Described by Thomas Carlyle as 4a huge grey pile,’ Dromana today resembles its modest 17th-century form; Robert O’Byrne recounts the history of this house and the prominence of its formidable female line
In late August 17 52, the peripatetic cleric Richard Pococke who was then touring Ireland wrote, ‘I crossed the Blackwater to Drumanna to the Earl of Grandisons, situated on a rock over the Blackwater, where there was formerly a Castle; the hanging ground and wood on it to the south of it is beautifully laid out in Terraces, slopes and walks down to the river which is navigable to Cappoquin for large vessels, and the tyde goes up near to Lismore. There is a handsom avenue to Drumanna house from the east: To the north of which is first a ,vood and several pieces of Water, and then a Park and fine enclosures down to the Phinisk, which is the bounds between this Estate and Affane; to the south is a new planted wood of many sorts of trees, with firrs on each side of the ridings, and near the house is a Green, on one side of which my Lord has built seven houses, that in the middle is a handsom edifice for an Inn, the other are for necessary tradesmen .. .! went with Ld. Grandison in his chaise half a mile to see a New town he has built called Villers Town; the design is two streets crossing each other with a square in the middle for a market and chapel; There are 24 houses built with a garden to each of them and his Lordship is bringing in about eighty acres of Land at great expence for pasturage for the town for as they are all linen weavers they are not to be diverted by farming … ‘.
Overcoming the slow down at home, Irish architects Heneghan Peng, Grafton Architects, O’Donnell+Tuomey amongst others have looked to international competitions, but overseas projects are not without risk, writes John McLaughlin
In addition to creating a likeness of her daughter, Geraldine O’Neill has in mind the age-old interrogation of representation, writes Robert Ballagh of this year’s recipient of the Ireland-U.S. Council/Irish Arts Review Portraiture Award
James Watson could trace his family’s artistic lineage to York Minster and following his move to Cork he launched a new tradition to last a hundred years, writes Vera Ryan.