Lissadell House

Overview

Lissadell House sits on the south shore of the Maugherow Peninsula, overlooking Drumcliff Bay and the iconic silhouette of Benbulben. Built between 1830 and 1835 for Sir Robert Gore‑Booth, the house is the last neo‑classical Greek‑revival mansion erected in Ireland. Today the estate is a fully restored heritage attraction, offering guided tours, award‑winning tea rooms, and a series of themed exhibitions that bring the house’s turbulent past to life.

History

The Gore‑Booth family received the original estate in the early 17th century as a reward for service in the Nine Years’ War. Sir Robert Gore‑Booth commissioned London architect Francis Goodwin to design a nine‑bay, two‑storey mansion of Ballysadare limestone. The house was the childhood home of the revolutionary Countess Constance Markievicz and her poet sister Eva, both of whom played pivotal roles in the 1916 Easter Rising and the early women’s suffrage movement.

W.B. Yeats immortalised Lissadell in his poem In Memory of Eva Gore‑Booth and Con Markievicz, cementing the estate’s place in Irish literary lore. After more than a century in the Gore‑Booth hands, the house was sold in 2004 to Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy. Their intensive, privately funded restoration revived the house, gardens, stable block and coach house, and opened the estate to the public for the first time in decades.

What to See & Do

The House and Interior

Guided tours, led by costumed interpreters, take visitors through the grand reception rooms, the original Williams & Gibton furniture (the only complete set remaining in Ireland), and the restored servants’ quarters. Highlights include the light‑filled south windows that inspired Yeats, the original gas supply system – the first of its kind in an Irish country house – and a collection of paintings by Jack B. Yeats and other Celtic Revival artists.

Gardens and Grounds

The 2.5‑acre Victorian walled garden has been replanted with heritage fruit trees, heirloom vegetables and a profusion of seasonal flowers. Beyond the walls, the two‑acre Alpine rockery perches on a cliff edge, offering dramatic sea‑views and a palette of alpine flora introduced by Sir Josslyn Gore‑Booth in the 1890s. Woodland trails wind through native oak and birch, and the estate’s coastline provides opportunities to spot wild deer and, in winter, a sea eagle.

Themed Exhibitions

• 1916 Rising Exhibition – artefacts, manuscripts and a replica Irish flag illuminate the role of Countess Markievicz and the Irish Citizen Army.
• Yeats Gallery – paintings by Jack B. Yeats, alongside letters and photographs that trace the poet’s relationship with the Gore‑Booth family.
• Celtic Revival & Women’s Suffrage – displays explore the suffragist activism of Eva Gore‑Booth and the broader cultural renaissance of early‑20th‑century Ireland.

Tea Rooms and Shopping

The restored stable block now houses a high‑standard tea room serving locally sourced produce from the kitchen garden, as well as a gift shop stocked with books, crafts and garden produce. It provides a pleasant spot to relax after a walk along the cliffs.

Wildlife and Outdoor Activities

Beyond the formal gardens, the estate’s 400‑acre coastline and woodlands are ideal for gentle walks, bird‑watching and photography. The sea‑drive, once a public right‑of‑way, remains accessible to pedestrians, offering uninterrupted views of the Atlantic.

Practical Information

Opening Hours (June – August)

Admission Fees

Getting There Lissadell is a 15‑minute drive north of Sligo town on the Bundoran Road (R291). Parking is available in the visitor car park adjacent to the coach house. The estate is also reachable by local bus services that stop at Drumcliff Bay during the summer months.

Website: lissadellhouse.com Further Reading: Discover Ireland – Lissadell House & Gardens

Plan your visit early in the season to ensure a spot on the guided tour, and allow a few hours to wander the gardens, explore the exhibitions, and enjoy a leisurely tea in the historic tea rooms.