The Ireland Branch’s annual Summer Outing took place on Saturday, 10th August and was a terrific success, enjoyed by all, despite the rain.
We visited two grand houses, Beaulieu House and Listoke Demesne, both in County Louth. At Beaulieu (pronounced "Bewley") a member of the family, Cara Konig, gave us a guided tour, though not before having first swept us in and given us tea, coffee and cake! Unusually, Beaulieu has been passed down through the female line over quite a number of generations. At Listoke Raymond Gogan, whose wive's mother inherited the property from her godmother, told us, with great good humour, the history of the house and demesne and of some of its more interesting, ghostly, owners!
Both are clearly passionate about their legacies and very dedicated to keeping them in good order. Listoke has an art gallery and tea-room and it, and Beaulieu, offer accommodation.
We had a super lunch at the Scholars Townhouse Hotel in Drogheda, where we were addressed by Gay Conroy (Chairperson, Ireland Branch) and Steven Smyrl (Chairman, IGRS). Steven thanked the Ireland Branch Committee for organising the Summer Outing, in particular Gay Conroy, Bernadette Cass and Catherine Delaney.
The rain obliged by stopping to allow us visit the charming and pretty gardens at the two properties. En route, we stopped for a quick visit to the Monasterboice graveyard which contains three impressive early Christian stone high crosses. Perhaps divine intervention held off the rain there, too?
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