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Vernon Mount is situated to the south of Cork city on a prominent site with views across the city and towards the Lee estuary. It was built in the early 1790s for Cork merchant Sir Henry Browne Hayes and may have been designed by the architect Abraham Hargrave.

Described as a cottage palace for the exceptional standard of its interior decorative features, Vernon Mount is of great interest for the sophistication of its design and for the survival of paintings by the leading Cork artist Nathaniel Grogan. Amongst Grogan’s works in the house is a fine ceiling mounted painting of Minerva throwing away the Spears of War.

In one of the very first Irish Georgian Society Bulletins, the sale of Vernon Mount was advertised and a suitable owner sought. Regrettably, 50 years later the house still requires a good owner as it now stands surrounded by a race track with only minimal repair works holding off the elements.

The Society has been campaigning for some years to highlight the plight of this neo-Classical gem and in 2006 successfully nominated it for inclusion in the World Monuments Fund List of 100 Most Endangered Sites.

The Society is committed to continuing our campaign to protect Vernon Mount and intends to work with all parties involved to achieve this.

Download Irish Arts Review Article (ReviewArticleVernon.pdf)