Sunday 12 July 2015

Ballysaggartmore Towers


The other day we had a jaunt over to the Ballysaggartmore Towers or 'The Towers' as they're known locally, near Lismore, Waterford. They're reached by a woodland loop walk of about 2km, with a small stream running alongside the path.

 
 
The Towers were built in 1834 for Arthur Kiely-Ussher as main entrance lodges to Ballysaggartmore House to please his wife, who apparently wanted to keep up with her sister-in-law who lived at the grand Strancally Castle.
 
 
 
 
Arthur also planned to build a huge mansion, but that didn't materialize as he ran out of money.
The majority of his 8000 acre estate was rented to tenant farmers, but he was a cruel landlord, evicting tenants who were unable to pay the rent during the harsh famine. There was a plot to kill him during that time, but it was unsuccessful.
 
 
Following Arthur's death in 1862, the estate was sold by a liquidator and later the house was destroyed in an arson attack during the civil war.
 
Across the bridge and through the arch, the path carries on to the other tower.
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Nothing to do with the Towers, but I couldn't resist posting these photos of some gorgeous little calves in a field near us.
 
 
 
Ermintrude. :-)
 
 
Thanks for dropping by.