THE NEW owners of Cahermoyle House won’t just be buying a 49-bedroom mansion and 43 acres in Ardagh, West Limerick, they will be buying a piece of history. Cahermoyle reportedly means the stone fort of the soft ground and there appears to be the remains of such a fort nearby, dating back some 2,000 years. The main house was constructed in the early 1870s by Edward O'Brien, replacing an earlier house that had been occupied by his grandmother, the Dowager Lady O'Brien, in the early 1850s. She was the widow of Sir Edward O'Brien (4th Baronet of Dromoland) and the mother of the famous Young Irelander William Smith O'Brien, who originally inherited the estate. Smith O'Brien led the abortive Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 against British rule. Despite his aristocratic background, he fought for the rights of oppressed Irish Catholic peasant farmers. For his role, he was sentenced to death, which was later commuted, and he was exiled to Tasmania. The house is designed in a palazzo style, incorporating elements of Venetian, Tuscan, Romanesque, and Gothic architecture. A local historian has noted that the building would appear more typical of a Venetian canal setting than of its rural location. The architect of the original house, JJ McCarthy, was a nineteenth century Gothic Revival architect who was also responsible for the cathedrals in Armagh and Cobh. Returning to the modern day, Cahermoyle House has been brought to the market by Tom Crosse, of GVM Auctioneers, and CBRE Hotels with a guide price of €3m. Mr Crosse describes the property as “very special” and his phone has been hopping. “I have interest from Americans who want to bring over guests for the Ryder Cup next year. Adare is just a 20 minute drive,” said Mr Crosse. Other expressions of interest have been from the hotel sector. “It would be an ideal venue for boutique weddings of up to 100 people. Weddings have changed over the years and people will travel for scenery, beauty, elegance and luxury. It would be a perfect retreat in
PICTURES: Historic Limerick mansion for €3m could suit Ryder Cup fans to a tee
