A Future for Irish Historic Houses - Irish Heritage Trust

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Russborough, Co. Wicklow Russborough is located near Blessington in County Wicklow. It was built in the early 1740s for Joseph Leeson, the first earl of Milltown. It is now owned by the Alfred Beit Foundation, a company limited by guarantee: - Russborough was designed by Richard Castle who died shortly before the house was completed. The interior decoration was completed by Francis Bindon. - Russborough has been described as ‘arguably the most beautiful house in Ireland.’ It has been little changed from its original structure. - It is built of local silver-grey granite and its entrance front, extending to 700 feet, is believed to be the longest in Ireland. - The Francini brothers were responsible for much of the impressive plasterwork, notably in the saloon, which is regarded as one of the finest rooms in any country house in Ireland. Another striking feature of this room is the sprung mahogany floor. - It has been said of Russborough that ‘Irish country houses are generally distinguished by their architecture rather than their contents, but Russborough is a striking exception to this rule.’ It provides the setting for a remarkable collection of paintings, furniture and objets d’art collected by Sir Alfred Beit, his father and uncle, most particularly for an important part of the famous Beit collection of paintings. Russborough is managed by the Alfred Beit Foundation. The house is faced with a number of problems: - An endowment fund was established by Sir Alfred Beit for the Foundation. This fund has gradually been diminished as a result of capital expenditure on restoration and conservation work, as well as annual maintenance. - The income accruing from opening the house to the public has been declining in recent years as the number of visitors has declined. Russborough does not attract the number of repeat visitors that are attracted to houses such as Powerscourt or Avondale largely because of their extensive gardens. - With the support of the Heritage Council, a conservation plan for Russborough was prepared in 2001. 131
- The trustees are aware that a business plan must be put into operation that will attract more visitors to the house. They are not in a position to disclose the details of this plan, but it would obviously involve the installation of various attractions to entice more visitors to the house. Any such business plan, however, would require financial support. The implementation of a business plan must be delayed until the necessary additional security measures have been completed. 132
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Table of Contents Page Foreword by
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Acknowledgements The author would l
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family owners of historic houses du
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Section 1. Compiling the Study 1.1
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Section 2. Historical Background At
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a distance from their houses. In 19
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Section 3. Survey Findings 3.1 Pres
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- Russborough, Co. Wicklow, is owne
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all the known examples of houses of
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It is not just the houses themselve
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The present condition of these also
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- Repair estate walls and garden wa
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- which needs to be eradicated imme
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o Killruddery can no longer be main
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Attracting significant numbers of p
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Some difficulties arise which relat
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and heritage at Birr is in imminent
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Ireland the Local Government (Plann
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able to accompany these finances wi
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There remain a number of owners, mo
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donors to gift their properties to
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asset, offering a unique insight to
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APPENDIX I Schedule of Houses in Su
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LOCATION MAP 47
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Abbey Leix, Abbeyleix, Co. Laois Ab
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Aldborough House, Dublin Aldborough
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Ardgillan Castle, Balbriggan, Co. D
Page 58 and 59:
Avondale, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow Avo
Page 60 and 61:
Ballinlough Castle, Clonmellon, Co.
Page 62 and 63:
Ballyfin Co. Laois Ballyfin is loca
Page 64 and 65:
Ballyhaise House, Ballyhaise, Co. C
Page 66 and 67:
Bantry House, Co. Cork Bantry House
Page 68 and 69:
Barmeath Castle, Dunleer, Co. Louth
Page 70 and 71:
Beaulieu, Drogheda, Co. Louth Beaul
Page 72 and 73:
Bellamont Forest, Cootehill, Co. Ca
Page 74 and 75:
Bellinter, Navan, Co. Meath Bellint
Page 76 and 77:
Belvedere, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Page 78 and 79:
Birr Castle, Birr, Co. Offaly Birr
Page 80 and 81:
Borris House, Borris, County Carlow
Page 82 and 83: Castle Leslie, Glaslough, Co. Monag
Page 84: Charlemont House, Dublin Charlemont
Page 87 and 88: - Clonalis House places in context
Page 89 and 90: - The demesne is one of the most ex
Page 91 and 92: - Dunsany has historical associatio
Page 93 and 94: that a large volume of people trave
Page 95 and 96: - The plasterwork has been restored
Page 97 and 98: o The neo-Classical plasterwork of
Page 100 and 101: Headfort, Kells, County Meath. Head
Page 102 and 103: Hilton Park, Clones, Co. Monaghan H
Page 104 and 105: Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford Johns
Page 106 and 107: Killadoon, Co. Kildare. Killadoon i
Page 108 and 109: Killruddery, Bray, Co. Wicklow Kill
Page 110 and 111: King House, Boyle, Co. Roscommon Ki
Page 112 and 113: Kylemore Abbey, Letterfrack, Co. Ga
Page 114 and 115: Lambay Castle Lambay Castle is situ
Page 116 and 117: Ledwithstown, Ballymahon, Co. Longf
Page 118 and 119: Lismore Castle, Co. Waterford. Lism
Page 120 and 121: Lissadell House, Co. Sligo Lissadel
Page 122 and 123: Luggala, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow Lug
Page 124 and 125: Malahide Castle, Malahide, Co. Dubl
Page 126 and 127: Mount Ievers, Co. Clare. Mount Ieve
Page 128 and 129: Newbridge House, Donabate, Co. Dubl
Page 130 and 131: Rathfarnham Castle, Co. Dublin Rath
Page 134 and 135: Shelton Abbey, Arklow, Co. Wicklow
Page 136 and 137: Slane Castle, Slane, County Meath.
Page 138 and 139: Stradbally Hall, Stradbally, Co. La
Page 140 and 141: Strokestown Park, Strokestown, Co.
Page 142 and 143: Temple House, Ballymote, County Sli
Page 144 and 145: Townley Hall, Drogheda, Co. Louth T
Page 146 and 147: Tullynally Castle, Castlepollard, C
Page 148 and 149: Tyrone House, Dublin Tyrone House i
Page 150 and 151: Westport House, County Mayo Westpor
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A Future for Irish Historic Houses - Irish Heritage Trust

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