Home » Lifestyle » Merchant House stands proud once more

Merchant House stands proud once more


Former young historian of the year, Paul Gleeson, talks to John Rainsford about a remarkable renovation project in Kilrush

 

 

Paul Gleeson in the restored house.WITH bricks and mortar no longer the gold mines they used to be, it takes a brave person to contemplate the restoration of a near-derelict house.
Fact is stranger than fiction, however, which may be why Paul Gleeson has undertaken the renovation of the old Merchant’s House in Kilrush. Having acquired the property in 2008, after his family’s initial purchase back in 1989, he explains the project’s attraction.

“In the 1980s, I used to watch an RTÉ series on the Great Houses of Ireland, which first awakened my interest in architectural history. It is very important that we preserve our built heritage for future generations. Without a visible past, we cannot have an authentic future.

“Indeed, from the first moment I entered the property, I fell in love with it and this emotion was copper-fastened when I saw the original 1811 lease. Thankfully, apart from the removal of the shop front and the pub interior, the Merchant’s House has been left largely untouched by the advances of the 20th century.”

Paul worked in the property world for several years, acquiring invaluable experience in development and management along the way. This gave him the necessary skills to undertake a sensitive project of this nature.

The Merchant’s House is located in an architectural conservation area. Renovations, therefore, could only be carried out with the explicit permission of the planning authority.
Lahiff Foley Architects prepared the planning application. Having received this, Paul completed the restoration in 2011. The house is now available to let as a heritage holiday home. It is the first such property in the town of Kilrush and one of only two existing in Clare today.

The provenance of the old house is impeccable. Local landlord John Ormsby Vandeleur inherited the family estate in 1796. Back then, following the receipt of a substantial dowry and an ‘incentive’ for voting in favour of the Act of Union, he was particularly well heeled.

He wasted little time, therefore, in implementing his plan to link the old town of Kilrush with a rapidly developing port by the creek. Subsequently, the Merchant’s House, which is located on the northern side of Market Square, was built at the start of the 1800s.

“At that time, in order to provide a long-term income, it was common to grant developers ground leases for the building of residential houses and shops,” said Paul.
“The house was first leased by Bartholomew Glynn, a member of Kilrush’s leading merchant family (M Glynn and Co), in 1811. This family continued to own the freehold of the property until 1942. In the meantime, they leased it to various tenants. The first of these was the Clancy family in 1895. The Clancys were part of a growing middle class of shopkeepers, who were both Catholic and socially mobile.”

Young George Clancy (13) was sent to live in Limerick with his uncle (also called George Clancy but known affectionately as the ‘Governor’) in order to attend secondary school.
Tragically, he was killed, along with two others, in a fire at 48 William Street on March 29/30, 1913. His uncle and namesake never fully recovered. The Limerick Chronicle, at the time, considered it “the most calamitous outbreak that has taken place in this city within recent memory”.

In November 1901, the Ryans took their place as tenants. Thomas Ryan was a labourer who had lived in Chapel Street before acquiring the lease for a public house on the Market Square.
Thomas’ daughter, Katherine, was an opera singer, who trained in Covent Garden in London. Indeed, on trips home she would perform impromptu concerts from the first-floor drawing room window of the house. Thomas Ryan (senior) died in the 1920s and he was followed by Thomas junior. The Ryans finally moved out in 1939.
Paul states, “In 1942, the Glynns sold the freehold of the property to Tom and Ann McDermott. They continued to run the property as a public house, whilst selling shoes and acting as an agent for the Irish Sweepstakes on the side.

“The McDermotts’ son, Joe (also called Gerry), is today a professional golfer, based in the USA. In 1966 and 1967, the house was sold twice, first to the Looney and then to the Downes’ family. Finally, in 1968, it was purchased by Pat Dan Lynch, who removed the shop front, whilst turning the pub into a sitting room.”

By 2009, the property had reached an advanced state of deterioration. This had been caused by years of water damage. Indeed, the staircase and a large part of the rear of the property were in danger of falling down. Paul decided to start the restorative works immediately in order to ensure that as much of the interior and its features as possible could be saved.

“The renovations were time consuming and expensive,” said Paul. “As the old house was taken apart to facilitate the work, additional issues were unearthed, slowing down the project and requiring additional funds.

“Systemic problems included rotten beams, wet rot and cracking in the rear wall. We also uncovered several blocked-up windows, pencil markings on the woodwork, sawdust and even a Thomas Barry autograph.”
Once the structural works were completed and the original fittings carefully cleaned and returned to their original positions, some items had to be changed.

In the end, Paul replaced all 10 timber sash windows. The windows were made locally, just like the original ones. The house was then fitted out with appropriate antique furniture, pictures and fittings.
“I enjoyed attending auctions and picking up bits and pieces for the house. Indeed, I am still on the lookout for items that have a connection with the property and its former occupants.
“This gives our guests a sense of the history of the place. My sister, Sarah Hogan, is an interior designer and she assisted with the colour scheme. The end result is a heritage holiday home similar to the Irish Landmark Trust Properties, Paul said.”

The Merchant’s House now has a future from both an historical appreciation and tourism point of view. With Kilrush, designated as a heritage town, Paul would like to see more tourists visit and perhaps stay in the area for a while.
“At present, the challenge is to generate some business via the short-term letting of the residential part of the property,” he said. “The revenue obtained will be used to pay for the final phase of the restoration.

“The residential areas, which are located on the first and second floors, have been completed. The final phase will involve the re-instatement of the original shop front and some minor upgrading of the ground floor retail unit.

“However, this usage will never repay the full outlay involved. The conservation of the property is, from a custodian’s point of view, far more important.” 
Paul decided to open the house during National Heritage Week in August 2012 and without any advertising, received 40 guests. He took his visitors on a tour of the house and recounted its history. Indeed, he is planning to open the house again this year.

“My wish would be to see a small collection of heritage holiday homes in Kilrush that are available to guests,” added Paul. “You could have different sizes of properties all located within the town. This would be a better experience, for guests than merely staying in identikit forms of accommodation. It would certainly mark Kilrush out from other tourist destinations.

“Preserving the past is the key to our future. We need to encourage children to develop an interest in local architecture and history. Important national buildings are better protected today but the houses and buildings of ‘ordinary citizens’, such as my house, are often overlooked.

“We could do with a National Trust-type organisation in Ireland, to restore and protect our remaining ‘big houses’ and their original contents, for future generations.”

A two-time recipient of the Young Historian of the Year Award for County Clare (1989 and 1990), Paul Gleeson is author of the guide Kilrush: A Walking Tour.

About News Editor

Check Also

Living in the community of art in Ennistymon

Over the past six months, a diverse group of people have been coming together each …