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You are here: Home / Lessons for Tourists / Land and Culture / Lissadell House – A Family History

Lissadell House – A Family History

May 30, 2016 by Irish American Mom 10 Comments

Lissadell House is a magnificent Georgian home in County Sligo, where the Gore-Booth sisters, Constance and Eva, once passed their childhood summers.  Despite her privileged upbringing, Constance played a pivotal role in the Easter Rising of 1916.

Yeats, a frequent visitor to Lissadell penned a tribute to these sisters, a poem I vividly remember learning off-by-heart as a school girl in Dublin. Here’s a little snippet ….

Lissadell House, Georgian Mansion and home of the Gore-Booth family in County Sligo

Image Credit

In Memory Of Eva Gore-Booth And Con Markiewicz

by William Butler Yeats

 

“The light of evening, Lissadell, 

Great windows open to the south, 

Two girls in silk kimonos, both

Beautiful, one a gazelle…..

…. Many a time I think to seek

One or the other out and speak

Of that old Georgian mansion, mix

pictures of the mind, recall

That table and the talk of youth,

Two girls in silk kimonos, both

Beautiful, one a gazelle.”

South elevation of Lissadell House, Sligo

Image Credit

I’m delighted to publish a guest post by Brighid O’Sullivan who shares her love of Ireland and Irish history on her website Celtic Thoughts. Today, Brighid is taking us on a tour of Lissadell House and Gardens in County Sligo.  And so, I hand you over to Brighid…..

 

Lissadell House – A Family History By Brighid O’Sullivan

 

Lissadell House, on the west coast of Ireland, is a brilliant destination to add to your travel plans when you visit County Sligo.

Besides being the family home of the once famous rebel, Constance Markievicz (nicknamed the Rebel Countess), you’ll find history, grandeur, stunning scenery and helpful tour guides, who will explain and share stories with you as you walk through the superbly renovated rooms.

The surrounding countryside shows panoramic views of a rolling sea and the unusual topography that is Ben Bulben close by.

If you plan well, you may visit when there is a special function at Lissadell. In the past, I have seen musical concerts, lectures, hot air balloon rides, and a children’s petting zoo advertised.

Any time is good though. Part of the house is closed off as a family home but a good portion is open to the public as both a museum and forum used for historical lectures such as the Revolution and Remembrance Conference hosted the 13 – 15 of May.

Flowers in the alpine gardens at Lissadell House County Sligo

Image Credit

The gardens are fantastic and straddle the seashore inside a walled garden filled with many rare and unusual alpine plants, some species created by the Gore-Booth family themselves.

The real history of Lissadell is in the legacy of the people who lived there. The most famous Gore-Booth is Constance Markievicz who was the only female leader of the 1916 Easter Rebellion not executed, and her husband Casmir – he painted several portraits of staff and family, still seen today on the walls of the Gore-Booth dining room. The colors are extraordinary.

My favorite part of the house, a special museum on the second floor dedicated mostly to Constance, is filled with photos, her own drawings, and news memorabilia, not just of her rebel days, but of her younger years as a social debutante and actress.

Statue of Constance Markiewicz in Dublin
Statue of Constance Markiewicz in Dublin

Image Credit

A special relationship existed between Constance and her sister, Eva Gore-Booth. So intense was their relationship that they claimed to communicate telepathically, even while Constance was in prison.

Eva left behind her own legacy very different from her more militant sister’s. As a pacifist, she fought for women’s suffrage, better working conditions for women in England, and testified for conscientious objectors during WWI.

You can find out more about Eva by reading a Free biography, Eva Gore-Booth, the Other Sister. The book is available from Amazon as well as Barnes and Noble.

Lissadell House a restored Georgian mansion in Sligo, Ireland

Image Credit

Lissadell House is a Greek neo-classical manor house filled with history, beauty, and grandeur located in County Sligo in the West of Ireland. The rooms, decorated and furnished with original pieces worthy of a royal country estate boast a hominess to the house that breathes family life and culture.

Sir Henry Gore-Booth loved to travel and was an adventure seeker. He brought back many of the mementos we see in the house today. For instance, you will find a stuffed grizzly bear alleged to have been shot by Henry’s valet, Thomas Kilgallon as well as stuffed birds, walrus tusks, harpoons, and geological specimens sprinkled among the elegant furnishings.

Early history of the house reads like a historical novel plagued by war, famine, and heartbreak. Built on land previously fought over by the O’Donnells and O’Connors, the land around Lissadell was awarded by Queen Elizabeth I—to Paul Gore who later became the first ancestor of the Gore-Booth family.

Around 1760 the first Lissadell House was built next to the sea with a walled garden out back. The home was demolished eighty years later and Sir Robert Gore-Booth built what is Lissadell House today.

The house is privately owned by the Walsh/Cassidy family who painstakingly restored the walled alpine gardens (once providing rare plants to much of Europe), house, riding ring, and grounds to its former beauty.

Welly Boots at Lissadell House Front Entrance
The owners’ welly boots lined up at the front door of Lissadell House

Image Credit

As you can imagine, the task was not without its challenges and legal issues with the property costing the family thousands in litigation.

Although previously offered money from the government (not without stipulations), the family opted to spend all their own money on renovations and turn down any grants. They have done a wonderful job as many people have attested to, with the whole family including children taking part in the repairs.

Gardens at Lissadell County Sligo Ireland

Image Credit

Also close to Lissadell and in County Sligo are Coole Park, the home of Lady Gregory and Yeat’s summer home, a tower house called Thoor Ballylee.

To read more about The Gore-Booths and the Famine go here.

Eva Gore-Booth, The Other Sister (Free Ebook)

The Gore-Booths of Lissadell by Dermot James is another excellent source

 

Thanks Brighid, for this wonderful post and information about Lissadell and the Gore-Booth sisters. 

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

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Filed Under: Land and Culture, Lessons for Tourists Tagged With: An Irish Childhood, Ben Bulben, Brighid O'Sullivan, Constance Markievicz, County Sligo, Easter Rising 1916, Irish Big Houses, Irish Poetry, Lissadell House, Yeats

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Comments

  1. Maury says

    May 30, 2016 at 9:15 pm

    What a lovely place this is!! And what an amazing lady Constance was! Thank you for sharing, Mairead!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      May 31, 2016 at 7:47 am

      Hi Maury – Constance Markiewicz was incredible – she committed herself to the cause of Irish freedom, even though she mixed in very different circles to the everyday Irish man and woman. She sacrificed so much for our country.
      Thanks so much for checking out this post.
      Best wishes,
      Mairéad
      ☘☘☘

      Reply
  2. Patty O'John says

    May 31, 2016 at 2:40 am

    Thk u for the post of the Beautiful Lissadel home. On our way to Derry we drove thru Co Sligo & would’ve loved to have stopped however not enuf time. Next trip we will stop there!! 🙂
    When we visited Kilmainham(so?) Jail in Dublin I remember a story about the sisters. Will research more on them. Would make a good screen play. Amazing how everything intertwines somehow or another. 6 degrees of separation. Thx Mairead!! Top o Day!!☘

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      May 31, 2016 at 7:43 am

      Hi Patty – I hope you make it to Sligo on your next trip to Ireland – lots to see and do there, and the scenery is breathtaking. Your idea of the Gore-Booth sisters story for a screen play is fantastic – what an amazing movie that would be. Hope you have a great day too.
      All the best,
      Mairéad
      ☘☘☘

      Reply
    • Brighid O'Sullivan says

      June 1, 2016 at 10:46 am

      HI Patty, If you want to know about the sisters try the books at the end of the post but I would also include Constance’s biography, The Rebel Countess by Anne Marreco. I found it fascinating. Also there is a great biography about her husband and of course they cross paths. Amazingly charismatic gentleman. Appears he was the life of the party wherever he went until war broke out in Russia. He was also a brilliant artist Its called The Polish Irishman by Patrick Quigly.

      Reply
      • Irish American Mom says

        June 1, 2016 at 4:59 pm

        Hi Brighid – Thanks so much for this wonderful post, and for these great book recommendations.
        All the best,
        Mairéad

        Reply
  3. Irishnannie says

    May 31, 2016 at 8:29 am

    Thank you, Mairead*! (again)
    I never knew this wonderful story!
    God bless you!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      May 31, 2016 at 3:56 pm

      Hi Irishannie – I’m delighted this post shared a story of Ireland you had not heard before. Lissadell is in a magnificent location, and well worth a visit if you’re ever in Sligo.
      Best wishes,
      Mairéad

      Reply
  4. Chery Barker says

    June 2, 2016 at 10:51 am

    Oh my goodness, what fun it would be to visit such a place — for the both the history and the beauty of the surrounding countryside!

    Reply
    • Irish American Mom says

      June 2, 2016 at 4:15 pm

      Hi Cheryl – The surrounding views and vistas are absolutely stunning. Ireland’s scenery is spectacular when the sun shines.
      All the best,
      Mairéad

      Reply

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