Lissadell House facts for kids
Lissadell House is a beautiful old country house in County Sligo, Ireland. It was built in a special style called Greek Revival. This means it looks a bit like ancient Greek temples.
The house was built between 1830 and 1835. It was made for Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet. A London architect named Francis Goodwin designed it. After Sir Robert, his son, Sir Henry Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet, inherited the house and the land around it.
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The House's Design
Lissadell House is a very grand building. It is made from strong Ballysadare limestone. The stone blocks fit together perfectly. It has a large entrance on the north side. This entrance has a special triangular shape at the top, called a pediment.
Lissadell was the only house in Ireland to keep its original furniture. This furniture was made just for the house. It was designed to match the house's unique style. Lissadell was also the first country house in Ireland to have its own gas supply for lighting.
Where to Find Lissadell House
The house is located on the south shore of the Maugherow Peninsula. This is in northern County Sligo. It looks out over Drumcliff Bay. The house is in a place called Lissadill.
The name Lissadell comes from an old Irish name. It means "O'Dalys Court of the Blind." This might refer to a school of poetry. This school was here in the 1200s.
A Look at History
The land for Lissadell House was given in the early 1600s. It was given to Sir Paul Gore. He was an English soldier. He received the land for helping the English crown during a war. The land used to belong to a monastery and local Irish chiefs.
The estate was once very large, about 32,000 acres. Today, it is smaller, with less than 500 acres. This is the land right around the house.
Lissadell House was the childhood home of some famous people. These included Constance Gore-Booth. She was an Irish revolutionary. Her sister, Eva Gore-Booth, was a poet and fought for women's rights. Their brothers were Mabel, Mordaunt, and Josslyn Gore-Booth.
The famous poet William Butler Yeats also visited Lissadell. He made the house well-known in his poem. He wrote:
"In Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con Markiewicz"
The light of evening, Lissadell,
Great windows open to the south,
Two girls in silk kimonos, both
Beautiful, one a gazelle.
In 2003, the Cassidy-Walsh family bought the estate. They started a big project to fix up the house.
Concerts at Lissadell
Lissadell House has also hosted concerts:
- Westlife - Where We Are Tour: July 30, 2010
- Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen Tour 2008–2010: July 31 and August 1, 2010
See also
- List of works by Francis Goodwin
