Mountshannon house
Encyclopedia
Mountshannon House was a large mansion in Lisnagry, near Castleconnell
, County Limerick
, built in the mid-18th century. It was the home of John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare
. It was burnt down during the Anglo-Irish war
in 1920. Today it is mostly a ruin.
. The estate covered 900 acres (3.6 km²) of land, being bounded to the south by the Mulkear river
, the Shannon
to the west, and extending some 2 and a half miles along the main Limerick to Castleconnell road from Annacotty
to Newgarden. Many parts of the boundary wall still exist today, on the modern Mountshannon road.
John FitzGibbon
, later known as Earl of Clare or Lord Clare, was Attorney-General for Ireland
in 1783, then Lord Chancellor of Ireland
in 1789, (in which capacity he was first promoted to the Irish peerage). He was a controversial figure in Irish history, being described variously as a Protestant hardliner, a staunch anti-Catholic, and an early supporter of Union with England (which finally happened shortly before his death). He is said to have been an early opponent of measures for Catholic political relief (meaning the removal of some or all legal disabilities against Catholics) in both Ireland and Great Britain, and may have been the first to suggest to George III that the King would violate his coronation oath if he consented to the admission of Catholics to Parliament. He lived in this house for most of his life and career.
Following its destruction in 1920, it has stood as a ruin, and has been partly demolished. However, the front columns still stand, as well as most of the main wings of the house.
Images of both the current ruins and the building before destruction can be found on Limerick City's library site:
Front of the house http://www.limerickcity.ie/Museum/image/0000/00005285.jpg
Rear of the house, with the conservatory http://www.limerickcity.ie/Museum/image/0000/00005287.jpg
Ruined façade http://www.limerickcity.ie/Museum/image/0000/00002914.jpg
Interior photo of the Library http://www.limerickcity.ie/Museum/image/0000/00005407.jpg
Castleconnell
Castleconnell is a scenic village on the banks of the River Shannon, some from Limerick city and within a few minutes walk of the boundaries with counties Clare and Tipperary....
, County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, built in the mid-18th century. It was the home of John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare
John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare
John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare PC , later known as Earl of Clare or Lord Clare, was Attorney-General for Ireland in 1783, then Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1789, in which capacity he was first promoted to the Irish peerage.He was a controversial figure in Irish history, being described...
. It was burnt down during the Anglo-Irish war
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
in 1920. Today it is mostly a ruin.
History
The house was built sometime in the mid-18th century, and was first occupied around 1750. It was subsequently purchased by the Fitzgibbon family, who were later to become the Earls of ClareEarl of Clare
Earl of Clare was a title of English nobility created three times: once each in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and Ireland. The title derives from Clare, Suffolk, where a prominent Anglo-Norman family was seated since the Norman Conquest, and from which their English surname sprang from...
. The estate covered 900 acres (3.6 km²) of land, being bounded to the south by the Mulkear river
River Mulkear
The Mulkear River rises in the Slievefelim and Silvermine Mountains, flows through the east of County Limerick before joining the River Shannon near Annacotty, Co. Limerick. The Mulkear flows through both Counties Limerick and North Tipperary. The principal tributaries are the Dead River, the...
, the Shannon
River Shannon
The River Shannon is the longest river in Ireland at . It divides the west of Ireland from the east and south . County Clare, being west of the Shannon but part of the province of Munster, is the major exception...
to the west, and extending some 2 and a half miles along the main Limerick to Castleconnell road from Annacotty
Annacotty
Annacotty is a town on the outskirts of Limerick, Ireland, from the centre of the city. It is situated where the old N7 main road between Limerick and Dublin crosses the Mulkear River, upstream of where it flows into the River Shannon....
to Newgarden. Many parts of the boundary wall still exist today, on the modern Mountshannon road.
John FitzGibbon
John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare
John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare PC , later known as Earl of Clare or Lord Clare, was Attorney-General for Ireland in 1783, then Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1789, in which capacity he was first promoted to the Irish peerage.He was a controversial figure in Irish history, being described...
, later known as Earl of Clare or Lord Clare, was Attorney-General for Ireland
Attorney-General for Ireland
The Attorney-General for Ireland was an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was senior to the Solicitor-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters...
in 1783, then Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
in 1789, (in which capacity he was first promoted to the Irish peerage). He was a controversial figure in Irish history, being described variously as a Protestant hardliner, a staunch anti-Catholic, and an early supporter of Union with England (which finally happened shortly before his death). He is said to have been an early opponent of measures for Catholic political relief (meaning the removal of some or all legal disabilities against Catholics) in both Ireland and Great Britain, and may have been the first to suggest to George III that the King would violate his coronation oath if he consented to the admission of Catholics to Parliament. He lived in this house for most of his life and career.
Architecture
The house was built in neo-Palladian style. The front 7-bay entrance was adorned by four ionic columns, the rear had a large conservatory.Following its destruction in 1920, it has stood as a ruin, and has been partly demolished. However, the front columns still stand, as well as most of the main wings of the house.
Images of both the current ruins and the building before destruction can be found on Limerick City's library site:
Front of the house http://www.limerickcity.ie/Museum/image/0000/00005285.jpg
Rear of the house, with the conservatory http://www.limerickcity.ie/Museum/image/0000/00005287.jpg
Ruined façade http://www.limerickcity.ie/Museum/image/0000/00002914.jpg
Interior photo of the Library http://www.limerickcity.ie/Museum/image/0000/00005407.jpg
