EXPERIENCE LISSANOURE CASTLE

A BRIEF HISTORY OF LISSANOURE CASTLE

It passed in due course to his only grandson, George (born 1737) later Envoy Extraordinary to Catherine the Great, Chief Secretary for Ireland, President of Fort St. George, Madras, Ambassador to China, Govenor of the Cape of Good Hope, Earl in the Irish Peerage and Baron in the British Peerage.

The estate remained with the Macartney family until the beginning of the last century when it was acquired by the Mackie family.

Today, it is still a traditional family estate with farming and forestry and it is owned and managed by Peter and Emily Mackie. They have continued the restoration work, started by his parents, of the castle and the gardens.

Lissanoure Castle, surrounded by lush green lawns and pathways under a clear blue sky.
A scenic view of a calm lake surrounded by lush green trees under a clear blue sky with some clouds. Tall reeds are in the foreground.

There has been a settlement at Lissanoure since Celtic times because of its naturally defensive position. In the middle of the lake there is a crannóg (an artificial island normally dating from the Iron Age and used for defence).

The earliest record of a castle situated at Lissanoure dates from 1300. There is some confusion about who built it, some records naming Sir Philip Savage and other records showing Richard Óg de Burgh, second Earl of Ulster (also known as The Red Earl).

The estate passed to the O’Hara family of Crebilly in the early part of the fourteenth century. There are maps dated 1610 and published by John Speede, showing the castle (called Castle Balan) sited on the north shore of the lake.

The estate was sold in 1733 to George Macartney, a member of the Irish Parliament, for over fifty-four years.

Snow-covered bench by a frozen lake at sunrise, surrounded by trees and tall grasses.
Frosty river landscape with bare trees and icy grass on a clear day.
Tranquil lake scene with clear blue sky, surrounded by lush green trees and vegetation, reflecting on the water's surface. A small wooden structure is visible in the distance.
Sheep grazing in a green field with trees and a stone building in the background on a clear day.
A lush green forest with trees and purple wildflowers.
Lissanoure Castle, stone walls, and ivy growth, surrounded by green lawns and gravel paths under a blue sky.
Lissanoure Castle covered with ivy, small window, flowering trees, cloudy sky.
Sheep grazing in a grassy field with large green trees and a lake in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Sunny landscape with grassy pathway, tall trees, and a stone castle partially visible in the background.
Snow-covered Lissanoure Castle courtyard surrounded by a curved stone building with multiple windows, under a cloudy blue sky.

LISSANOURE CASTLE ESTATE HOUSES AND COTTAGES TO RENT

Charming white cottage surrounded by lush greenery and trees, located near a pond.

LET

THE WHITE LODGE

This picturesque gate lodge was built around 1860 on the south entrance to the estate on the edge of Loughguile Lake.

Stone house with brick accents and green door

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THE RECTORY WING

Originally part of the main Rectory, this is a charming four-bedroom property with an enclosed garden.

Stone house with arched windows and a central door flanked by trimmed bushes.

LET

THE RECTORY

The eighteenth-century Rectory is situated at the main entrance to Lissanoure Castle opposite the church. It has an enclosed garden.

Small stone house with symmetrical windows, central door, and a pitched roof surrounded by greenery.

LET

GAMEKEEPER'S HOUSE

This was designed by J B Keane and was built around 1830 for George Hume Macartney as the gate lodge to the north entrance of the estate.