Tyrone House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tyrone House |
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| General information | |
| Location | Kilcolgan, County Galway, Ireland |
| Coordinates | 53°12′25″N 8°54′34″W / 53.207019°N 8.909472°W |
| Completed | 1779 |
| Demolished | 1920 |
| Client | Christopher St.George |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John Roberts |
Tyrone House was a large, beautiful manor house in County Galway, Ireland. It was built in the 1770s on a piece of land sticking out into the Kilcolgan river. This grand house stood about 2 kilometers from the village of Kilcolgan. Sadly, Tyrone House was destroyed in 1920 during a time of conflict in Ireland.
History of Tyrone House
Tyrone House was finished in 1779. It was built for Christopher St. George, whose family had lived in the Galway area for a very long time. The house was likely designed by John Roberts. He was a famous architect from Waterford. John Roberts also designed other important buildings in Ireland. These include Moore Hall and Waterford Cathedral. The St. George family owned a lot of land around Kilcolgan back then.
The House in the Early 1900s
By 1912, Tyrone House was not in the best condition. A visitor named Violet Martin described it as "rather dilapidated," meaning it was a bit run down. The house even inspired a novel called "The Big House at Inver." This book was written by Edith Somerville and published in 1925.
Why Tyrone House Was Destroyed
Tyrone House was destroyed in 1920. This happened during the Irish War of Independence. This war was a fight for Ireland's freedom from British rule. A local group called the Irish Republican Army (IRA) set the house on fire.
They did this because of rumors. People thought the house might be used by the Black and Tans. The Black and Tans were a group of British soldiers and police. They were sent to Ireland to fight against the IRA. The IRA believed Tyrone House might become a hospital for them.
At the time, no one lived in the house except for a caretaker. He was very old and sick, and stayed in bed. Before the house was burned, the caretaker was safely moved. He was taken out of the house in his bed and placed in another building nearby. Then, the main house was set on fire.
