Lissadell House and Gardens

About the museum

Lissadell House was built between 1830 and 1835 for Sir Robert Gore-Booth to a Greek Revival design by the architect Francis Goodwin. It stands on the shore of Drumcliff Bay below Ben Bulben, north of Sligo town. The house is best known as the childhood home of Constance Markievicz, a leader of the 1916 Rising and the first woman elected to the House of Commons, and of her sister Eva Gore-Booth, a poet and suffragist. The poet W. B. Yeats stayed here in the 1890s and later wrote about the house and the two sisters.

After the Gore-Booth family left, the house fell into decay over several decades. It was bought in 2003 by Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy, who restored the house, the gardens and the stable block over the following years without public grants. The couple and their family still live on the estate, which they open to visitors during the season.

Visitors tour the restored reception rooms, the gallery with its chamber organ, the billiard room, the limestone staircase and the servants' quarters in the basement. Exhibition halls in the coach house show historical material, including plans connected with the 1916 Rising and literary editions by Yeats and his contemporaries. The grounds include a Victorian walled flower garden, an alpine garden by the sea, woodland walks and a memorial garden for the singer Leonard Cohen.

Highlights

• Guided tours of the restored Georgian house with its gallery, reception rooms and servants' quarters
• Childhood home of Countess Markievicz and Eva Gore-Booth, linked to W. B. Yeats
• Exhibition halls in the coach house
• Victorian walled flower garden, alpine garden and woodland walks
• Setting on Drumcliff Bay under Ben Bulben

Permanent exhibitions

• Guided tour of Lissadell House – A tour of the restored house as it was in the 1890s, with the gallery, reception rooms, billiard room and basement servants' quarters.
• Exhibition halls – Collections in the coach house that cover local, political and literary history, including 1916 material and editions by Yeats and his circle.

Operated by

Lissadell Estate (private owners)

Admission & discounts

Prices are the 2026 guided house tour prices listed by Irish Historic Houses; the estate's own website does not show a price list while the estate is closed.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The house dates from 1833 and is not wheelchair accessible. The estate asks visitors to be mobile, as there is a lot of walking. Dogs are not permitted on the estate.

Kids & families

A reduced child ticket is offered for the house tour.

Getting there & parking

Lissadell is 16 km north of Sligo town. From Sligo take the N15 north past Rathcormack, turn left after Drumcliff for Carney, and continue about 6 km west through Carney; the entrance is the third on the left, opposite the Church of Ireland church built in the 1850s.

Amenities & dining

There is a reception desk where cameras can be left.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit