Work continues on the renovation of Ormond Castle an Elizabethan manor house on the banks of the Suir.
Ormond Castle in Carrick on Suir is one of the finest examples of an Elizabethan manor house in Ireland.
Dating from the 1560s the house was constructed by Thomas the tenth Earl of Ormond (also known as 'Black Tom') on an existing castle site overlooking the river Suir.
Restoration work has been ongoing here since the 1940s and while the building itself is now structurally secure, the attention of the Office of Public Works (OPW) has turned to the interior. Over many years the house was stripped of furniture and art works. This is very much a long-term project but as Louis Feely from the OPW explains, their aim is to
Bring it back to its former splendour.
Best practice is applied to every aspect of the work. Irish oak has been used for floorboards, and period furnishings are acquired when they come on the market.
Two pieces have recently come from Luttrellstown Castle but the services of antique dealers are also used, so that the rooms are as close to the period as is possible.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 30 July 1984. The reporter is Michael Ryan.
