About

“May traditionally kicks off the house-visiting season with many of Ireland’s great houses opening their doors from May 1st. More than 170 houses , gardens and buildings of interest welcome visitors for 60 days a year under the section 482 scheme that allows owners off set renovation and maintenance costs against income tax.” I am going to visit as many as possible!

This is my “full time job” albeit a labour of love, so any donations are appreciated!

I studied English and Philosophy in Trinity, and went on to a philosophy PhD programme in Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, where I obtained a Masters in Philosophy. I focused on Aesthetics and philosophy of psychology and philosophy of mind. I worked on a database for CIC Historic Campus Architecture in the United States for three years, and while pursuing my Masters I worked as a graduate student in Johns Hopkins University Press in the Journals section. I also studied pharmacy in Trinity and am a qualified pharmacist. I have published some creative writing in small journals but my writing and interest have turned to history. I maintain a facebook page related to this website, https://www.facebook.com/groups/1448658092000371

and my instagram is libertiesjen.

Donation

Help me to fund my creation and update of this website. It is my “full time job” and created purely out of love for the subject and I receive no payment so any donation is appreciated! My costs include travelling to our destinations from Dublin, accommodation if we need to stay somewhere nearby, and entrance fees. Your donation could also help with the cost of the occasional book I buy for research (though I mostly use the library – thank you Kevin Street library!). Your donation could also help with my Irish Georgian Society membership or attendance for talks and lectures, or the Historic Houses of Ireland annual conference in Maynooth.

€15.00

An interview with Alison Crosbie in Grogan’s Castle Lounge, Dublin, 2022.

9 thoughts on “About”

  1. Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I‘m very interested in the architecture of the United Kingdom,
    especially in the architecture of Cathedrals, Abbeys and Churches.
    In the Blog of Lord Belmont in Northern Ireland I found a plan of
    Belfast Cathedral. So I ask you if it‘s possible to get this plan
    in higher resolution, only for private use.

    Thank you so much, if necessary also for forwarding it to the
    right address. All the best to you, stay healthy.

    Kind regards,

    Martin Skiebe

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  2. Pingback: Open dates in December 2023 – Irish Historic Houses

  3. Hi Jen,

    I am a 3rd generation Australian. My great-great grandparents from Harristown arrived in Australia in 1841. I am writing a little book of my Keegan family, set in the times in which they lived. The Keegans rented Lot 3 at Mullaghboy for about 150 years from the La Touche family who resided in Harristown House. I visited Lot 3 in 1991 and in 2004 I returned and visited Harristown House itself. By this time the La Touche family were long gone. I would be most grateful if I could use an image of Harristown House in my little book.

    I am ‘self publishing’ and the book is aimed at my extended family and friends.

    Kind regards,

    Leo Keegan

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  4. I’m a Spring-Rice-Smith-O’Brien-Bourke-Cox relation and descendant of families at Chairmoyle House… Can you get back to me about Mount Trenchard House? Is it any relation to points called Trenchard in Cornwall???

    Mark Tyksinski Upton

    Olympia WA USA

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  5. I am a descendant of Robert King, 1st Baronet Rockingham. Thank you for enabling me to see parts of my heritage that I would, otherwise, not have accessible. (I live in Australia)

    Robert King’s daughter, Mary, after the death of Chidley Coote, married Charles Dering, (son of Edward Dering, 2nd Bt) and had Henry who married Margaret Moore.

    Henry and Margaret’s daughter, Mary, married Archdeacon Henry Cary, son of Mordecai Cary, Bishop of Killala.

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  6. Hi there – I happened upon this site following a link from Curraghmore – I had no idea such houses and such longevity still existed in Ireland. I sent a donation via Paypal to the first site. I think your photographs of touring the house are magnificent. The wonderful historical detail that appears there and indeed, on this website also. I can see me spending many happy hours browsing this IHH website. Thanks for what looks like an enormous effort – I hope it is appreciated.

    My ancestry is from County Mayo – though not aristocratic! I live in Sydney Australia and return to visit family now and then. I shall be sure to use your website to research further architectural delights. Thank you again, and all best wishes.

    James

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