Sale of Irish country house contents

The dispersion of artefacts, through the sale of Irish country house contents, occurred over a period of more than 150 years starting with the financial after effects of the Irish famine and the creation of the Encumbered Estates' Court in 1849.

Later surges in sales and destruction of items occurred during the Easter Rising in 1916 and later again with the destruction of Irish country houses (1919–1923) during the Irish War of Independence.

Post world war sales and fires resulted in the destruction of further contents while large auction sales from the 1950s through to the mid 1990s resulted in the loss of further contents, particularly during recessionary periods such as the early to mid 1980s.

After the beginning of the Celtic Tiger era (c 1990 onwards), the sale of contents has been more rigorously catalogued with all but the most exceptionally valuable lots staying in the hands of other home owners within the state or going to national cultural institutions and galleries. ^{[1] [2]}

In the early 21st century, both the National Gallery of Ireland and the National Museum of Ireland have both had first refusal and prior notice on important items which have been placed on the market for sale. ^[3]

List of auctions

Year	House	County	Date	Auction House	Vendor	Contents sold
1875	Santry Court	Dublin	1875		Sir C.C.W. Domvile	Most high value contents in a 10 day sale
1890	Kilcroney House, Bray	Wicklow	29 July 1890	Battersby & Company	Built by Humphrey Lloyd and residence of Matthew P D'arcy
1904	63 Fitzwilliam Square North	Dublin	23-25 July 1904	Battersby & Company		Objects owned by Sir Robert Foster
1910	Ely House, Ely Place, Dublin	Dublin	8 November 1910	Bennett & Son	Thornley Stoker	[4]
1911	Dunsandle House	Galway	April 1911	Bennett & Son	Daly family	A significant portion of the contents were ultimately transferred to Russborough House by the owner Major Denis Daly.
1913	Rathfarnham Castle	Dublin	2 April 1913	Battersby & Company		Many lots were acquired by the Jesuits who had recently purchased the property.
1914	Bishopscourt, Straffan	County Kildare	13 July 1914	Battersby & Company		Contents of house, land and library of Earl of Clonmell
1916	Hermitage House	Limerick	20 January 1916	William B Fitt		Some of the most valuable contents were transferred to Killakee House.
1918	Laurentum House, Clashmore	Waterford	1918			Contents clearance
1919	Castlefreke	Cork	October 1919	Marsh's
1919	Killakee House	Dublin	8 July 1919	Bennett & Son
1921	Gosford Castle	Armagh	4-13 April 1921	Battersby & Company		Residence of Earl of Gosford
1921	Garvagh House	Derry	20 September 1921	Battersby & Company		Property of Lord Garvagh
1921	Castletown Cox	Kilkenny	11 October 1921	Battersby & Company	Windham Wyndham-Quin, 5th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl	Selected contents [5]
1921	Tara Hall	Meath	November 1921	Battersby & Company	Major Moore-Brabazon	[6]
1922	Hazelwood House, Sligo	Sligo	18 May 1922	Battersby & Company	Muriel and Philip Dudley Perceval
1925	Lucan Manor	Dublin	29 September 1925	Bennett & Son	Captain Richard St John Jefferyes Colthurst	Entire contents [7]
1929	Upperscourt House	Kilkenny	1929		M. and E. Maher
1932	Chareleville House Enniskerry	Wicklow	31 October 1932		Viscount Monck
1935	Kilkenny Castle	Kilkenny	18 November 1935	Battersby & Company	Marquess of Ormonde Earl of Ossory
1936	Shanganagh Castle, Shankill	Dublin	10 August 1936	Battersby & Company
1937	Moore Abbey, Monasterevan	Kildare	15 February 1937	Battersby & Company	Count John McCormack	All contents
1939	Iveagh House	Dublin	28-29 September 1939	Battersby & Company	Earl of Iveagh	2,600 lots [8]
1939	Ashford Castle	Mayo	15 May 1939	Jackson Stops and McCabe	Iveagh Trustees	Contents [9] [10]
1943	Rokeby Hall, Dunleer	Louth	1943	North's	Maud Montgomery
1944	Santry Court	Dublin	1944		Sir Compton Meade Domville	Remaining contents
1948	Carrickbyrn, Foxrock	Dublin	1948	Hamilton and Hamilton	Estate of Mrs Lansell Jacob
1949	Carton House	Kildare	1949	Allen & Townsend	Duke of Leinster	Library
1950	Glenmaroon House, Chapelizod	Dublin	1950	James Adam & Sons	The Residence of the late Hon. A.E. Guinness, By Direction of the Lady Oranmore and Browne
1950	Shelton Abbey	Wicklow	October 1950
1953	Killeen Castle, Dunsany	Meath	20 July 1953	Town and Country Estates (Ireland) Ltd	Earl of Fingall
1954	Favour Royal	Tyrone	1954	Town and Country Estates (Ireland) Ltd	Major Moutray	Military collection
1957	Oak Park	Carlow	29 October 1957	Hamilton and Hamilton Estates Ltd		Valuable contents [11]
1958	Gloster House	Offaly	29-31 October 1958	Town and Country Estates Limited		Almost all contents [12]
1960	Bowen's Court	Cork	April 1960	W. Marsh & Sons Ltd		Most contents
1960	Straffan House	Kildare	1960	Jackson Stops McCabe		The house later became part of the K Club.
1960	Coolbawn Hotel, Castleconnell	Limerick	1960
1961	Bowen's Court	Cork	1961	Marsh's	Elizabeth Bowen	Library
1961	Graigue, Palmerstown Park	Dublin	28 February 1961	James Adam & Sons	Henry Mangan	Library
1962	Dromoland Castle	Clare	1962		Lord Inchiquin
1962	Cahir Park House	Tipperary	1962	Battersby & Company
1962	Tobertynan	Meath	13-14 February 1962	Owen Martin	Duke of Stacpole
1963	Milverton Hall, Skerries	Dublin	10-11 September 1963	Hamilton and Hamilton
1963	Courtown House, Kilcock	Kildare	10 June 1963	Hamilton and Hamilton		Entire contents
1964	Kenure House	Dublin	21-24 September 1964	J.H. North & Co. Ltd	Colonel RH Fenwick Palmer	Entire valuable contents [13]
1966	Castletown House	Kildare	1966	Jackson-Stops and McCabe		18th-20th century furniture and pictures residue
1966	Kiladoon, Celbridge	Kildare	31 October 1966	Sothebys	Colonel HTW Clements and formed by the late HJB Clements	Library and manuscripts [14]
1968	Clonmannon, Ashford, County Wicklow	Wicklow	21 May 1968	James Adam & Sons	Executors of Sir Chester Beatty
1968	Rockfield, Kells	Meath	6-7 March 1968	Keane Mahony Smith W & G Armstrong		Entire contents
1969	Doneraile Court	Cork	1969	Hamilton and Hamilton (Estates) Limited	Lord Doneraile	Entire Library [15]
1970	Florence Court	Fermanagh	10 November 1970	John Ross & Company	Earl of Enniskillen	Surplus antiques and furnishings
1972	Derk	Limerick	10 April 1972	Stokes & Quirke		Entire contents
1976	Clonbrock House	Galway	1 November 1976	Christie, Manson & Woods Lisney & Son	Mr Luke Dillon Mahon	[16]
1976	Malahide Castle	Dublin	10-12 May 1976	Keane Mahony Smith Christies Manson & Woods Ltd	Rose Maud Talbot	Entire contents [17]
1977	Donacomper, Celbridge	Kildare	25-26 July 1977	Hamilton & Hamilton Christies Manson & Woods Ltd	Mr and Mrs Bruce Breedin
1977	Carton House	Kildare	1977		Lord Brockett David Nall Cain
1977	White Lodge, Ballycastle	Antrim	20 September 1977	Osborne, King and Megran
1978	Slane Castle	Meath	20 November 1978	Sothebys
1978	Chareleville House	Wicklow	1978	Hamilton & Hamilton Christies Manson & Woods Ltd	Donald Davies
1979	Clonmannon, Ashford, County Wicklow	Wicklow	25 October 1979	Hamilton & Hamilton
1979	Bettyglen, Raheny	Dublin	1979	Christies	W.H. Ahern, former home of the Jameson family	[18]
1980	Coollattin House, Shillelagh	Wicklow	1980	Hamilton & Hamilton Christies Manson & Woods Ltd	Michael Brendan Cadogan
1980	Milverton Hall, Skerries	Dublin	1980		Woods family
1981	Charleville Castle	Offaly	1981	Allen & Townsend Philips
1981	Birr Castle	Offaly	7-8 October 1981	Christies	The Trustees of the Oxmantown Settlement Trust	Selected contents.
1981	Slane Castle	Meath	1981
1982	Glyde Court, Tallanstown	Louth	15-16 September 1982	Nicholas Nicholson	Colonel and Mrs A C May
1982	Adare Manor	Limerick	9-10 June 1982	Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd Hamilton & Hamilton (Estates) Ltd		Works by artists including Van Dyck, Rubens, Teniers and Pugin.
1983	Ballinamona Park	Waterford	1983	George Mealy & Sons		Entire clearance [19]
1983	Coollattin House	Wicklow	28-28 June 1983	Hamilton & Hamilton (Estates) Ltd
1983	Luttrellstown Castle	Dublin	1983	Christie Manson & Woods	Aileen Plunket	1,558 lots (Entire contents) [20]
1984	Powerscourt Estate	Wicklow	24-25 September 1984	Christie Manson & Woods
1984	Cabinteely House, Cabinteely	Dublin	5-6 November 1984	Chisties		613 lots
1984	Oldbridge House, Drogheda	Meath	1984	Gunne	Mrs DH Coddington	All contents
1985	Alton Grange, Foxrock	Dublin	16 September 1985	Christies		683 lots
1986	Mount Juliet Golf & Spa Hotel	Kilkenny	1986	Sothebys	Major V McAlmont
1986	Castle Hacket	Galway	2-4 July 1986	Christies and Edmiston's Ltd Hamilton and Hamilton (Estates) Ltd	Percy Paley (Estate)	[21]
1987	19 North Great George's Street	Dublin	2-3 November 1987	Christies and Edmiston's Ltd Hamilton and Hamilton (Estates) Ltd	The Property of Harold Clarke, Esq., Iain MacLachlan, Esq., Mrs. Eve Kaye and two other sources
1987	Mount Juliet Golf & Spa Hotel	Kilkenny	1987	Christies	McAlmont family.	649 lots
1988	Tinerana	Clare	10 October 1988	Hamilton Osborne King
1988	Killora Lodge	Cork	12 September 1988	Alain Chawner
1988	Mountainstown House, Navan	Meath	28-29 September 1988	Christies Hamilton Osborne King	John Pollock	1,126 lots [22]
1990	Straffan House	Kildare	28 February 1990	Christies		515 lots
1990	Dromin House, Ardee	Louth	25 September 1990	Hamilton Osborne King
1991	Castletown Cox	Kilkenny	7-8 October 1991	Christies Hamilton Osborne King	George Magan	[23]
1992	Humewood Castle	Wicklow	15-16 July 1992	EA Coonan Hamilton Osborne King
1992	Stackallan House	Meath	20 October 1992	Christies Hamilton Osborne King		591 lots
1992	Woodstock House	Wicklow	1992	Hamilton Osborne King		Library
1993	Lyrath	Kilkenny	15 September 1993	Christies Hamilton Osborne King	Captain and Mrs A C Tupper	606 lots [24]
1995	Farney Castle, Thurles	Tipperary	4 July 1995	Gunne		Entire contents
1995	Glencullen House, Kiltiernan	Dublin	5 July 1995	Adams		Entire valuable contents
1995	Gortdrishagh	Galway	9 July 1995	Adams	Mrs M R Glynn
1997	St Clerans, Craughwell	Galway	5 June 1997	Gunne	John Huston
1998	Raford House	Galway	20 October 1998	Fonsie Mealy
1999	Garretstown House	Meath	1999	Fonsie Mealy	Prince and Princess Guirey
1999	Rockfield, Kells	Meath	1999	Hamilton Osborne King	A Cameron
2002	Farnham House	Cavan	27 January 2002	Hamilton Osborne King
2003	Mourne Park	Down	14-15 April 2003	Hamilton Osborne King	Philip Anley and Bonnie Horsman	1,000+ lots [25]
2003	Lissadell House	Sligo	25 November 2003	Christies Hamilton Osborne King		Contents [26]
2006	Luggala estate	Wicklow	2 May 2006	Fonsie Mealy	Garech Browne	antique furniture and art [27]
2009	Glin Castle	Limerick	7 May 2009	Christies	Desmond Fitzgerald	200 lots
2012	Mount Kennedy, Newtownmountkennedy	Wicklow	16 March 2012	Christies		Combined auction
2012	Mount Congreve	Waterford	May and July 2012	Christies Fonsie Mealy	Ambrose Congreve	1,100 lots with Fonsie Mealy and later 120 lots at Christies
2014	Bantry House	Cork	21 October 2014	Lyon & Turnbull
2015	Courtown House	Kildare	22 April 2015	Adams
2016	Lotabeg House	Cork	24 May 2016	Fonsie Mealy	Collection of Vincent Hart (d 1839)	763 lots [28]
2016	Loughton House, Moneygall	Offaly	27-30 September 2016	Sheppard’s
2021	Howth Castle	Dublin	September 2021	Fonsie Mealy	Lord Howth	Entire contents [29]

See also

• British country house contents auctions
• Desmond FitzGerald, 29th Knight of Glin

References

1. "Cataloguing the Irish 'Big House'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
2. "Auction catalogues" (PDF). www.fonsiemealy.ie. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
3. "[Auction catalogues] /". catalogue.nli.ie. Battersby & Co. 1888. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
4. "Ely House, 8 Ely Place, Dublin, The Residence of Sir W. Thornley Stoker, M.D. - Catalogue of the Entire Well-Known Collection of Fine Art Property, to be sold by Auction . Commencing Tuesday 8th November, 1910 [+ following days]: Very Good Soft cover (1910) 1st Edition | Temple Bar Bookshop". www.abebooks.co.uk. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
5. Co, Battersby & (1921). Castletown Carrick-on-Suir: Catalogue of the ... contents .. to be sold by auction ... Tuesday, the 11th. day of October. 1921. Battersby.
6. "Howth Castle, 800 Years of History. Entire Clearance - ... (08 Sep 21)". www.fonsiemealy.ie. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
7. A Catalogue of the furniture, oil paintings, pastel portraits, old silver and plated ware, china etc. at Lucan House, Lucan, Co. Dublin, Bennett & Son Limited, Auctioneers and Valuers, 29 September 1925
8. "The lost grandeur of Iveagh House". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
9. "Unique nine-day auction at Mayo's Ashford Castle in 1939 is recalled". Connaught Telegraph. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
10. "Rare 'Ashford Castle' Catalogue of House Contents". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
11. "Auction catalogues: Killeen Castle, Dunsany Co. Meath, July 1953, 4to, 67 pps, mint condition. Oak P". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
12. "Town & Country Estates Sales catalogue of contents of Gloster House, Brosna, Birr. Major 4 day s". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
13. "The Age of the Great House – Irish Antique Dealers Association" . Retrieved 24 April 2024.
14. "Sothebys catalogue – Catalogue of the well known Irish library of H.J.B. Clements, Killadoon, Co. Ki". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
15. "Hamilton & Hamilton Dublin; Auction Catalogue of entire library from Doneraile Court December 19". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
16. "Christies sale of the contents of Clonbrock, Ahascragh, Co. Galway 1/3 November 1976. Illustrated. S". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
17. "Going Going Gone". RTE Radio. 6 June 1976. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
18. "History Homes: Gothic in Raheny". The Irish Times. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
19. Extremely important 3 day sale on the premises : the entire clearance of Ballinamona Park, Co.Waterford, Eire. George Mealy & Sons. 1983.
20. "Luttrellstown Castle Contents For Auction". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
21. "Christies. Sale of the contents of Castle Hackett, Co. Galway July, 1986. Illustrated". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
22. "Christies catalogue – Sale of contents of Mountainstown House, Navan on 28/29 Sept. 1988. Fine". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
23. "Christies catalogue re sale of contents of Castletown House, Co. Kilkenny on the 7th & 8th Octob". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
24. "Christies contents catalogue. Lyrath , Co Kilkenny. Sept. 1993". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
25. "HOK Fine Art catalogue re sale of contents of Mourne Park, Kilkel, Co. Down on the 14th & 15th A". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
26. "Christies catalogue. Catalogue sale of contents of Lissadell, Co. Sligo on 25th Nov. 2003. Fine with". www.purcellauctioneers.ie. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
27. "Luggala Art Auction". RTÉ Archives. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
28. "Jug fetches €22,000 at Cork house contents auction". 24 May 2016.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
29. "Howth Castle, 800 Years of History. Entire Clearance - ... (08 Sep 21)". www.fonsiemealy.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2024.