Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin
Malahide is said to be the oldest castle continuously inhabited by the same
family. Until 1976, apart from a period when they were evicted by Cromwell,
there were Talbots in
residence at Malahide. Legend insists that 14 Talbot cousins breakfasted at
the castle before riding out to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, never to
return.
Many family portraits hang in the medieval Great Hall. Malahide Castle, set on
250 acres of park land in the pretty seaside town of Malahide, was both a
fortress and a private home for nearly eight hundred years, and is an
interesting hotch?potch of architectural styles. The Talbot family lived here
from 1185 to 1973, when the last Lord Talbot died.
The house is furnished with beautiful period furniture together with an
extensive collection of Irish portrait paintings, mainly from the National
Gallery. The history of the Talbot family is recorded in the Great Hall,
with portraits of generations of the family telling their own story of
Ireland's stormy history. One of the more poignant legends concerns the
morning of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, when fourteen members of the
family breakfasted together in this room, never to return, as all were dead
by nightfall. Many additions and alterations have been made to this romantic and
beautiful structure, but the contours of the surrounding parklands have changed
little in eight hundred years, retaining a sense of the past. The grounds are
also
open to the public, and appeal to all visitors, young and old.
Markree Castle, Co. Sligo
Regarded as one of Ireland's major architectural , masterpieces, Markree
Castle is Sligo's oldest inhabited castle. It has been the home of the
Cooper family since 1640, but over the years the house has undergone a
number of transformations.
Today, the castle retains its family atmosphere
and the character of the old building, while providing every modern
comfort., The interior boasts a spectacular oak staircase. This is
overlooked by a stained glass window, purportedly tracing the Cooper family
tree back to the time of King John of England.
There are a variety of
notable reception rooms, in addition to the interconnecting dining rooms
which feature Louis-Philippe style plasterwork created by Italian craftsmen
in 1845.
The bedrooms vary in character and
style, but all offer views over the gardens or surrounding countryside.,
Markree is in the heart of -Yeats Country', with , magnificent scenery all
around. The Rosses Point golf course and the Strandhill course are within a
few miles. Trout and salmon fishing can be arranged nearby., Places of
interest nearby: Carrowmore, which has Europe's largest and oldest
collection of megalithic remains; Lissadell House; Yeats's grave at
Drumcliffe; and the town of Donegal. Directions: Nine miles from Sligo ,
airport, 125 from Dublin via N4. Collooney is just south of Sligo town.