Ar Shlí na Cruite: Follow the Muckross Harp Trail at Muckross Traditional Farms Sat. October 27th 2012.

TheTrustees of Muckross House in conjunction with the Arts Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will host a “Harp Trail” -Slí na Cruite - at Muckross House and Traditional Farms where on one day, Saturday, October 27th 2012, Muckross will resound to the sound of harp music at the various key points of the Muckross experience: from the house itself to the shop and restaurant to the traditional cottages. Visitors will be invited to listen to the music of the Irish harp as they make their way from point to point on their tour of Muckross.

The day will comprise of a series of morning workshops in the main cottage- Quills- where Kerry harpers will have an opportunity to learn from 4 of the foremost exponents of the Irish harp in Ireland today – Marina Cassidy, (Killarney), Deirdre Granville (Dingle), Michelle Mulcahy (Limerick) and Kathleen Loughnane (Galway). The teaching will focus primarily on music of the ancient harpers.

The afternoon events will feature informal mini-sessions in each one of the cottages where the master harper will lead a harp session and give visitors, following the harp trail, insights into the ancient harpers and their music. The afternoon will conclude with a public performance from workshop participants and tutors in a specially erected marquee. This will be followed by an evening event; a public concert in Muckross House where the harp tutors will be joined by harper Aibhlín McCrann.

As this is a unique project, replicated nowhere else in Ireland, it has the potential to contribute to the renaissance of the Irish Harp in Kerry, re-imagine the tradition of the travelling harper in the 'Big House ', enhance student experience of the instrument and its music, increase audiences for the Irish harp in the area and further differentiate Muckross House and Traditional Farm as a cultural and heritage destination.

Programme:

Morning	Student workshops - prior booking is required - focus primarily on music of the ancient harpers. The workshops are not open to the members of the public.
Afternoon (1-4pm)	Muckross Harp Trail - informal mini-sessions in each one of the cottages where the master harper will lead a harp session and give visitors, following the harp trail, insights into the ancient harpers and their music. Entrance to the Muckross Traditional Farms is FREE.
Afternoon (4.30pm)	Public performance from workshop participants and tutors in a specially erected marquee at Quilles Farmhouse.
Evening (8pm)	Evening Recital in Muckross House preceded by a Wine and Canapes reception (7.15-7.45pm) in the Garden Restaurant. Tickets for evening recital and reception are €20.00

For further information on The Trustees of Muckross House please visit our web-site www.muckross-house.ie and look at the House & Gardens page and the Traditional Farms page which has images of the cottages which will be used as part of the Harp Trail.

Muckross featured on the National Geographic Website! -- National Geographic Photo of the Day

Muckross featured in National Geographic's photo of the day today! You can see it here:
Ireland Picture -- Landscape Photo -- National Geographic Photo of the Day

Muckross Bookbindery - Original Kerry Crafts

Mucros Bookbindery and Paper Conservation Workshop

At our workshop, in Killarney National Park, we employ traditional bookbinding skills, with modern conservation methods, to provide the very best, all-round, care for items on paper.

We undertake rare book and paper repairs on early printed books, manuscripts and maps, as well as on leather bindings and vellum documents. The only materials that we use are of archival quality and are acid free.

Completed project in presentation box

Over the past thirty years, we have worked closely with many clients throughout the country, from libraries, colleges and museums, to the antiquarian and book publishing trades. Our reputation for a high quality service has largely grown by word of mouth. We are happy to advise you on how to protect your collections for the future.

We enjoy the variety and challenges of our work, from the rebinding and repair of books, to disaster response for those collections damaged by floodwaters or fire. For more see our Website.

If you would like to discuss a particular project,

Please contact Paul Curtis at:

Tel. No. 00 353 (0) 64 6670151

E-mail:  bindery@muckross-house.ie

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Mucros Weavers

 

For over thirty years Mucros Weavers have produced quality woven accessories, under the expert eye of master weaver John Cahill. Our colourful scarves,stoles, capes, caps, bags and rugs are made from

materials such as wool, mohair, viscose and alpaca.
 


Visitors to Muckross House can still see spinning and weaving carried out the traditional way, in our craft workshop.From small beginnings, Mucros Weavers have grown to supply over one hundred shops world wide, in countries such as the USA, Canada, France, Germany and Japan.



These beautiful scarves are hand woven from the finest materials at the Mucros Weaving Workshop situated in the grounds of Muckross House near the picturesque town of Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland.



             Our headwear and scarf collection add elegance and style to any outfit.

A view of Muckross Lake as seen from Muckross
House, where our workshop is located.

A Weaver at work.


 




Our range includes a wide array of quality products,

including caps, scarves,shawls, rugs and handbags,
as can be seen below.


More of our range can be seen on our website, www.mucrosweaving.com.
 


  


Sinéad Bag and matching Newsboy Cap

At Ireland's Creative Expo, Showcase Ireland, Mucros Weavers were voted Supplier of the Year for 2012, for Textiles, Apparel and Accessories. This is the third successive year that Mucros Weavers have won this prestigious award.

       



Contact John Cahill at:                      
Tel No. 00 353 (0) 64 6670156 
         or 00 353 (0) 64 6634526
Fax No. 00 353 (0) 64 6634605
E-mail: weaving@muckross-house.ie


 

151 years today since Queen Victoria's visit to Muckross House!

The Herbert Family of Muckross enjoyed a high social standing, which reached its climax in 1861, with the visit of Queen Victoria to Killarney. Although the Queen had visited Ireland on two previous occasions, in 1849 and 1853, this was the first time that Kerry was included in her itinerary.

The Queen was accompanied by Albert, the Prince Consort, the Prince of Wales, Prince Alfred, Princess Alice and Princess Helena.

 

Queen Victoria (1819-1901) of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India,
ascended the throne in 1837

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
was born in 1819 and
married Queen Victoria in 1840.
He died of typhoid in December 1861
 

The Royal party stayed the night of Monday, 26 August, at Killarney House, home of the Earl of Kenmare. They then travelled on to Muckross, where they spent the following two nights. The Queen's visit to Killarney House was very much a state occasion. However, her stay at Muckross was a much more private affair. The local press reported that Her Majesty 'had declared her intention of being "very quiet" while at Muckross.' (Kerry Evening Post, Wednesday 28 August 1861).


                           



 

Albert Edward (1841-1910), Prince of Wales.
Ascended the throne as Edward VII in January
 1901 following the death of his mother Queen Victoria

At 6.30 pm on the evening of Monday, 26 August, the Royal train arrived in Killarney from Dublin. The Royal party were then escorted to Killarney House, where a large dinner was held that evening. The next day the Queen embarked at Ross Castle for a day on the Lakes. Lunch was served at Glena Cottage. In the evening the party returned to Ross Quay, from where they were escorted back to Killarney House.










Queen Victoria spent the night of Monday 26 August,
in this house, known as Killarney House.
It was demolished during the 1870s

At about 6.30pm that same evening, Tuesday 27 August, the Queen and her family set out for Muckross. They were accompanied by The Right Hon. Henry Arthur Herbert, Viscount Castlerosse (of the Kenmare family) and a troop of the Royal Dragoons. The Times described how Mr and Mrs Herbert received the Queen on the lawn at the door of Muckross House. A host of other ladies and gentlemen were also present and greeted the Queen enthusiastically.
(The Times, Friday 30 August 1861).



Queen Victoria spent the night of Monday 26
August,in this house, known as Killarney House.
It was demolished during the 1870s

Elaborate preparations had been carried out at Muckross for the Royal visit. Tapestries, mirrors, Persian carpets, silverware, musical instruments, linen, china and servants uniforms, are all said to have been specially commissioned for the occasion. The curtains, which still hang in the Dining Room of Muckross House, were specially woven, probably in Paris, for the occasion.

Queen's Bedroom, Muckross House




 Window Upholstery installed in
 the Diningroom 
of Muckross House for the visit of
Queen Victoria in August 1861

The Queen's apartments at Muckross were described in the local press as follows:
'An entire section of the mansion has been set apart for the royal family, so that all their apartments communicate without the necessity of passing into the corridors to be used by other occupants of the house. The Queen will live here in privacy, and from the windows of her rooms she can walk into delightful grounds, which will be kept private during her stay at Muckross. In her sitting room - which, like all the others, is a splendid apartment furnished richly and tastefully, there is a series of views of the Lakes of Killarney, painted by Mrs Herbert. They are works of the highest artistic excellence.'
(Kerry Evening Post, Wednesday 28 August 1861).




Torc Waterfall, Killarney

                    
The following day the Queen, accompanied in her carriage by Mrs Herbert, drove around the Muckross Demesne, visiting Dinis Island, Mangerton and Torc waterfall.




Mr Herbert's Staghunt, Killarney, Upper Lake,
 1878, by W.A. Nesfield





Following lunch at Muckross House, the party then embarked at Muckross boathouse for Tomies to view a stag hunt upon the Lake.
(Kerry Evening Post, Saturday 31 August 1861).


On Thursday 29th August, the morning of her departure, Queen Victoria visited Muckross Abbey, a fifteenth century Franciscan friary within the Muckross demesne. Eleanor, the eldest Herbert daughter described this visit as having been, 'very quiet, hardly any of the suite with us, they were all enchanted and wandered over it gathering ferns and leaves as recollections. She is to have ivy from the Abbey and ferns from various places sent to Osborne as recollections of this place.'

Watercolour of Muckross Abbey, 1861, by Mary Balfour Herbert.
Queen's Bedroom, Muckross House

Before departing from Muckross, the Queen sent for Mrs Mary Herbert and presented her with a bracelet of gold, pearls and diamonds. Her daughters, Eleanor and Blanche, also each received a piece of jewellery. The Royal Collection at Windsor Castle contains three water-colours by Mary Herbert. Presumably Mary presented these to the Queen on her departure.

At noon the Royal party left Muckross House for Killarney Railway station. There they boarded their train for Dublin, which they reached in just a little over five hours. Mr Miller, Chief engineer of the Great Southern and Western Railway drove the train both to and from Killarney. (Kerry Evening Post, Saturday 31 August 1861). The unstable financial situation of the Herberts in the late nineteenth century may have stemmed from the outlay involved in preparations for this Royal visit.

Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms, one of Killarneys Top 3 attractions!

Image courtesy of Tripadvisor

Did you know that Muckross House, Gardens & Traditional Farms is rated as one of the 3 best visitor attractions in Killarney on Tripadvisor? Almost 94% of reviewers rated it at 4 or 5 stars, describing it as excellent or very good, the highest ratings possible on Tripadvisor!

 

Image courtesy of Tripadvisor
 

 

 

We are delighted to hear that our visitors are enjoying their visits so much! Why not add your reviews if you have visited us, we would love to hear about your experience! And if you haven’t had the chance to visit us yet, then don't just take our word for it, hear what visitors themselves have to say and pay us a visit!

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/Attraction_Review-g186612-d190062-Reviews-Muckross_House_and_Gardens-Killarney_County_Kerry.html#REVIEWS

A short history of Muckross House.

Muckross House

This nineteenth century Victorian mansion is set against the stunning beauty of Killarney National Park. The house stands close to the shores of Muckross Lake, one of Killarney's three lakes, famed worldwide for their splendour and beauty. As a focal point within Killarney National Park, Muckross House is the ideal base from which to explore this landscape.

A still morning on Muckross Lake

Muckross House was built for Henry Arthur Herbert and his wife, the water-colourist Mary Balfour Herbert. This was actually the fourth house that successive generations of the Herbert family had occupied at Muckross over a period of almost two hundred years. William Burn, the well-known Scottish architect, was responsible for its design. Building commenced in 1839 and was completed in 1843.

Muckross House, probably mid 1860s

Rhododendrons in bloom during the month of May, Muckross Gardens.

 Originally it was intended that Muckross House should be a larger, more ornate, structure. The plans for a bigger servants' wing, stable block, orangery and summer-house, are believed to have been altered at Mary's request. Today the principal rooms are furnished in period style and portray the elegant lifestyle of the nineteenth century landowning class. In the basement, one can imagine the busy bustle of the servants as they went about their daily chores.

Autumn colours, Muckross Gardens

During the 1850s, the Herberts undertook extensive garden works in preparation for Queen Victoria's visit in 1861. Later, the Bourn Vincent family continued this gardening tradition. They purchased the estate from Lord and Lady Ardilaun early in the twentieth century. It was at this time that the Sunken Garden, Rock Garden and the Stream Garden were developed.

For more information about Muckross House, the estate and its history see our website here.