Two senior barristers are proud new owners of Lissadell

The buyers of Lissadell, the former home of Countess Constance Markievicz, have emerged as two senior counsel, Mr Edward Walsh and his wife, Ms Constance Cassidy.

While details of the sale of the Co Sligo estate remain confidential, it is believed the purchase price was around 3.5 million. The couple, who live in Morristown Lattin, a period home near Naas, Co Kildare, intend to use Lissadell as a second home for their family of seven children.

It will remain open to the public. "I think it would have been very unfortunate if it had been sold to someone who was very, very wealthy and wanted it completely and utterly private. It would have been a great loss to the public," Mr Walsh said yesterday.

The announcement of the proposed sale by Sir Josslyn Gore-Booth, in The Irish Times property pages in May, led to pleas to the Government to buy it for the State. According to Mr Walsh, Sir Josslyn "certainly gave the State first option", but it was clear by mid-July that it was no longer interested.

"Lissadell will remain very much a family home," he said, "but the intention is also to restore it to its turn-of-the-century grandeur and finery, and to make it work to justify itself and become a focus for tourism. It probably has a unique position in Co Sligo from a historical perspective. We are wide open to ideas, and are interested in anything that can be done to make it functional."

The couple have already spoken to "a number of people in Government". He added: "The public will have significant access but in a manner which they will hopefully respect."