Friday 29 August 2014

Great Houses of the North West: new radio series

A radio series on the Great Houses of the North West has been launched on Ocean FM.

Funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht through The Heritage Council, the new radio series examines the historical role and future prospects of a number of Great Houses in Mayo, Sligo, Donegal, Roscommon, Leitrim and Fermanagh.

The passage of time and new historical research has changed our understanding of the role of the Great House. It's now recognised that, far from being isolated from the lives of the majority, the Great House played an important role in rural Ireland until well into the twentieth century. It was a world where many strands of Irish life came together – Anglo, Irish, Protestant, Catholic, nationalist, loyalist, artist, writer, Gaelgoir, worker, tenant, soldier, politician and clergyman.

The Great House also epitomises a rich architectural tradition, European in origin but distinctly Irish.

All the houses in this 25-week radio series are expertly described by specialists in their relative fields.

The series will commence this Sunday at 9am. Below are the broadcast dates for each programme.

Annaghmore – 31 August
Temple House – 7 September
Castlecoole – 14 September
Castle Dargan – 21 September
Cavancor– 28 September
Coopershill – 5 October
Crom Castle – 12 October
Enniscoe House – 19 October
Florence Court – 26 October
Hazelwood House – 2 November
Kevinsfort – 9 November
Kilronan Castle – 16 November
King House – 23 November
Lissadell House – 30 November.
Lough Eske Castle, Drumnacarry – 7 December
Lough Rynn Estate – 14 December
Markree Castle – 21 December
Newpark – 28 December
Oakfield Park – 4 January
Portnason House – 11 January
Rathcarrick House – 18 January
Salthill House – 25 January
Brownhall, Ballintooey – 1 February
Westport House – 8 February
Woodhill, Ardara – 15 February

Ocean FM broadcasts on 102.5-105fm to South Donegal, Co.Sligo and North Leitrim from studios in all three counties.