Olive Sharkey returns to Belvedere, home of the ‘Wicked Earl’ to appraise its recent restoration
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Ireland boasted more than two thousand stately homes. In those days of wealthy landlords and impoverished tenants, the ‘big house’ formed the nucleus of a huge estate of many thousands of acres, its treasures known only to those servants who were permitted ‘upstairs’, and to the owners and their guests. Sadly, when most of these fine estates could no longer be maintained in the 19th and 20th centuries, their magnificent contents were dispersed
Shane O’ Toole finds that the tragic atmosphere that had dogged the buildings of St Joseph’s Reformatory has been exorcised
Paul O’ Reilly previews a major exhibition of new work by John Shinnors which will open in his home town of Limerick on 19 September