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Mountshannon House

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Mountshannon House was a large mansion in Lisnagry, nearCastleconnell,County Limerick, built in the mid-18th century. It was the home ofthe 1st Earl of Clare,Lord Chancellor of Ireland 1789-1802. It was burnt down during theAnglo-Irish war in 1920. Today it is mostly a ruin.

History

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The house was built sometime in the mid-18th century, and was first occupied around 1750. It was subsequently purchased byJohn FitzGibbon (c. 1708-1780), whose descendants were later to become theEarls of Clare in thePeerage of Ireland. The estate covered 900 acres (3.6 km²) of land, being bounded to the south by theMulkear River, theShannon to the west, and extending some 2 and a half miles along the main Limerick to Castleconnell road fromAnnacotty to Newgarden. Many parts of the boundary wall still exist today, on the modern Mountshannon road.

John FitzGibbon (1748-1802), who was created the Earl of Clare (third known creation) in 1795, was appointedAttorney-General for Ireland in 1783, and was later promoted to being theLord Chancellor of Ireland, in 1789 (in which capacity he was first promoted to the peerage, as the 1st Baron FitzGibbon, becoming the 1stViscount FitzGibbon in 1793). He was a controversial figure in Irish history, being described variously as a Protestant hardliner, a staunch anti-Catholic, and an early supporter of Union withGreat Britain (which finally happened shortly before his death). Lord Clare is said to have been an early opponent of measures for Catholic political relief (meaning the removal of some or all legal disabilities against Catholics) in both Ireland and Great Britain, and may have been the first to suggest toGeorge III that the King would violate his coronation oath if he consented to the admission of Catholics to Parliament. He lived in this house for most of his life and career. Despite this hardline reputation, the FitzGibbon family was known locally to be fair landlords. This local reputation, however, did not prevent Lord Clare from being known as "Black Jack Fitzgibbon" nationally, apparently because of his hardline opposition to Catholic emancipation.

Architecture

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The house was built inneo-Palladian style. The front 7-bay entrance was adorned by fourionic columns, the rear had a large conservatory.Following its destruction in 1920, it has stood as a ruin, and has been partly demolished. However, the front columns still stand, as well as most of the main wings of the house.

Images of both the current ruins and the building before destruction can be found on Limerick City's library site:

Front of the house[1]

Rear of the house, with the conservatory[2]

Ruined façade[3]

Interior photo of the Library[4]