Avondale House
Avondale House, in Avondale, County Wicklow, Ireland, is the birthplace and home of Charles Stewart Parnell (1846–1891) one of the greatest political leaders in Irish history.
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[edit] Place
Avondale House is set in the Avondale Forest Park of over 2 km² (500 acres), with tree trails and walks ranging in duration from one to five hours.
The house is approximately 1.5km from the nearby town of Rathdrum. The river Avonmore flows through the park on its way towards the Irish Sea.
[edit] House
It is a Georgian house, designed by James Wyatt and built in 1777. It is notable for its fine plasterwork and still contains many original pieces of furniture. The American Room is dedicated to Admiral Charles Stewart (1778-1869), Parnell's American grandfather who commanded the USS Constitution (now moored in Boston Harbor) during the War of 1812. Visitors are introduced to the house by an audio visual presentation.
Other facilities include a restaurant, book shop, picnic areas, children's play area, two orienteering courses and large car/coach park.
The outside of the house is featured in a painting in the R. Barry O'Brien 1898 biography of Parnell.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ O'Brien, R. Barry. The Life of Charles Stewart Parnell 1846-1891, Vols. I&II, Harper And Brothers, New York, 1898 (Vol.II contains the sketch of Avondale); reprinted in paperback i.a. by BiblioBazaar, 2009, ISBN 9781113799104
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