Peter Harbison outlines the history of Lord Gort’s family connections in Ireland and his extraordinary generosity in gifting Bunratty Castle in County Clare to the Irish people
During the last half century, Ireland has been particularly fortunate in having important art collections left in trust for the nation by philanthropists such as Chester Beatty and John Hunt. Others have given historic houses together with their contents, and here the Beits of Russborough, Cholmeley Harrison at Emo, as well as the two Donegal examples of Henry McIlhenny at Glenveagh and Derek Hill at Church Hill, spring readily to mind. But there is only one instance of a major medieval castle being restored and having it and its furnishings placed at the disposal of the Irish people — and that, of course, is Bunratty in County Clare, where the generous benefactor was Lord Gort (1888–1975)
