Beautiful

In a nutshell (’cause I’m crazy busy)-

The key to this debate is religion. In England, there was a battle of the styles between austere Palladianism and exuberant Baroque in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, roughly along the lines of Protestants vs Catholics. This was an echo of the early seventeenth century, when the Jameses (I and II) and the Charleses (I and II) were fighting it out (English Civil War time), and Inigo Jones was trying to import Palladian classicism into England. This underlines the importance of the client in architecture (then as now)- if the architect’s style didn’t suit, he didn’t get to build,
Early eighteenth century Irish architecture was a curious hybrid of Palladianmism and Baroque- see Pearce’s Parliament House as an example (severe classicism allied to a Baroque spatial sensibility). This was no doubt due to the fact that he was Vanbrugh’s nephew (or at least a close relation), combined with the Molesworths’ (Robert and John) andd others’ taste for severe Palladianism as seen in their championing of Alessandro Galilei for work at Casltetown (the home of Speaker Conolly- see the Parliament connection?), which rubbed off on Pearce. Rubbed off? He wanted to work!
Echoing their English counterparts, the Irish gentry (i.e. Protestant landowning classes) preferred a plain style of building (with its quality coming from careful proportioning, and its exuberance appearing on the inside)- some have seen this as a reflection of the Protestant concept of maintaining a reserved personal exterior. (This reminds me of the great line in ‘Gosford Park’ where a male character tells his wife to stop crying because people might think they’re Italian! [or something like that]).
So in essence, while we had no doctrinaire Baroque architecture as such, many Baroque elements crept into other areas.
I must correct you though, Boyler, on one minor detail- the high point of Baroque in Europe was the mid- to late-seventeenth century (Borromini’s Roman churches are my own particular favourite- 1660s). It gave way in many cases to Rococo wispy plasterwork and a general disappearance of the ‘muscular’ quality of true Baroque. The date is, however, correct for Ireland, where things generally happen a bit later than elsewhere (architectural styles, Thatcherism, etc…) :rolleyes:

Sorry this is a bit disjointed. Check out Edward McParland’s writings for a very fine analysis.

Boyler- for Art Nouveau, start with Sean Rothery’s ‘Ireland and the new architecture’ book. What little we had is mostly gone or changed beyond recognition.
For info on the Parliament House, that McParland book ‘Public architecture in Ireland 1680-1760’ is the best place to start. It has illustrations, and collects and summarises the various articles Dr McParland has written in different journals/books.

Michael- Your point is a good one about Castletown Cox- it does have Baroque (well, Irish Baroque) elements. As I pointed out above, many buildings were a hybrid of Palladian, Baroque, classical, etc. I think it’s one of the best thing we have going for our historic architecture- the fact that there was little adherence to any major style- a la carte classicism? Don’t know if this was due to many of the designers being ‘gentleman architects’.

And Curraghmore. Aah Curraghmore. I’ve often thought it would make a great town. The picture above doesn’t show the 300 ft long courtyard at the other side. On plan, the footprint looks like a tuning fork. Such a fascinating house- contains a tower house in its core (hence the unusual massing), was comprehensively reworked in the eighteenth century (hand of John Roberts? [Waterford’s Georgian master]). It even has a stag on the parapet, reminiscent of the Stupinigi Lodge in Turin (about which I know little). You’ve hit the nail on the head- they don’t come more Baroque than Curraghmore.
As far as I know it’s still lived in- certainly was in the late 1990s. And I recall seeing an episode of Nationwide, maybe a year ago, in which two people interviewed seemed to be living in part of one of the stable ranges- telltale signs were lunette windows, pleached trees in the courtyard and rugged window dressings.
The image above comes from last year’s NIAH Waterford County survey. I worked on the precursor to that survey and recommended that the building should be of International signoficance. Don’t know whether the re-survey felt the same, but I still think it’s the case. A real gem.

See further information about Curraghmore House on the following website. To the best of my knowledge it is still lived in by the original family and appears to be in a similiar anitiquated condition to the pre-restored Lisadell House (or one of them if you read the following article). Excellent pictures of it in book recent Houses of Ireland books. It appears to have a majestic setting by a river/lake somewhat similiar to Lyons House in Co. Dublin.
I believe that the grounds at least are regularly open to the public. I also think the house may by open by appointment. I believe it may be on the Department of Finance/Revenue’s list of historic property that have to open to the public.

I visited the area a few years ago and the estate is still completed enclosed with miles of stone walls. Very interesting gatelodge in a nearby village that is in the centre of two gates. Very unusual building but unfortunately it is a complete ruin.

http://homepage.tinet.ie/~portlawns/images/Curraghmore_House.JPG

Has anyone visited Curraghmore.

Castletown Cox I believe has been undergoing a huge renovation over teh last number of years where conterversally a number of huge trees were cut down around the house. I belileve this was actaully necessary to reopen up the vista particularly in front of the house.

Here’s another very good picture of it
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/other/abl/etext/irish/pictures/p235.html

Wow- what an amazing history Portlaw has. Surely a likely candidate for historic vistoric status.
Ctesiphon- the pictures on buildings of ireland website are impressive. What an amazing amout of ruins and it is great to see them still standing.

Here is one final view which shows its position on the riverside.

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/other/abl/etext/irish/pictures/p406.html

Yes – an excellent website, incredibly comprehensive.
Quite funny at times when the site features modernised terraces of housing to see archispeak applied to what are frankly heaps of junk as a result of of what has been done to them.

Wonderful how the term ‘charm’ manages to cover even the most vile creations 🙂

I reckon Maynooth should get a mention – well ordered main street, the seminary, the castle, abbey and seminary. The royal canal way passes the largest harbour on the canal 100 metres from the town centre while at the east end of the main street there’s a very pleasant tree lined walkway to Carton House. Bucketloads of history here too.