Annaghs Castle, Glenmore, Co Kilkenny
Mark Bence-Jones. A Guide to Irish Country Houses (originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.
p. 4. “A square two storey house of 1797, five bay front, fanlighted tripartite doorway with Composite columns; four bay side. Balustraded roof. Very delicate plasterwork in the style of Patrick Osborne in the hall. Later plasterwork in other rooms. In later C19, a residence of the Sweetman family.”
https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/12404108/annaghs-house-annaghs-co-kilkenny
Detached five-bay (four-bay deep) two-storey over basement country house with dormer attic, built 1797-1801, on a rectangular plan; six-bay two-storey rear (south) elevation. Burnt, 1867. Vacant, 1901. Leased, 1911. Sold, 1962. Reroofed, —-, producing present composition. Replacement Mansard slate roof behind parapet with paired granite ashlar chimney stacks on axis with ridge having “Cyma Recta”- or “Cyma Reversa”-detailed stringcourses below capping supporting terracotta pots, and concealed rainwater goods. Granite ashlar walls on moulded cushion course on granite ashlar base with dentilated “Cyma Recta”- or “Cyma Reversa”-detailed cornice on blind frieze on entablature below balustraded parapet. Segmental-headed central door opening in tripartite arrangement approached by flight of four cut-granite steps supporting cast-iron bootscrapers, doorcase with three quarter-engaged Composite columns on plinths supporting dentilated “Cyma Recta”- or “Cyma Reversa”-detailed cornice on rosette-detailed frieze framing timber panelled double doors having sidelights below fanlight. Square-headed window openings to front (north) elevation with cut-granite sill course (ground floor) or cut-granite sills (first floor), and cut-granite lintels framing one-over-one (ground floor) or two-over-two (first floor) timber sash windows. Square-headed window openings (remainder) with cut-granite sills, and cut-granite lintels framing three-over-six (basement), one-over-one (ground floor) or two-over-two (first floor) timber sash windows. Interior including (ground floor): central hall retaining carved timber surrounds to door openings framing timber panelled doors, and plasterwork cornice to ceiling; and carved timber surrounds to door openings to remainder framing timber panelled doors with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers. Set in landscaped grounds with rendered piers to perimeter having pyramidal capping supporting wrought iron double gates.
Appraisal
A country house representing an important component of the domestic built heritage of County Kilkenny with the architectural value of the composition, one erected for Edward Murphy (b. 1747) ‘[who] has made a residence which ornaments the country [with] three sides faced with Portland stone [sic]’ (Tighe 1802, 588), confirmed by such attributes as the deliberate alignment maximising on scenic vistas overlooking the broad River Barrow with the medieval Annaghs Castle [SMR KK041-014001-] as a picturesque eye-catcher in the foreground; the compact rectilinear plan form centred on a Classically-detailed doorcase showing a simplified “peacock tail” fanlight; the construction in a silver-grey granite demonstrating good quality workmanship; the diminishing in scale of the openings on each floor producing a graduated visual impression; and the balustraded roof: meanwhile, aspects of the composition clearly illustrate the near-total reconstruction of the country house to designs by Charles Geoghegan (1820-1908) of Great Brunswick Street [Pearse Street], Dublin (Dublin Builder 1st January 1866, 12). Having been well maintained, the elementary form and massing survive intact together with substantial quantities of the original fabric, both to the exterior and to the interior where contemporary joinery; chimneypieces; and decorative plasterwork enrichments recalling the work of Patrick Osborne (fl. 1760s-1770s); all highlight the artistic potential of the composition. Furthermore, adjacent outbuildings (—-); and the remnants of a walled garden (—-), all continue to contribute positively to the group and setting values of an estate having historic connections with Walter Sweetman JP MRIA (1798-1882) ‘late of Mountjoy-square Dublin and Castle Annagh [sic] County Wexford [sic]’ (Calendars of Wills and Administrations 1882, 726); and James Edward Nugent (1831-1922) of Donore House in County Westmeath (NA 1901; NA 1911).
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/castle-annaghs-estate-sells-for-6-075-million-1.773466
Castle Annaghs estate sells for €6.075 million
Sat May 30th 2009
By Michael Parsons
ALL THE big bidders were farmers when a country estate valued at €16 million just a year ago was sold yesterday for €6.075 million – a 75 per cent drop from the original asking price.
The 550-acre Castle Annaghs estate in south Co Kilkenny was bought at public auction by Liam Sheily, a west Cork dairy farmer.
Bidders flocked to the sale at the Mount Brandon Hotel in New Ross, after the owner reduced the guide price by €8.5 million to an “advised minimum value” of just €7.5 million. However that figure was not reached.
Auctioneer Anne Carton, of the firm PN O’Gorman, interrupted the auction twice to consult the seller by telephone.
She later confirmed that “all the bidders were Irish farmers which is great for the land market and proves that there’s still a future in farming”.
Ms Carton described the estate as “a magnificent 10,000sq ft Georgian house on 550 acres of top quality agricultural land with two miles of river Barrow frontage and the ruins of a 16th century castle.” The new owner will also inherit a milk quota of 174,000 gallons.
The sale price includes a three-bedroom gate lodge, a three-bedroom steward’s house and a four-bedroom grooms’ house.
Speaking to The Irish Times immediately after the sale, the successful bidder Mr Sheily said “it was a big price for it”.
A Tipperary farmer had opened the bidding with an offer of €3 million and the price crept up during a grindingly slow sale.
The estate was sold by Catanga, a Lichtenstein-registered company owned by a wealthy German family, the Jebens, who live in Hamburg.
They bought the property for £60,000 in 1962.
The estate was initially up for sale by tender in spring last year with a price tag of €16 million.
https://www.britainirelandcastles.com/Ireland/County-Kilkenny/Annaghs-Castle.html
Annaghs Castle, Co. Kilkenny. Medieval tower house on the banks of the River Barrow – pic from bitrainirelandcastles.com
https://www.geni.com/projects/Historic-Buildings-of-Co-Kilkenny-A-B/29994
Annaghs Castle; Ruins. Medieval tower house on the banks of the River Barrow. 
This website also has:
Annaghs House rebuilt in the mid nineteenth century to designs by Charles Geoghegan 
And
Castle Annaghs Estate, Georgian house, a Gate Lodge, Stewards House, Grooms House and a historic 16th century tower, 
https://www.independent.ie/business/farming/historical-appeal-if-home-is-your-castle-26530265.html
April 21 2009
The sale of Castle Annaghs Estate, Co Kilkenny, for the second time in 12 months could prove the proverbial ill wind for the lucky buyer.
Since the sale, by tender of the 550ac estate with Georgian residence, fell through, a massive €8.5m has been knocked off its advised minimum value.
The selling agents, PN O’Gorman Auctioneers are now quoting a guide of €7.5m ahead of the May 29 auction.
Castle Annaghs Estate, believed to be where Strongbow, the second Earl of Pembroke, wed Aoife, is located two miles south of New Ross and its boundary is defined on two sides by the River Barrow. The sale includes the magnificent residence (around 10,000sqft), a 165,000ga quota, stable yard, milking parlour, cattle sheds and silage layouts, gate lodge, steward’s house, groom’s house and the historic 16th century tower.
The property is also linked to the Wexford rebel, Fr John Murphy, who stayed there the night before the Battle of Ross in 1798.
The highly productive fertile Clonroche soil has the capacity to sustain high farm productivity under grassland or tillage management. This includes drained marshland that has been fully integrated into the farm. Most of its 450ac of grassland has been reseeded in the past five years and all fields have a water supply. Currently, there are also around 60ac of maize and a further 30ac of barley for whole crop cereal silage.
Facilities include a 20-unit Alpha/Laval parlour with milk meters and cluster removers (installed in 1996) and a new 16,000 Alpha Milk Tank. There is cubicle housing for 250 cows, including replacements and slatted sheds with the capacity for 150 cattle. Additionally, a calving facility with six boxes and a 35-cow maternity ward, housing for up to 200 calves, a large silage layout all with concrete floors and a slurry storage capacity that meets current national regulation requirements are also included.
The Annaghs Farm has a milk quota of 750,955 litres (165,187ga). The dairy herd of 165 cows is based on commercial British Friesian cows with an average annual yield of just over 5220 litres (1150ga). The herd breeding programme has introduced about 30pc Holstein.
Irish Historic Houses 