A summary of 2022 and previous years

by jenjunebugDecember 9, 2022June 9, 2024

As 2022 is entering its final dark days, I thought I’d look over our last few years, to see how we are doing on the project of visiting Section 482 properties. I began the project in April 2019 with a visit to Slane Castle, in County Meath. That was an impressive start to our project.

*Slane Castle, County Meath*, *26th April 2019*, *formerly owned by the Flemings and then the Conynghams.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

I gathered notes on properties I had already visited, during Open House or Heritage weeks in previous years. As you can see, my interest in historic houses predated my discovery of the Section 482 scheme. In fact, in a PhD I started but never finished, about aesthetic experience, I began my thesis by attempting to capture a moment of aesthetic experience: that of looking at a historic house. It’s lovely to see how I was already trying to understand what it is that draws me to such places.

We’ve visited 87 of the properties so far!

Properties we’d visited before I learned of the Section 482 list include:

Loughcrew, County Meath, May 2010 – our combined Hen and Stag weekend, before Stephen and I married!

*Lough Crew 22nd May 2010, where Stephen and I had our combined Hen and Stag weekend before our wedding.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

*Lough Crew 22nd May 2010*. Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

11 North Great Georges Street, Dublin, during Open House 2012;

*11 North Great Georges Street, Dublin.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Old Glebe in Newcastle Lyons, County Dublin, during Heritage Week 2012;

*“The Old Glebe,” Newcastle, County Dublin, Heritage Week, 17th August 2012.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Primrose Hill, County Dublin, 17th August 2013

*Primrose Hill, Lucan, Dublin, which may have been designed by James Gandon, who designed the Custom House in Dublin.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Huntington Castle, County Carlow, in August 2016.

*Huntington Castle, Clonegal, County Carlow, August 2016*, *home of the Esmondes and later, still related by marriage, the Durdin Robertsons.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Russborough House, County Wicklow, April 2018

*Russborough House, which I have visited several times, including in April 2018.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

I’d like to choose a House of the Year for each year. I should have started in my first year! In 2019 the competition is stiff and it seems a little unfair as my favourite dwarfs the others in size as well as in impressive interior: I have to choose Curraghmore, County Waterford, as my 2019 House of the Year! Although considering that we also visited Birr Castle, Dunsany and Borris House that year, it was a year full of wonderful discoveries. Lady Dunsany, who sadly passed away since, deserves a special mention as a warm, welcoming and delightful host.

In 2019 we set off at an ambitious pace, visiting a house nearly every weekend! We went on holidays to Waterford to see some of the lovely houses, and coincided with the day of lectures in Dromana on the topic of “The Pursuit of the Heiress.” In 2019 we visited:

Salterbridge, County Waterford, 3rd May 2019

*Salterbridge, County Waterford.* *We visited in May 2019.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Tourin, County Waterford, 3rd May 2019

*Tourin House, County Waterford*, *home of the Jamesons, of former whiskey fame.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Dromana, County Waterford, 5th May 2019

*Dromana, County Waterford – the estate was the home of the Fitzgerald Lords of the Decies, and is owned by their descendants.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Curraghmore, County Waterford, 5th May 2019, my chosen Home of the Year in 2019.

*Curraghmore, County Waterford. The house is very large as it is not only seven bays wide but seven bays deep. It is still in the hands of the Le Poer Beresford family.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Moone Abbey, County Kildare, May 18, 2019

*View from Moone Abbey tower, County Kildare. The nearby Abbey has a large Celtic cross.* *We visited on Saturday May 18, 2019.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Charleville, County Wicklow, 18th May 2019

*Charleville, County Wicklow, visited on Saturday May 18th 2019.* *The surrounding formal gardens, never mind the impressive house, make it worth a visit.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Loughton, County Offaly, 25th May 2019

*Loughton, County Offaly, where we enjoyed meeting owners Andrew and Michael* *during our visit on May 25th, 2019.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Altidore Castle, County Wicklow, 31st May 2019

*Altidore Castle, County Wicklow, a seven bay, two storey over basement house, with Venetian (tripartite) window over a single-storey pillared porch*, *which houses a Robert Emmet museum.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Moyglare House, County Meath, 2nd June 2019

*Moyglare House, Maynooth, on the border of Counties Kildare and Meath*, *once owned by a Huguenot family, and before the current owners, it was a hotel.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Leixlip Castle, County Kildare, 14th June 2019

*Leixlip Castle, County Kildare, home to the late Desmond Guinness, founder of the Irish Georgian Society.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Birr Castle, County Offaly, 21st June 2019

Dunsany Castle, County Meath, 1st July 2019

*Dunsany, County Meath, 1st July 2019*, *home of the Plunketts, Barons of Dunsany.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Dardistown, County Meath, 13th July 2019

*Dardistown, County Meath*, *July 2019*, *available for accommodation,* *where former owners included the powerful Jenet Sarsfield who had four husbands.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Borris House, County Carlow, 23rd July 2019

*Borris House, County Carlow, still home of its builders, the Kavanagh family.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Ballymurrin, County Wicklow, 27th July 2019

*Ballymurrin, County Wicklow, a former Quaker home* *which we visited on 27th July 2019*. Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Clonalis, County Roscommon, 3rd August 2019

*Clonalis, County Roscommon, which is still the home of the O Conor family, ancient High Kings of Ireland*, *with a family museum of historical documents, as well as a beautiful garden.* *Stephen and I were invited to join friends for a weekend in County Westmeath and took the opportunity to visit Clonalis House in County Roscommon.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Tullynally, County Westmeath, 4th August 2019

*Tullynally, County Westmeath, home of the Pakenhams, Lords Longford*, now the home of Thomas Pakenham, brother to one of my favourite writers, Antonia Fraser. It has tours of the servants’ quarters all year around, and during Heritage Week, when we went in 2020, it has tours of the house itself. Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Tankardstown, County Meath, 9th August 2019

*Tankardstown, County Meath*, *now a plush hotel.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Swainstown House, County Meath, 19th August 2019

*Swainstown, County Meath*, *still home of the Preston family.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Harristown, County Kildare, 22nd August 2019

*Harristown, County Kildare*, *a former La Touche home.*

Blackhall Castle, County Kildare, 22nd August 2019

*Blackhall Castle, County Kildare, a former Eustace (or Fitzeustace) home.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Rokeby, County Louth, 7th September 2019

*Rokeby, County Louth, with its elegant Richard Turner conservatory.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Coolcarrigan, County Kildare, 21st September 2019

*Coolcarrigan, County Kildare*, *visited September 2019.* *Its gardens are a treat.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Castle Howard, County Wicklow, 28th September 2019

*Castle Howard, County Wicklow* – *a mixture of church and castle architecture.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Barmeath Castle, County Louth, 15th October 2019

*Barmeath Castle, County Louth, still home of the Bellews.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Colganstown House, County Dublin, 23rd November 2019

Colganstown, County Dublin. Maurice Craig describes the plasterwork dragon by Robert West: “over the staircase window, presides a splendidly animated Chinese dragon, scaly wings outstretched, and his tail piercing the egg-and-dart moulding at the base of the cornice to emerge and recurve again, stabbing the plasterwork.” Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Castle Leslie, County Monaghan, 27-29th November 2019

*Castle Leslie, County Monaghan*, *where we slept in a bed carved in 1617*. *Now a hotel but still owned by the Leslies.*

Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin, December 2019

*Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin*. I visited in order to take photographs in December 2019. *Former townhouse of the Wingfields, Viscounts Powerscourt.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

In 2020, during Covid restrictions and even after, houses did not have to open to the public. However, some owners were kind and opened to us. We went on holiday down to County Cork during Heritage Week, and at the end of the year treated ourselves to two nights in Cabra Castle in County Cavan. My choice of Favourite House in 2020 is Ian Elliot’s Corravahan in County Cavan. Ian’s research deepened my appreciation of the house and its history. In 2020 we visited:

The Odeon, Dublin, 13th April 2020 (outside – we may have been in a lockdown at that point!)

*The Odeon, formerly the Harcourt Street tram station*, 13th April 2020. Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Old Rectory Killedmond, 1st July 2020

*Old Rectory Killedmond, a five bay two storey Tudor-Gothic Revival house with three dormer windows and a loggia*. *We enjoyed meeting owner Mary White, a former Green politician and Irish representative to the European Union*, *with whom I bonded over our love of literature.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Corravahan, County Cavan, 24th July 2020: My chosen Home of the Year in 2020.

*Former Rectory Corravahan, County Cavan, home of the Beresfords.* *Owner Ian Elliot has taken great interest in the history of the house and the house is full of quirks.*

Kilshannig, County Cork, 14th August 2020

*Kilshannig, County Cork*, *which features stuccowork by Lafranchini brothers.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Cappoquin, County Waterford, 15th August 2020

*Cappoquin House, County Waterford, built for and still owned by the Keane family.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Drishane House, County Cork, 20th August 2020

*Drishane House, County Cork, former home of Edith Somerville, who wrote novels with her cousin Violet Martin, as “Somerville and Ross” – the latter the name of Violet Martin’s childhood home.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Baltimore Castle, County Cork, 20th August 2020

*Baltimore Castle, County Cor*k – *it wasn’t open when we visited but I took a photograph.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Cabra Castle, County Cavan, 23rd December 2020

*Cabra Castle, County Cavan*, *formerly owned by the Pratt family* *and now a hotel.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

In 2021 the house that really blew my socks off and has to be given my Favourite Home of the Year award is Stradbally in County Laois. Again in 2021 houses did not have to be open if owners were concerned about the spread of Covid-19. We managed to visit quite a few, however, and were able to go on holidays during Heritage week, when we travelled to Sligo and Mayo and back home through County Kilkenny. Special award goes to our lovely hosts Nicola and Durcan at Annaghmore, County Sligo, where we stayed during our visits in Mayo and Sligo. Special mention also goes to Wilton Castle in County Wexford, whose owners have done a tremendous job in renovations after it lay a roofless ruin for years. In 2021 we visited:

Killruddery, County Wicklow, 24th April 2021

*Killruddery House, May 2013* – *we also visited in July 2020 and 24th April 2021*. In June 2015 we were given a tour of the house as part of our membership of the Irish Decorating and Fine Arts Society, but we have yet to take another tour, since I learned about the Section 482 scheme. I look forward to it next year in 2023. Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Mount Usher, County Wicklow, 6th June 2021

*Mount Usher, County Wicklow, an example of a “Robinsonian” garden, after William Robinson who wrote “The Wild Garden.”* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Stradbally Hall, County Laois, 7th June 2021, my Home of the Year 2021.

*Stradbally, County Offaly. Built for the Cosby family, who still own it.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Killineer, County Louth, 9th June 2021

*Killineer, County Louth*. *Built for a wealthy merchant of Drogheda.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Burtown, County Kildare, 23rd June 2021

Burtown, County Kildare. We had booked a visit with the Fennells but they were busy preparing to open the restaurant The Green Barn that day, for the first day after a prolonged lockdown, so my visit inside the house has had to be postponed. Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Salthill Garden, County Donegal, July 2021

*Salthill Garden, County Donegal. The house, not open to the public, was formerly the house for the agent of the Conynghams of The Hall, Mountcharles, who later purchased Slane Castle.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Markree Castle, County Sligo, 16th August 2021

*Markree Castle, County Sligo, originaly owned by the Cooper family, it is now a hotel.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Newpark, County Sligo, 16th August 2021

*Newpark, County Sligo, home to the Kitchen family, descended from the O’Haras who own Annaghmore house and Coopershill.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Enniscoe, County Mayo, 17th August 2021

*Enniscoe, County Mayo, still in the hands of the same family, descended from the Jacksons.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Coopershill, County Sligo, 18th August 2021

*Coopershill, County Sligo, home to the O’Haras, descendants of the original Cooper family.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Kilfane, County Kilkenny, 23rd August 2021

*Kilfane, County Kilkenny* – *only the grounds are open, which are developed into a wonderful haven of the Picturesque, with thatched cottage and small waterfall.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

Wilton Castle, County Wexford, November 2021

*Wilton Castle, County Wexford – the owners have done a marvellous renovation of what was previously a roofless ruin.* *It is available for accommodation.* Photograph © Jennifer Winder-Baggot, www.irishhistorichouses.com

And this year, in 2022, we went on holiday in June to County Cork to visit some historic houses. Then we did another tour of the country during Heritage Week. My favourite, to be awarded House of the Year 2022, is Bantry House, although special mention must go to St. Mary’s Abbey House in Trim, which is a real gem. During 2022 we visited:

Springfield House, County Offaly, January 2022