Tyrone House
| Tyrone House | |
|---|---|
 View of the ruins of Tyrone House | |
  Location within Ireland | |
| 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, Waterford |
Tyrone House County Galway is a ruined manor house, built in the 1770s for Christopher St. George. It is situated on a promontory by the estuary of the Kilcolgan river, about two miles from the village of Kilcolgan, County Galway, Ireland.
The house was destroyed by the local IRA unit during the Irish War of Independence.
History
Tyrone House, County Galway was built in 1779.[1] (It should not be confused with Tyrone House, Marlborough Street, Dublin, a townhouse designed by Richard Cassel for Marcus Beresford, 1st earl of Tyrone of the 3rd creation in 1740.)
Its original owner was Christopher St. George.[1] The house was reputedly designed by John Roberts of Waterford (1712-96) who also designed Moore Hall, County Mayo and Waterford Cathedral.[2] The St. George family at the time owned much of the area around Kilcolgan.[3]
Arthur French St. George was described as a resident proprietor in 1824.
In 1912, Tyrone House was described as "rather dilipated" by visitor Violet Martin. It served as an inspiration for the novel "The Big House at Inver" by Edith Somerville, published in 1925.[3]
The house was destroyed by the local IRA unit during the Irish War of Independence in 1920.[3] Rumour had it that it was going to be used by the Black and Tans as an infirmary. Tyrone House was uninhabited at the time.[3]
In 1972, the Irish Georgian Society acquired the ruin of Tyrone.
Architecture
It was a big solemn house, grandly planned, three stories high, built on a height, in order to dominate the surrounding land and sea. The front faced south, and the northern side was protected by dense woods, beyond which lay the Kilcolgan river.
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "National Inventory of Architectural Heritage - Tyrone House, County Galway". Department of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
- ↑ Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2011). An Introduction to the Architectural Heritage of County Galway. ISBN 97-814-064-253-45.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Korff, Anne (1987). Kiltartan Country, South Galway - A Ramblers Guide and Map. Tir Eolas. ISBN 97-818-738-211-14.
