1897 – Enniskeen House, Newcastle, Co. Down

Enniskean House was built in the late 1890s by R.W Murray a businessman from Virginia in the United States. Built as a summer retreat and designed to take advantage of the spectacular views of the Mourne mountains.

Murray was principal of Murray Sons & Co. Ltd tobacco manufacturers and director of Belfast Ropeworks Co. Ltd. At the time Belfast Ropeworks was the biggest rope making manufacturer in the World and the Belfast ship building yard was also the largest in the World. Murray Sons & Co. was created as a firm due to the high demand for tobacco by sailors in Belfast port, and from there flourished to selling tobacco out to 45 Countries worldwide. Murray Sons & Co. made many famous tobacco brands including ‘Murrays Mellow Mixture’ and ‘Erinmore’.

It has been in use as an hotel since the 1960s.