
appeared at auction again in 2011 in Christie's and sold for £241,250.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>A map showing the layout of the mansion at Castlereagh and its associated out buildings.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In
the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the vast wealth and land holding of the
Knox family can not be underestimated. The family had estates all over Mayo and
as different branches of the family grew so did the families collection of
houses. Names of family homes in Mayo, some of which still exist, include <st1:placename w:st="on">Rappa</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype>, <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mount</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Falcon</st1:placename>, <st1:placename w:st="on">Belleek</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype>,
Castle Lacken, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Netley</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Park</st1:placetype></st1:place>, Greenpark, Errew Grange and
Cillaithe House. The towns of Ballina and Ballyhaunis with which the Knox
family were most associated with had their main streets named after the family.
In 1798, Castlereagh was the seat of Arthur Knox when it was pillaged by an
organised band of marauders during the rebellion which is said to have led to
the rebuilding of the house. This was possible as by 1800 as the rent roll of
Castlereagh brought in the substantial sum of £18,000 a year which would be an
annual income of over €2 million in today's terms. By this stage the estate had
passed to John Knox who was born 13th May 1783 who eventually married Maria
Anne Knox on the 12th March 1808. They led an extravagant lifestyle and
maintained houses in <st1:city w:st="on">Dublin</st1:city> and the <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region> together with <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Woodstock</st1:place></st1:city> in Co. Wicklow. The debts
associated with their spending is something that neither the family nor the
estate at Castlereagh could ever shake off in future generations. By the time
of the death of John in 1861, the family were nearly bankrupt. Maria and John
had four sons Arthur Edward, Ernest, Robert Augustus and Edward William John.
The eldest son, Arthur Edward married Lady Jane Parsons in Petersham, <st1:place w:st="on">Surrey</st1:place> in December 1835. She was the elder daughter
of Lawrence, 2nd Earl of Ross and sister of William Parsons, the 3rd Earl of
Rosse of Birr Castle. Arthur was the eldest son of John Knox and
after his death, his estates in Mayo were sold in the Encumbered Estates
Court in 1853. It appears that the estate was possibly entailed to the eldest
son as Arthur's son, Lawrence (who was a minor at the time) was also mentioned
as being an owner in press advertisements when the estate was sold. The first
sale of land owned by Arthur Knox extended to over 16,000 acres with the second
sale amounting to over 25,000 acres. Arthur Knox appears to be living in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sussex</st1:place></st1:country-region> at
this time and his younger brother Ernest purchased the Castlereagh Demesne
together with lands at Cortoon, Killybroone and Leadymore, Mullinacrush,
Killeencreevagh which extended to 1,600 acres. Ernest married Charlotte
Catherine Knox Gore in 1861, the daughter of James Knox Gore of Broadlands Park
in Mayo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>The staircase in Cillaithe House, Killala which was said to be modelled on one of the many staircases that existed at Castlereagh.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Ernest
made a number of changes to the house, none of which improved its appearance
internally or externally. He divided up the entrance hall to create unneeded
additional rooms and as per the attitude of the previous generations never
completed the endeavor. He decided to close up the original main entrance to
Castlereagh and re-orientate the house. The new entrance that was created was
through a small glass door which seemed very odd in a building of such a vast
size. Lots of projects were begun in the house but were never completed which
were often lamented by later generations. Pictures were removed from the
walls to be re-hung but were still on the floor over fifty years later.
Apparently in later years as areas of the house deteriorated the inhabitants
moved to other parts of the house that were unaffected. This resulted in there
being four incarnations of the kitchen as it followed the family around their
decaying home. The house was adapted over the generations in an ad hoc manner,
there were five staircases one of which was said to be the inspiration for the
staircase that exists today in Cillaithe House in nearby Killala also owned by
a Knox relative. In 1812, the <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">north
west</st1:place></st1:state> side of the house was rebuilt, to form a
new wing. This new section of the house was two high stories instead of the
three stories of which the older part of the house was comprised of. As a
result of the differing floor levels, parts of this new addition were left
uncompleted and interconnecting passages between the old and new wing were
never resolved. The house was surrounded by a complex of outbuilding which
included the stable block that incorporated a clock tower and was possibly
architecturally superior to the house. To the rear of the house were vast
walled garden enclosing acres of land. Also situated within the demesne and closer
to the river was the Knox family's private burial ground.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>This is Castlereagh after the improvements of Ernest Knox, he moved the original entrance door that was situated in the tower on the left and created a new entrance which consisted of two glass doors which can be seen in this image.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">With
a large rambling country house of its size, there was tales of ghosts
especially a deceased butler who would make his way through the passages of the
house at night dropping crockery. Naturally enough there was also a haunted
room that no one was meant to disturb. The room contained an apparition that
would rearrange the belongings of any guest foolish enough to stay there. It
wasn’t unusual for rooms to be locked and forgotten about in Castlereagh, one
such room was locked after one of the estate's agents drowned who occupied it.
The room remained locked for over sixty years and was only opened to retrieve
the contents after the floor began to collapse in that section of the house. In
fact it appeared to be a tradition, that as the family members died and the
size of the family began to decrease, the bedroom of the deceased was locked
and remained as it was at the time of the person’s death. It was said that
whenever a member of the Knox family who lived in the house was about to die, a
ghostly horse and carriage would descend from the heavens and arrive at the
door of Castlereagh to carry the recently deceased to heaven...... or hell, it
was never determined where its destination was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #182e04; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;"><i>Lawrence Knox , the founder of The Irish Times, whose father and wife desended from the house at Castlereagh near Killala in Co. Mayo and not Roscommon as a number of publications ascribe his origins to.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">It
was Ernest's nephew Lawrence Knox who established the Irish Times in 1859
although it is said that he made no money from it. He was the son of
Arthur Edward Knox who sold Castlereagh. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lawrence</st1:place></st1:city> was born in 1836 in Ballina,
Co. Mayo according to The Freeman's Journal of 1873. Also when
Lawrence Knox was baptised in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sussex</st1:place></st1:country-region>
in January 1837, his birthplace is not recorded. In time he joined the army
where he served in the <st1:place w:st="on">Crimea</st1:place> during
the Russian War. He was eventually elected to Parliament as a representative
for <st1:place w:st="on">Sligo</st1:place>. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lawrence</st1:place></st1:city> married Clara Charlotte Knox,
who was his first cousin, the daughter of Ernest Knox of Castlereagh. Lawrence
and Clara Charlotte Knox are recorded as being married in St. Patrick's
Cathedral in Killala in 1858. It is very odd to read that when Laurence Knox
died in 1873, Ernest Knox of Castlereagh was described not only as his uncle
but also as his father-in-law. After <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lawrence</st1:place></st1:city>’s
death, The Irish Times was sold for £35,000, his desk which had ‘The
Irish Times’ inscribed on it passed to another member of the family.
Ernest Knox of Castlereagh Mayo died 8th September 1883, leaving his widow
Charlotte Katherine Knox in control of Castlereagh. By the time of the census
in 1901, Ernest's eldest son, John Valentine Knox aged 62 is living in the
house with his widowed mother Charlotte Katherine aged 91 together with his two
spinster sisters Maria Louisa aged 64 and Helen aged 57. They have two
live in servants, Mary Tighe aged 23, a house maid and Agnes Mc Gurrin aged 17
who is said to be the cook. Castlereagh is described in the census documents as
having 19 out buildings with the house itself having 36 windows in its entrance
front and extending to 15 rooms. Charlotte Katherine Knox, Ernest senior's
widow is recorded as dying in 1901 followed by her daughter Maria Louisa who
died in 1905 and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lawrence</st1:place></st1:city>'s
widow, Clara Charlotte Knox, who died in 1908.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #182e04;"><span style="font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">A newspaper advertisement indicating that contents of Castlereagh are to be sold</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">By
1911, John Valentine Knox is resident in the house with his sister Helen but
they are now joined by their brother Ernest and another sister Gertrude. Ernest
Knox who was born in 1846, retired from his position in the banking profession
in 1910 and returned to his Mayo home. They have four live in servants in the
house. It is said that John and Ernest’s sister Gertrude always wore a
hat all the time and was never seen without it for the sole reason that she had
no hair. John Valentine died in 1919 followed by Gertrude in 1923. The last
residents of the house was Ernest Knox and his sister Helen. The attitude of
the previous generations to lock up rooms and forget about parts of the house
was still prevalent in Ernest. Once when showing a guest around the house they
enquired what a large heavy timber cupboard situated on the landing contained.
Now one must remember that Ernest had lived in the house since childhood for
over eighty years so his response might surprise some. He replied that he had
never had the sufficient curiosity to open it. One relative whose boxes of
possessions returned to the castle after their death in 1876 remained unopened
by the time it came to clear the castle in 1933. Another box which was
transferred from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Woodstock</st1:place></st1:city> in
Wicklow was found to have remained unopened in Castlereagh for over one hundred
and twenty years. Obviously curiosity was not a vice that the Knox family suffered
from.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>The stables at Castlereagh Killala where the clock, that once over looked the stables at Castlereagh, ended up after the auction of Castlereaghs contents and its subsequent demolition in 1937.</i></span></div>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Picture Copyright ( above) ICHC</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In
April 1930, Ernest Knox aged 84 was laid to rest in the private cemetery within
the demesne, today this area is marked by a group of trees, and though it
exists on private lands it is said that the grave markers remain. Only Ernest's
elderly sister Helen aged 90 and a few relatives attended his funeral.
Ernest spent his time at Castlereagh in his notable library or trout fishing on
the nearby river. His herd of deer, which galloped around the demesne, was said
to be second only to the one that the Guinness family kept at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Ashford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Castle</st1:placetype></st1:place>. At the time of Ernest’s death it
was said that Castlereagh was one of the oldest mansions in the county and was
still in a reasonable state of repair despite large sections being neglected.
Prior to the first Land Acts, the estate rental was £20,000 a year but it was
one of the first estates to be sold under the Encumbered Estates
Court. In June 1936, a notice appeared in The
Irish Independent inviting tenders for the demolition of Castlereagh and
its associated out buildings. Previously, in February 1936 the contents of
Castlereagh, Killala were advertised for auction by the order of Cyril St.
George Knox. The auction of the contents would take place over three days and
would extend to rare antique furnishings, oil paintings, china, glass, a
valuable library of books and even a herd of deer. The auction was attended by
a large number of antique dealers who came from many parts of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Ireland</st1:country-region> and the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Two antique
dealers in particular from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Birmingham</st1:place></st1:city> attended
and bought heavily. The auction was also attended by a representative from the
National Museum of Ireland, as the Knox family were known to collect ancient
Irish antiquities, however it is not recorded if they purchased anything. A
Chippendale table was purchased for £21 by a man from <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Manchester</st1:place></st1:city> and the 2,000 volume library
held no first editions but twenty-eight late seventeenth century books which
were sold for £9. An exciting incident occurred during the disposal of the
contents of the library, one of the workmen pulled out one of the wall panels
by accident which uncovered a hidden room. This room had been used as an
armoury which contained a number of guns and musketry. Everything had to go,
including twenty of the deer roaming the grounds which were sold for £24 to the
Ward Union Hunt. Nearly every item in the catalogue was cleared. The clock over
the stable yard was purchased and made its way to the stable yard in nearby
Cillaithe House in Killala and still exists today. The clock when purchased was
in pieces in a box, like a lot of the Knox’s projects at Castlereagh, it had
been taken down years before to be repaired but never reinstated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">In
December of the same year, tenders were invited for the purchase of the timber
on the lands of the estate which comprised of 2,500 trees made up of Ash, Oak,
Elm, Beech, Sycamore and Larch. The house was bought by Arthur West of Ballina
who intended to demolish it for materials. In 1937 the demolition of
Castlereagh began but resulted in a tragedy. Michael Burke, aged 18, was killed
during the demolition of the house when a wall collapsed on him. Even during
the demolition of the house Castlereagh had one more secret to reveal, as
another staircase was uncovered having being built up decades before. The
destruction of the great house was now complete, it was wiped from the
landscape as if it never existed and today the field where it once stood gives
no hint to what was once there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><i>The remains of a decorative arch of the walled gardens at Castlereagh which survives today.</i></span></div>
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