Mayor accuses Coalition on Lissadell

The mayor of Sligo has expressed his disappointment at the Government's failure to acquire Lissadell House in Co Sligo for the State.

Mr Séan MacManus of Sinn Féin was reacting to the news that the childhood home of Countess Markievicz and her poet sister, Eva Gore-Booth, has been bought by two barristers, Mr Edward Walsh, and his wife, Ms Constance Cassidy.

While he welcomed the new owners to Co Sligo, Mr MacManus said he was disappointed the house had not been secured by the State.

"I would prefer if the Government had done its duty by buying the property, but it is obvious that they had no interest in doing that," he said.

Mr MacManus had petitioned the Government to buy the house since its sale was announced in May.

He said the Government had used the "inflated figure"of €30 million for the purchase and refurbishment of the house "to avoid doing their duty".

It is understood the purchase price of the house was about €3.5 million. The new owners have said they intend to keep the house open to the public.

"I hope they are genuine in what they say," Mr MacManus said, "but I regret that the house was purchased without what remains of its historical content."

He also hoped that the people of Sligo would continue to have access to the lands adjoining the house.

The lack of heritage legislation had prevented the house from being owned by the public, an An Taisce spokesman, Mr John Ducie, said.

"In Ireland there is no legislation to allow the voluntary sector to purchase historic properties to be held in trust for the people," he said.

Ireland was one of only four states in Europe that had no national trust or voluntary heritage trust, he said.

"I wish to applaud the intentions of the new owners to keep the house open, " Mr Ducie said.

The chairwoman of the Sligo County Tourism Committee, Ms Ita Leyden, said it was a "huge pity" that the contents of the house were not being retained by Mr Walsh and Ms Cassidy.

"We can be very thankful to this couple for keeping the house open, but I would be very concerned about the furniture not being purchased with the house," Ms Leyden said.

There were memorabilia in the house from every member of the Gore-Booth family, she said, that were intrinsic to the character of the house and the appeal it had for visitors.

"That's the history of the whole family and without that, it will be a house without a heart," she said.

Lissadell's new owners have said they intend to use it as a second home. However, they have stressed that the public will have significant access.