One of the pinnacles of Ireland’s early modern architectural achievement found its expression in the stately homes and their associated formal gardens, situated across the country.

Many of these houses are beautifully decorated with original furnishings and contain a treasure trove of artefacts and relics from the families who once lived in them.

Find out about the extraordinary inhabitants of these places and their fascinating lives. Discover the story of Elizabeth St Leger of Doneraile Estate, the first woman Freemason in the world; of the celebrated painter Derek Hill, who lived and worked at Glebe House from the 1950s until the 1980s; or of Daniel ‘the Liberator’ O’Connell, one of the greatest figures of Irish history, whose ancestral home was Derrynane House in County Kerry.