As with last week’s entry, Stephen and I have not visited Ballindoolin. However, I have photographs from when it was for sale in 2021, courtesy of Sherry Fitzgerald Estate Agents.
The name of the townland comes from the Irish Baile Duib Linn or ‘town of the black pool’ while the River Boyne rises nearby. [1]
The current house was built in 1822 but an earlier house existed from 1730. The Bor family were originally Dutch bankers.
Ronald Conolly writes in the Irish Independent published August 8 2023 that Ballindoolin House was built in 1822 by Edward J. Bor, whose family originally settled in nearby Clonard, Co Meath, in the early 1600s. The Abstract of Title contained in the Land Commission files indicates that they acquired the rights to the lands at Ballindoolin by way of a lease in perpetuity dated 1739. The Bor family ceased residing in the house in 1896, thus becoming absentee landlords. However, that same year, their agent William J.H. Tyrrell, a native of Carbury, a staunch unionist and firm opponent of Home Rule, took up residency. He was an uncompromising land agent who actively opposed all local agitation for rent reductions and land legislative reform. However, Conolly adds that, ironically, his leasing of the Bor house and surrounding lands placed him firmly within the legal definition of a tenant who was entitled to purchase his holding. The Bor family continued to own the property, however, until 1925.
Before the property was sold in 2017, the gardens used to be open to the public, and there was also a museum. One could take a tour of the house and of the gardens with their two acre walled garden and forest nature trail.
I wish I had been able to visit when there was a museum telling more about the history of the house. I would love to know more about the Bor family. Christopher Bor of Ballindoolin married Anne Loftus in 1777, listed in sources as “of Annesbrook” although Annesbrook in County Meath was owned by Hamiltons. Anne is daughter of Edward Loftus “of Grange and Clara,” from the Loftuses of Killyon in County Meath. They had a son Humprey (1777-1836). Humphrey Bor married Jane Briscoe of Riverdale, County Westmeath. Their son Edward (1819-1871) may have inherited Ballindoolin. [2]
The house, of three storey over basement, is made of local limeston, and has seven bedrooms.
Robert Moloney inherited the house in 1993, and he and his wife Esther began a huge project of renovation and restoration, including reroofing. [3] Roseanne de Vere Hunt of Sherry Fitzgerald writes that the house was modelled on Grange More in Westmeath, which belonged to another branch of the Bor family. Grange More is now a ruin, but Ballindoolin has been fully and painstakingly restored, right down to the recreation of the original drawing room wallpaper.
Robert and Esther used documents and diaries to aid the restoration, then donated forty boxes of account books, ledgers and records from the Bor and Tyrell families to the archives at NUI Maynooth. [3] Roseanne de Vere Hunt tells us that Dr. Ciaran Reilly is studying the archival papers of the property.
The Tyrrell family sold the property in 2017. An Austrian businessman purchased the house. He invested more to continue upgrading the property. Four years of extensive works include rewiring, replumbing, and renovation of the sash windows and shutters. All the flooring on the ground floor was replaced and underfloor heating added, all the chimneys were relined. A new conservatory added off the newly fitted kitchen. The original coving was in good order and a specialist was brought in to work on any parts that required attention. A new back stairwell was added, as the original was in poor condition. In the photographs the house looks splendid.
The stone fireplace in the front hall is original to the house. The fireplaces in the two reception rooms to the left and right of the hall are also original.
The first floor has four en suite bedrooms, and the top floor a further three bedrooms with two bathrooms, and a library. The utility room is also on the third storey.
There’s a vaulted basement, unfortunately not photographed. The basement contains hallway, former kitchen, former laundry room, servants’ room, dairy and meat room, storerooms, cellar, wine cellars, fuel room and plant room.
The Gate Lodge was also restored. Robert O’Byrne writes: “Note behind the Tuscan columns how the recessed porch has two doors facing each other on the diagonal to left and right. The lodge suggests the hand of Francis Johnston at his most rigorous.” [4] Roseanne de Vere Hunt claims it is designed by William Morrison, originally for the Duke of Abercorn, and has a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.
Outside, Gemma Tipton tells us, there are stable yards, cattle yards, and curiosities, both elegant and quirky, such as a melon pit (which used horse manure to warm the soil to grow these once-exotic fruit), a shamrock-shaped dovecote possibly built as a folly, lime kiln, Iron Age mound, and a nature trail. The gardens contain a rose garden and parterre. The Tyrrells ran a restaurant in the former coach yard.
A Great Gardens Restoration grant aided restoration of the walled garden.
[2] https://kirkpatrickaustralian.com/getperson.php?personID=I17850&tree=No1
[4] https://theirishaesthete.com/2015/04/29/watchful-at-the-gate/
Irish Historic Houses 
The restoration work seems so thorough and respectful of the history. Beautifully and lovingly done, the photos capture the splendor throughout!
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