The garden front of Gurteen le Poer, County Waterford. The present house was completed in 1866 to designs of Samuel Ussher Roberts, great-grandson of the 18th century Waterford architect John Roberts. It was built for Edmond de la Poer, created a papal count after serving as Private Chamberlain to Pope Pius X. Count de la Poer was a descendant of Roger la Poer who had accompanied Strongbow to Ireland and was then granted land here by Henry II in 1177. This particular branch of the family remained Roman Catholic and supporters of James II, and after being attainted in 1691 they were denied both the title of Baron la Poer and the main estate at Curraghmore. For the past twenty years Gurteen le Poer has been home to Austrian-born artist Gottfried Helnwein and his family who are at present restoring the gardens.
‘…Gottfried Helnwein and his family…are at present restoring the gardens.’
Please say thank you for us.
It had a few near misses before the present owners.Didn,t the de la Poer,s sell it but stayed on for their lifetime,something like that.
A friend told me he had recently purchased a country estate……I was bemused………he later clarified- a Volvo!