Derby Mercury 21 November 1849
Continued Festivities at Lismore
Castle
‘The
Duke of Devonshire [William Spencer Cavendish 1790-1858, 6th Duke] has during
his long and most welcome visit to his magnificent Castle of Lismore, given
large dinner parties every Tuesday, and frequently a ball and supper followed
afterwards. [He had arrived in Lismore in September] On Tuesday week he gave
what was intended for his farewell party; but in his great hospitality, he gave
way to his feelings and had another, the largest for the season, on Tuesday
last. And further to display those feelings of goodness and kindness…he gave on
Saturday a large dejeuner à
la fourchette (a luncheon or light meal of eggs, meat, etc), which was attended
by over 80 of the gentry and their families. Such has been the kindness and
affability of his grace since his arrival…that the utmost gloom and despondency
would affect every one of every class there, were it not for the positive
certainty that his grace will return early next season and pay a more
protracted visit to his Irish estates.
He
expressed himself highly delighted with his visit, and thinks every day, better
and better of the people. As a proof of his feeling, he has gone constantly amongst
them, walked into the houses of some of the humblest, and entered into
conversation with them. As a further proof of his intentions, he has already
devised a great addition to the castle, the works for which are to be commenced
early in the spring. The east wing of the castle was not uniform with the rest;
being of a more modern form, and not of the castellated style. This is to be
taken down, and a more appropriate building to be erected on its site. A
ballroom and supper-room are also to be built on another part, where an ancient
ruin at present stands. His grace, by these improvements, will thus effect a
double object…placing himself in a better position to indulge in that princely
hospitality…and at the same time the carrying out of those works will afford
vast employment to the tradespeople of the town and neighbourhood…He has
already laid out a beautiful walk cut in the majestic cliffs on which the
castle stands…The surrounding grounds are all now planted with evergreens. On
Friday night Mr and Mrs Currey gave a large evening party, or rather a ball, to
the tradespeople and workpeople connected with the castle, to the number of
over 100. His grace and every member of his household were present. He remained
till 3 o’clock a.m. A sumptuous supper, laid in an adjoining apartment… The
dancing was kept up with great spirit, the pianoforte being presided over by Mr
John Quin, a young gentleman of this town’.
The
duke recorded his impressions of the people: ‘A week at Lismore goes like an
hour anywhere else. My neighbours throng to see me, and all are admitted. They
have got a natural bonhomie and want of pretension that makes them very
captivating, never wanting to appear what they are not…They are always gay.’
The duke also brought along an artist- Samuel Cook, who painted a beautiful
series of watercolours of the castle before its rebuilding.
The
work of rebuilding the castle was entrusted to Joseh Paxton (1803-1865) and
photographs taken at the time by pioneer photographer Francis Edmund Currey
(the duke’s agent in Lismore) can be seen currently in an exhibition – ‘Ways of
Seeing – the albums of Francis Edmund Currey’, at St Carthage’s Hall, Lismore,
which is on show until 16 July.
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| William Spencer Cavendish 6th Duke of Devonshire Circa 1852 |
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| Engraving of Lismore Castle Circa 1824 |