Lissadell House
Encyclopedia
Lissadell House is a neo-classical Greek revivalist style country house, located in County Sligo, Ireland
.
The house was built in the 1830s for Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet
MP by London architect Francis Goodwin
. In 1876, Sir Robert left the house and surrounding estate to his son, Sir Henry Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet
.
, and their siblings, Mabel Gore-Booth, Mordaunt Gore-Booth and Josslyn Gore-Booth. It was also the sometime holiday retreat of the world-renowned poet, William Butler Yeats. He made the house famous with the opening lines of his poem:
lead singer Bono
, broadcaster Gerry Ryan
and politician Mary O'Rourke
showing an interest in the property, it was hoped that it would be purchased by the state. However, due to several stumbling blocks including Dáil (Government) holidays and an inaccurate cost report, the house was eventually sold to a private couple, Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy. The new owners, independent of any monetary assistance from the State, have since restored the house and gardens to their original grandeur and continued public access to the house, while limiting public rights of way. Over the course of seven years the owners have transformed the estate into a flagship for tourism in Sligo and the North West, all the while preserving a secure environment as a family home.
On a motion put by Councillor Joe Leonard, in December 2008 Sligo County Council voted to preserve public rights of way that it contended existed on the estate. The house's closure was announced on 8th January 2009 due to this dispute with Sligo County Council. The owners instituted legal proceedings against the Council to have it declared that there are no dedicated public rights of way over the estate. If the council wins the court action, the owners have indicated that they would not be re-opening Lissadell. The 58-day-long hearings ended in June 2010, with legal costs for both sides estimated at €6m.
On Dec 20 2010, the High Court ruled in favour of the Council and public rights of way must now be re-opened. Sligo County Council stated that 'this issue could and should have been resolved locally by negotiation.'
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
The house was built in the 1830s for Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet
Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet
Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet was an Anglo-Irish politician and landowner, who built Lissadell House, located in County Sligo.-Background and education:...
MP by London architect Francis Goodwin
Francis Goodwin
Francis Goodwin was an English architect, best known for his many provincial churches in the Gothic revival style, civic buildings such as the first Manchester Town Hall and Macclesfield town hall , plus country houses such as Lissadell House, County Sligo .Goodwin was born at King's Lynn,...
. In 1876, Sir Robert left the house and surrounding estate to his son, Sir Henry Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet
Sir Henry Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet
Sir Henry William Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet , was a notable Arctic explorer, adventurer and landowner from Lissadell House, Sligo, Ireland.-Antecedents:...
.
History
The house was the childhood home of Irish revolutionary, Constance Gore-Booth, her sister the poet and suffragist, Eva Gore-BoothEva Gore-Booth
Eva Selina Laura Gore-Booth was an Irish poet and dramatist, and a committed suffragist, social worker and labour activist...
, and their siblings, Mabel Gore-Booth, Mordaunt Gore-Booth and Josslyn Gore-Booth. It was also the sometime holiday retreat of the world-renowned poet, William Butler Yeats. He made the house famous with the opening lines of his poem:
"In Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con MarkiewiczIn Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con MarkiewiczIn Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con Markiewicz is a poem in two stanzas by William Butler Yeats, written in 1927 and published in his 1933 collection 'The Winding Stair and Other Poems'....
"
The light of evening, Lissadell,
Great windows open to the south,
Two girls in silk kimonos, both
Beautiful, one a gazelle.
Sale and access dispute
In 2003, the house was put up for sale by the then owner, Sir Josslyn Gore-Booth (a grand-nephew of the original Josslyn Gore-Booth), for €3 million. Despite celebrities including U2U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
lead singer Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
, broadcaster Gerry Ryan
Gerry Ryan
Gerard "Gerry" Ryan was an Irish presenter of radio and television employed by Raidió Teilifís Éireann...
and politician Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke
Mary O'Rourke is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. She is a former Teachta Dála for the Longford–Westmeath and Westmeath constituencies. She served as Minister for Education , Minister for Health and Minister for Public Enterprise...
showing an interest in the property, it was hoped that it would be purchased by the state. However, due to several stumbling blocks including Dáil (Government) holidays and an inaccurate cost report, the house was eventually sold to a private couple, Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy. The new owners, independent of any monetary assistance from the State, have since restored the house and gardens to their original grandeur and continued public access to the house, while limiting public rights of way. Over the course of seven years the owners have transformed the estate into a flagship for tourism in Sligo and the North West, all the while preserving a secure environment as a family home.
On a motion put by Councillor Joe Leonard, in December 2008 Sligo County Council voted to preserve public rights of way that it contended existed on the estate. The house's closure was announced on 8th January 2009 due to this dispute with Sligo County Council. The owners instituted legal proceedings against the Council to have it declared that there are no dedicated public rights of way over the estate. If the council wins the court action, the owners have indicated that they would not be re-opening Lissadell. The 58-day-long hearings ended in June 2010, with legal costs for both sides estimated at €6m.
On Dec 20 2010, the High Court ruled in favour of the Council and public rights of way must now be re-opened. Sligo County Council stated that 'this issue could and should have been resolved locally by negotiation.'
Concerts
- WestlifeWestlifeWestlife are an Irish boy band established on 3 July 1998. They are to disband in 2012. The group's line-up was Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, and Brian McFadden . The group are the only act in British and Irish history to have their first seven singles peak at number one...
- Where We Are TourWhere We Are TourThe Where We Are Tour is a tour by Irish pop band, Westlife in support of their tenth studio album, Where We Are. The band will be touring the United Kingdom and Ireland. Further updates will be announced on a later date for other venues that they will be touring...
: 30 July 2010 - Leonard CohenLeonard CohenLeonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
- Leonard Cohen Tour 2008–2010Leonard Cohen Tour 2008–2010In January 2008, Leonard Cohen announced a long-anticipated world tour. It would be Cohen's first tour in 15 Years.-Tour dates:...
: 31 July; 1 August 2010