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Heritage Sites in Lismore
Lismore Castle (1185)
Lismore Castle is situated in the beautiful Blackwater Valley and commands a superb position overlooking the River Blackwater. It was built by Prince John in 1185 who later handed it over to the Church. It remained a Bishop's Palace until 1589 when it was acquired by Sir Walter Raleigh and then sold on to Richard Boyle, first Earl of Cork, in 1602. This well-known castle was renovated and extended several times throughout the centuries and is now the property and temporary residence of Lord and Lady Burlington, son and daughter in law of the Duke of Devonshire.
Lismore Hotel (1797)
Lismore Hotel was built in 1797 by the Duke of Devonshire to provide extra accommodation for Lismore Castle. This first purpose built hotel in Ireland began serving its customers in the late eighteenth century. Many famous and interesting guests have frequented this Inn during its long history including Major Henry Eeles and William Thackeray.
St. Carthage's Cathedral
St. Carthage's Cathedral lies beyond tall Gothic gates at the end of an avenue. The first stone Church on this site was built about 1207, but the present church dates from 1630, when the Earl of Cork had the building restored. The pointed windows and ribbed ceilings were inserted by Sir Richard Morrison around 1820 and a superb tower and ribbed spine were added by the Paine Brothers in 1827. The remarkable table tomb of the McGraths dating from 1485 is also worth viewing. In the graveyard there are many other old and interesting gravestones.
St. Carthage's Parish Church (1884)
St. Carthage's Church is largely the creation of Dublin born Walter Doolin (1850-1902) officially opened in 1884 and is seen as one of the finest examples of Lombardo-Romanesque Churches in Ireland. A rose window framed by symbols of the apostles can be seen as you entered the Church and a statue of St. Carthage stands in the alcove above the window.
The Carnegie Library (1910)
The Library is one of many built in Ireland funded by the Carnegie Trust. Andrew Carnegie himself was born in 1835 at Dunfermline in Scotland, the son of a handloom weaver. Andrew Carnegie invested in railroads and then in iron and steel. His company, Carnegie Steel, had annual profits of $40m, of which his personal share was $25m. Then, this amazing man sold his company for $1/4 billion and devoted the rest of his life to philanthropic activities. The Carnegie Library in Lismore was erected in 1910 and has served the community faithfully ever since.
The Famine Graveyard
The census of 1841 showed an Irish population of over eight million, at least one-third of which lived almost exclusively on the potato. Then in September 1845 the crop was struck by a mysterious blight; it recurred in the succeeding years. The failure of the potato produced hardship throughout Europe, but in Ireland the situation was uniquely catastrophic - millions faced starvation. Owing to the huge number of deaths, especially from typhus and relapsing fever, the existing graveyards became a health risk, so the Duke of Devonshire presented two acres to the Roman Catholic clergy in which the victims could be buried. The Famine Graveyard remains today a grisly reminder of the local impact of the greatest catastrophe in Irish history.
The Lismore Workhouse (1839)
The Lismore workhouse was built between 1839 and 1842 and had accommodation for 500 paupers. Within a few years of opening, it was overwhelmed by the catastrophe of the Famine. At one stage there were 700 inmates, most of them starving and disease-ridden.
The Monument (1872)
The Monument was erected in 1872 in memory of Archdeacon Ambrose Power, much loved for his generosity to the poor in the area.
