The Big Houses of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

The Big House formed the private domain for generations of the political, military and financial elites of Ireland and while it was largely removed from the everyday experience of Irish men and women, it often stood at the centre of the local economy, providing employment for those living in the area. The world of the Big House became increasingly unsteady as Ireland tilted towards independence and the grand houses that survived the fires of the 1920s faced further change during the twentieth century. Many of them were adapted and changed for use as convents, hospitals and schools.
 
There is an accompanying publication of the same title available at dlr LexIcon or Dubray Books, price 15 euros.

See also the online exhibition Cottages in Livery: The Gate Lodges of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown

Curated by David Gunning, dlr Historian in Residence, the exhibition is part of a wider initiative that focuses on the Big Houses of Dún Laogahire-Rathdown, supported by the Decade of Centenaries, funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media.