homes historical ireland

King House, built by Sir Henry King about 1730 is a house of unique architectural and historical importance.

Situated on the Boyle River, within the town of Boyle, it occupies land formerly controlled by the MacDermot Clan and is the most important provincial town house in Ireland.

Home to the Connaught Rangers regiment from 1788 and the Irish Army since then, recent extensive restoration has brought King House back to its former glory.

With the aid of exciting special...

The first view of the attractive grey-rendered castle of Huntington leaves one in no doubt that this is a building of great character and antiquity....

It was known as the Porter House, there were coach houses either side of the arch, Maria Edgeworth taught school in the upstairs room. As you move on you will see St. Marys catholic church which was built on a site donated by the Edgeworth Family The gate lodge located at the entrance to Edgeworthstown House has been preserved in its near original state and is a listed building. From here the avenue leads to the main house which was built by Richard Lovell Edgeworth in the 1720's, it was occu...

The Geraldine Earls of Desmond founded the town of Newcastlewest in the late 13th century. Most of the surviving remains of the medieval town date back to the 15th century, including Desmond Hall, for although it was built earlier most of the building dates from this period.

The two-story building has a small turret at one corner and some well preserved window niches on the upper floor. The grounds also include ‘The Great Hall’, a one story banqueting hall....

When the Italian stuccodores Paolo and Filippo La Francini came to Ireland in 1734 their first and most important early work was for Jemmett Browne, later Archbishop of Cork. In the 1730s Dr. Browne enlarged and remodelled the original 1602 Riverstown House. The La Francinis adorned the ceiling of the dining-room with allegorical figures representing 'Time rescuing Truth from the Assaults of Discord and Envy' and also its walls with classical figures and exuberant rococco flowers and foliage....

Ballintemple was the seat of the Butlers, a Norman family. Birthplace in 1744 of Pierce Butler a signatory of the American Constitution. All that remains of the mansion is the portico. Ireland's most extensive tree nursery, developed by Coillte Teoranta, is located on part of the old estate. Visitors welcome....

During the 19th century this fine house with a sweeping panorama of Kinvara Bay acquired a reputation for smuggling into the country contraband wine and tobacco, among other items.

There is supposed to be a cave leading from the shore into the cellars of the house, but a diligent search has failed to uncover the reputed passage. The house is now privately owned....

During the late eighteenth century, successful Cork merchants built a string of elegant villas along the banks of the Lee Estuary. Many of these have now disappeared, but one which still survives intact is Dunkathel, alias Dunkettle, a solid neo-classical house with an idyllic parkland setting lying just below the mouth of the Glanmire River....

Built run by An Oige. It was here that Lady Gregory and W.B. Yeats met in 1898 and began the discussion that led to the Irish National Theatre....