Re: Re: Architectural heritage of Limerick
Mayor of Limerick calls to protect home of Kate O’Brien ~ Boru House (Limerick Leader)
Published Date: 03 February 2009 By Anne Sheridan
MAYOR of Limerick John Gilligan has lent his support to calls to protect Boru House – the home of the late writer Kate O’Brien – in advance of the upcoming literary festival held in her honour.
The Mulgrave Street property has been up for sale for a number of years with a price-tag of €1.4m but the mayor believes the slump in property prices may allow the Council to buy the house.
“Property prices are falling, we have to recognise that, and if we’re going buying property, now is the time to do it. We will soon be short of a library in the city (due to the Opera Centre development) and there is a huge courtyard behind Boru House suitable for development which could fit in and be sympathetic to the old house,” said the mayor.
He said he is “very saddened to see the condition of Kate O’Brien’s house”, which he described as one of the most historic houses in Limerick.
“It would be absolutely dreadful if it deteriorated any further and I’d love to see it being brought back to full use, not just as a monument to Kate but to preserve one of the better buildings in the city,” he said.
The massive 36,023 sq ft property on Mulgrave Street, which is being sold by de Courcy estate agents, includes seven bedrooms and four additional rooms in the attic. The property is owned by the Lloyd family, who previously hoped to secure more than the €1.4 million prior to the property slump.
Auctioneer John de Courcy said a number of people have visited the property in recent months and any offers would be put to the family for consideration.
The annual Kate O’Brien weekend will run from February 27 to March 1 this year and will feature readings from a host of influential literary figures in the city’s Circuit Court building at Merchant’s Quay.
This year’s theme is to celebrate Irish writing in honour of the famous Limerick author, and participating writers include John Banville, Lia Mills, Dermot Bolger and Glenn Patterson.
“This year the committee members really made a special effort to get a good calibre of writer to celebrate the weekend,” said Sheila Deegan, arts officer with Limerick City Council.
A book entitled Faithful Companions, featuring the people who have celebrated the weekend over the last quarter of a century, will be published in advance of the weekend and is edited by local writer and broadcaster Mary Coll.
For an updated list of all events log on to http://www.kobweekend.com
Heritage been lost here through vandalism and poor passive property management.
From what I heard from home the elderly owners had passed away and their house came on the market. The house was in top shape.
The images below highlights how an unused house can in such a short period of time go from an intact one into a state of dereliction.
In my opinion the owners of this NIAH protected house are partly responsible for passively letting youths a free hand to use it as a drinking den, resulting in a fire.:mad:
Image DerHur
See NIAH Description ~ Appraisal
