Exciting weekend of classical music at Doneraile Court

AT opening of the ground floor of the stately 18th century Doneraile Court last June, OPW principal officer Mary Heffernan pledged the event would herald an “exciting new era” for the stately building and its surrounding Demense.

Already the process is in chain to convert the first floor into a dedicated exhibition space with hopes high that it and a new ticket office in one of the adjacent outhouses will be ready top open next spring.

The masterplan for Doneraile House and its Demense also entails the restoration of its unique 17th, 18th and 19th century gardens to create what Ms Heffernan said would be a “cultural destination to rival any of the other great Irish houses and grounds.”

That vision also entails the creation of a varied and exciting programme of cultural events in Doneraile, with the first of these being a fascinating exhibition about the life of Anglo-Irish writer Elizabeth Bowen, which is currently on display in Doneraile Court.

Doneraile Court is also open for guided tours, with a team of expert guides in place to take people through the storied history of the house from its foundations in the 1700’s up to the present day.

The building has also been hosting an exciting array of cultural events, the latest of which will take place over the weekend of September 14 and 15.

The first night will feature a recital by the Anime Violin Trio from Serbia, which will feature an exciting programme of works by composers including Dejan Despic, Ian Wilson, JS Bach, Telemann and Mozart.

The following night the man described by the Irish Times as ‘one of Ireland’s most distinctive guitarists’, Redmond O’Toole, will perform a recital on an 8-string Brahms guitar.

Tickets for each night, priced at €15 or €50 for a family of four, are available from www.eventbrite.ie.

For full details of other upcoming events at Doneraile Court over the coming weeks visit www.donerailestate.ie.