Architect: James Pain
About Adare Manor
Rising from emerald green fields in County Limerick, Ireland, Adare Manor sits on 840 acres of parkland, including formal French gardens laid out by P.C. Hardwick in the 1850s. The grounds surrounding Adare Manor encompass cultivated gardens, mature trees, ancient ruins, and the meandering Maigue River.Built in the Gothic Revival style, Adare Manor has towers, turrets, woodwork, stonework, 52 chimneys, and 365 leaded glass windows. At first glance, Adare Manor resembles a French chateau, but many of the details suggest famous Irish and English homes.
How Adare Manor Was Built
Adare Manor was not always so imposing. In the 1720s the building was a refined Georgian house, without turrets and other elaborate details. However, Lady Caroline Wyndham wanted to give her gout-stricken husband, the Second Earl of Dunraven, something to do. And, what could be a better diversion to build a grand estate?In addition to keeping the Earl busy, the construction of Adare Manor greatly benefited the nearby village of Adare, since it provided work for hundreds of villagers during the Irish potato famine. Lady Wyndham always insisted that her husband had designed the house, but the creative work was almost certainly done by local architect James Pain.
The floor plan of the entire manor is on a grand scale. For example, the Minstrel's Gallery, inspired by Versailles Hall of Mirrors, is 132 feet long and 26½ feet high and is lined with 17th-century choir stalls.
Adare Manor Today
In 1987, Adare Manor was acquired by an American family, who restored the entire building and added a swimming pool and two conference rooms. The golf course - one of the top courses in Ireland - was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and opened in 1995.Today, Adare Manor is a 5-star hotel and golf resort.
Learn More
Adare Manor Hotel and Golf ResortView a video of Adare Manor or make reservations to stay.
Architecture Bookstore
Great Irish Houses and Castles, by Jacqueline O'Brien and Desmond GuinnessNearly 300 pages of detailed information about notable Irish buildings, with hundreds of photographs (Compare Prices)
Great Houses of Ireland, by Brian De Breffny
Irish domestic architecture from 1100 to 1914. (Compare Prices)
