Emo Court

Emo Court was begun in 1790 for John Dawson, first Earl of Portarlington, to a design by James Gandon - the architect of the Custom House and the Four Courts, and this is one of the few country houses he designed. The earl died in 1798 and the work stalled; it was continued by Lewis Vulliamy in the 1830s and completed by William Caldbeck in the 1860s, so the building spans three architects and seventy years. The rotunda beneath the copper dome is the set piece, lined with scagliola columns imitating marble. The Jesuits owned it as a novitiate from 1930 and painted over much of the decoration; Major Cholmeley Dering Cholmondeley Harrison bought it in 1969 and spent decades restoring it before giving it to the state in 1994. The grounds hold a large arboretum, a lake walk and an avenue of giant sequoias.

History

James Gandon designed the house in 1790 for John Dawson, first Earl of Portarlington, one of the few houses he designed. Building began in the 1790s, the earl died in 1798, and the house was not completed until the time of the third earl in the 1860s (Wikipedia, Emo Court).

Highlights

• The rotunda - domed, with scagliola columns imitating marble.
• The Gandon design - one of his few country houses.
• The sequoia avenue - giant redwoods along the approach.
• The lake and arboretum - free parkland walks around the house.

When to go

April to October for house tours, which are seasonal and by guided tour only. The parkland and arboretum are open year-round. Rhododendrons and azaleas peak in May and June.

Practical notes

House access is seasonal, guided only, and closed for much of the year. The interiors were damaged during the Jesuit period and the restoration is partial. Parkland is free but parking charges apply.

Nearby

Portarlington is north; the Rock of Dunamase and Portlaoise are south-west.

Key facts