Looking through a wrought-iron gate towards one of the ruined twin gothic lodges of Ballysaggartmore, County Waterford. Now deep in woodland, the estate was developed in the 1830s by Arthur Kiely-Ussher, supposedly spurred on by his wife who wished to surpass the efforts of her brother-in-law at Strancally Castle in the same county. However, the Kiely-Usshers’ ambitions exceeded their revenues and in 1853 Ballysaggartmore was offered for sale by the Encumbered Estates Court. The main house was burnt out in 1922 and now only ancillary buildings such as these gutted lodges remain to testify to the folly of the Kiely-Usshers.
More on Ballysaggartmore soon.
In the early seventys an american called Paul Foody took a lease 99 years on the gate lodge,where he lived for several years. He later returned to America.
The last family to live in the Grand Lodges were Jack & Eileen (Corcoran) Geoghegan, Bill Murphy and Eily (Barry) had lived in the opposite lodge, Murphy’s emigrated to England (Brighton). That lodge was eventually and occasionaly occupied by Paul Foody. Other families were Jack Clancy and his wife (Nee Baldwin) and Kate Prendergast / Kennealy.. the Clancy and Prendergast houses were demolished. Kate had lived in Hackensach, New Jersey, she had a lovely piece advertising the White Star Line in her hallway..