22.09.2018, 10:00 A.M.
The Irish Georgian Society Presents Killarney House.
Saturday, 22nd September, 2018 @10.15am
10.15am Meet at Killarney House, The Golden Gates, Killarney, Co. Kerry for registration etc.
10.30am Killarney House, courtesy of the Office of Public Works.
12.00pm St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, Killarney, courtesy of the Rev. Simon Lumby.
1.00pm Lunch at the Great Southern Hotel (part of Hayfield Manor group).
3.00pm St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral to view the Kenmare Chantry Chapel.
3.30pm Knockreer House, Killarney (view exterior of house and grounds).
Killarney House (Kenmare House) was the seat of the Brownes, later Earls of Kenmare. The present house was originally the stable-block of a demolished early-eighteenth century house. That house was replaced by a nineteenth century Victorian Tudor mansion designed by George Devey and executed by W. H. Lynn on a new elevated site chosen by Queen Victoria. It was destroyed by fire in 1913 and not rebuilt. The stable block was subsequently adapted as the Brownes’ new home by the architect Richard Caulfield Orpen. Neglected in recent years, it was magnificently restored by the OPW in 2017. Knockreer House was built on the site of the Victorian Tudor mansion in 1956 to a design by Francis Pollen for Mrs. Beatrice Grosvenor, niece of the 7th Earl of Kenmare. It was also known as Kenmare House. Amongst the undergrowth are the remains of balustrading and other garden features from the lost Victorian house. In 1959 the estate was bought by Mr. John McShain of the USA and later generously donated to the people of Ireland. It is now part of Killarney National Park.
St. Mary’s Church of Ireland is an attractive late nineteenth century Gothic revival church originally designed by William Atkins and later rebuilt by J.F. Fuller following a fire. The Great Southern Hotel originally a Railway Hotel was designed by Frederick Darley in 1854 in a neo-Georgian style and is now part of the Hayfield Manor group. St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral was designed by A.W.N. Pugin in an early English Gothic revival style and later worked on by J. J. McCarthy. Building work commenced in 1842 and was eventually completed in 1855. The Cathedral was further extended by Ashlin and Coleman. Major works were undertaken in the 1970s that compromised the original design.
Terms & Conditions: Participation at the discretion of the committee. No bookings accepted without payment. Limited places available. Preference will be given to members. Attendees must provide own transport. Programme subject to change without notice.
Please contact the IGS Cork Chapter for bookings. (Tel: 021-4887111 – email: corkigs@gmail.com) Please make your cheque payable to the Irish Georgian Society, Cork Chapter.