The owners of Bantry House in Co Cork, who are planning to sell its contents by auction next month, previously declined a substantial offer of grant aid from the Heritage Council which would have enabled them to maintain the collection. This was because of the conditions attached to it.
The Shellswell White family, descendants of the earls of Bantry, would have had to provide 25 per cent of the funding from their own resources.
"When the coffers are bare and debt is already significant, such funds are difficult to produce," said architect Paul Arnold. "Great country houses require great amounts of money and support. Bantry House has tapped in to available funds for garden restoration and house repair on a number of occasions over the last 30 years. However, it remains grossly undercapitalised.
Aladdin’s cave “In order to compensate for the shortfall, capital has been raised through the disposal of assets,” Mr Arnold said. “Early photographs show an Aladdin’s cave of tapestries and furniture, which has gradually been converted into cash for maintenance.”
Money raised from the sale of land to IDA Ireland supported the creation of a coach park, the renewal of extensive copper guttering on the mid-19th century mansion's roof and the refurbishment of its east wing as guest accommodation.
Community employment schemes contributed to the east wing work as well as restoration of the Italianate garden, while the Great Gardens of Ireland scheme supported a partial restoration of the walled garden, Mr Arnold explained.
Other grant aid from the Heritage Council supported the renovation works including the renewal of the rooflight over the central staircase – one of its great features.
But he said its continuing operation as a historic property and venue for the West Cork Music Festival "has only been possible because of [the family's] personal commitment, arising out of a sense of social duty and a familial pride in continuity of habitation".
A comprehensive conservation report on the house, compiled by Paul Arnold Architects in 2007, said its contents would be catalogued and "the possibility of reacquiring items alienated from the house in previous generations" was to be evaluated.
Michael Starrett, director of the Heritage Council, has expressed concern about the planned sale of contents, saying the Government’s depleted Heritage Fund should be replenished to enable Bantry House to be saved intact.
Heritage tourism
“Properties as empty shells with no semblance of the important collections that families have accumulated is not my idea of good heritage conservation or management – and certainly any spin-off regarding heritage tourism would be severely dissipated.”
The Irish Heritage Trust, established in 2007 to take over threatened historic properties, said it had “tried to help” the owners of Bantry House, but the situation was complex as it remained in private ownership, although open to the public since 1946.
