Lissadell House, County Sligo

As a youngster back in the 80's, I visited Lissadell House (http://lissadellhouse.com/) in County Sligo with my parents. If my memory serves me right, I remember Lissadell House in the 1980s as a place of dark, damp rooms — a grand old house that had clearly seen better days. Roll the clock forward thirty years, and the transformation is remarkable. Now owned by Constance Cassidy, Edward Walsh, and their family, the house has been lovingly restored to its former elegance.
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Arriving around 2pm, I parked in the designated car park and walked the short distance to the beautifully restored Coach House, where you’ll find the ticket office, exhibitions and the welcoming tea rooms. It’s the perfect introduction to a house that has been brought back to life with care and passion.

As I was an hour early for the guided tour of the house, I decided to begin with the exhibitions on Countess Markievicz, The Voice of Women, and the 1916 Rising. The collection of photographs, letters and books is remarkable — a rare and intimate glimpse into Ireland’s revolutionary past. Everything is beautifully displayed within the restored first floor of the Coach House, a space that now feels bright, elegant and full of life compared to the Lissadell I remember from decades ago.

The 1916 Rising exhibition features stunning ceiling paintings by the talented Gareth Boyle, adding a dramatic artistic touch to the space. The historical memorabilia is beautifully presented, offering clear and compelling insights into the Easter Rising — from Countess Markievicz’s military plans to an early replica of the Irish flag. It’s an educational and thoughtfully curated glimpse into Irish history.
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With a little time still left before the house tour began, I headed to the Marine Tea Room for a coffee and a slice of carrot cake. The name is perfectly chosen: the room is filled with paintings of boats and intricate model ships. One particularly fascinating feature is the horse bath at the back of the tea room — once used to wash the horses after a long day in the saddle. It’s a charming reminder of Lissadell’s working past, tucked into a beautifully restored space.

It was finally time to make my way to the house. Walking along the path, I was greeted by a carpet of bright yellow daffodils and sweeping views across the bay — a spectacular welcome in itself. And then, there it was: Lissadell House, standing in all its restored glory. A dark grey, almost austere block of a building, set right in the middle of beautifully landscaped gardens.

The exterior is simple and unadorned, its greyness stark against the vivid colours surrounding it — the lush green grass, the golden daffodils, the azure Atlantic, and Knocknarea rising majestically in the distance. At the front door, our guide for the afternoon greeted us warmly.
Stepping into the entrance hall, it becomes immediately clear just how lovingly this house has been restored by its current owners. From the hall, we moved into the billiard room, where we were introduced to the story of the Gore‑Booth family, whose history is woven deeply into the fabric of Lissadell.

From here, we continued into the Gallery, an impressive oval room once used for parties and grand events. The space is dominated by a magnificent marble fireplace and two enormous gasoliers — gas‑fired chandeliers suspended from the soaring 65‑foot ceiling. It’s a room designed to impress, and it still does.
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From the Gallery, we moved into the Drawing Room and the Bow Room, both beautifully restored and filled with light. These rooms offer some of the finest views on the estate, looking out towards Benbulben and Knocknarea — a reminder of just how spectacular the setting of Lissadell truly is.

A wonderful selection of paintings and books can be found throughout these rooms. It’s fascinating to think that during the 1960s and 70s, these two elegant spaces were where the Gore‑Booth siblings lived in near‑poverty, doing their best to keep just these rooms heated while the rest of the vast house remained unoccupied and freezing.
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The grandeur of Lissadell becomes fully apparent again in the Dining Room, where a huge dining table commands the centre of the space. Nearby stands the old service lift, once used to bring food up from the basement kitchens. Beside it is one of the house’s more unusual treasures — a stuffed bear, brought back by the Gore‑Booth family from one of their many travels. It’s an unexpected but charming reminder of the adventurous spirit that shaped Lissadell’s past.

After the dining room, we made our way down to the basement, where the kitchen and servants’ quarters were once located. What’s striking about Lissadell is that the servants’ rooms were unusually large and bright, a rare feature in houses of this era. The kitchen itself — also spacious and filled with natural light — was the heart of the operation, where meals for the Gore‑Booth family were prepared each day.
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One of the most fascinating features in the basement is the old communication system, a clever network of signals used throughout the house. With it, anyone in the living quarters above could indicate if they needed food, a drink, or assistance. It’s a small but revealing glimpse into the daily rhythm of life in this remarkable home.

At the end of the tour, we were led out through the servants’ exit — a long, sparsely lit tunnel once used daily by the household staff. Emerging from the dim passageway, I found myself at the edge of Lissadell’s gardens.

​From here, I followed the path toward the lovingly restored Alpine Gardens. Fully enclosed by high walls, the garden is sheltered from the strong Atlantic breeze, creating a peaceful micro‑climate. Even though it was still early in the growing season, splashes of colour were already appearing between the rocks, hinting at the vibrant display still to come.

Walking back toward the Coach House, I passed the walled Victorian kitchen garden, where neat rows of young lettuce were already planted for the season ahead. Tall fruit trees lined the central path, their branches forming a graceful canopy over the garden.

It’s easy to see why Lissadell House has become Sligo’s number one tourist attraction — a place that remained quietly under the radar for years. The transformation is remarkable, and the dedication of its current owners has turned Lissadell into the premier destination it is today.
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And yet, there is still so much more to Lissadell than what I experienced on this visit — from self‑catering accommodation to the clam and oyster farm, and plenty of stories still waiting to be told. But those are adventures for another day.