King House from Military Road

This month I am taking you on a visit to the town of Boyle. I have very fond memories of this lovely town, the All Ireland Fleadh Ceoil was held in the town back in the Sixties and I was very proud to be a drummer in The Kiltubid Pipe Band that took part in the Pipe Band Competition at the Fleadh. We were delighted to take second place in the competition, and this was also the first time I took part in a mass Pipe Band, it was indeed a lovely sight and sound as nine pipe bands joined together to march down “The Crescent” and through the town. I recall well reading the report in “The Roscommon Herald” which wrote “One hundred and sixty two pipers, fifty one drummers and nine drum majors making a magical sound”.

The Family

Boyle town dates back to the early 1600s after Sir John King built his Great House on the old Curlew Pass. 1729 saw the arrival of The Mail Coach which brought with it modern progress, and in the following twenty years over 200 houses were built, six shops, one distillery and three breweries and the population of the town had grown to over 1,000. In 1846 Boyle Bridge was constructed over Boyle River at the cost of £500.

In 1862 the first steam train arrived in the town it was en-route from Longford to Sligo and two years later the town was lit by gas light. In 1875 the Sisters of Mercy set up Boyle’s first real school, although other schools existed in the town previously they were small and poor. One of the oldest businesses in the town is the family owned Feely Stone who have a stone cutting business in the town for over 200 years, The Royal Hotel has served the town since 1782.

Boyle is now a thriving business town and has a population in the region of 2,500. Since returning home to live in Sligo I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to bring many coach parties to Boyle to visit King House which is located right in the heart of the town overlooking the Boyle river. I would like to share with you a typical guided tour of this fine house.
King House is a Georgian Mansion built around 1730 by Sir Henry King, father to the 1st Earl of Kingston whose family became one of the most powerful and wealthy in Ireland. After its first life as a home, King House was converted into a military barracks for the famous Connaught Rangers from 1788 until 1922 and in more recent years the House has also been an Irish Army barracks.

In 1987 King House was in a poor state of repair and it was taken over by Roscommon County Council to provide car parking for the town! Fortunately the architectural and historic importance of this 18th century townhouse was recognised in time and a very ambitious four-year restoration process began to return the house to its former glory. Most importantly but unusual for a period property King House is now fully accessible for wheelchair users and less able bodied. Today with the aid of exciting special effects and life size models in recreated scenes visitors to the House are taken back through its compelling history.

Arriving by coach or car there are adequate parking facilities right beside the House and as you enter the house through the massive front door your tour guide greets you. Immediately you see the grand scale of the reception gallery, its original stone floor, tripartite windows and high vaulted ceiling that portrays the impression that this House was built as a status and power of the King Family.

After a formal and indeed friendly welcome by your guide you are taken on the House Tour that starts on the ground floor. The first exhibition is ‘The Kingdom of Connacht’ which is housed in the former dining room. Here you can explore the world of Gaelic Ireland, join a 16th century clan feast celebrating a successful cattle raid, listen to the story of a tragic romance, write like the monks of Boyle Abbey with quill and ink and even have the chance to dress in the attire of a Gaelic chieftain.
Then visitors make their way to the second floor of the property and view the ‘House of Kings’ exhibition, which charts the construction and restoration of this magnificent mansion. You can listen to Georgian era stonemason describe his trade and then a modern day chippie explain the huge task of restoring the house to its former glory.

Then, let the centuries fly past as you move on to the ‘Chronicles of Kings’ exhibition. This charts the King families 350 year association with the town since the arrival of Sir John King from Yorkshire in 1603. Visitors can follow the poignant and dramatic episodes of the family with stories of runaway lovers, a duel of honour and even a murder trial.

After you pass through the majestic Main Salon the focus of attention switches to ‘The fighting men from Connaught’ exhibition. The Connaught Rangers used King House as their Barracks from 1793 to 1922 and their reckless bravery earned them the name, the Devil’s Own. Here you can place yourself in the boots of a Connaght Ranger and follow their military campaigns from Iberia to Gallipoli while also discovering more about the regiment’s mutiny in India.

The tour takes you through fine rooms including ‘The Kingston Room’ ‘The Main Salon’ and ‘The Rockingham Room’ but visitors can also experience the other extreme by visiting the cold and damp jail cells in the basement of King house, where soldiers who broke military discipline were imprisoned! Throughout the House you can also view the Boyle Civic Art Collection of paintings and sculpture by the very best of contemporary Irish artists. All the tour guides are very enthusiastic and you get the feeling that they have tremendous pride in the house, most of my coach parties comment that the guides love King House as if it were their own!

In the grounds of the House there is a fine restaurant where you can have a light snack or a hearty meal. There is also a craft shop which offers a wide variety of inexpensive locally hand made crafts with some items actually made on site by local craft workers. The shop offers the visitor the chance to buy gifts as well as books on local history by local authors. In the same building you will find Una Bhan Tourism, where the staff can organise a tailor-made holiday for the walker or fisherman visiting the area, as well as organising bus tours of the area in the summer months.

Before departing King House a walk in the tastefully restored grounds is a must. On leaving the property you can cross a footbridge that spans Boyle River to the landscaped Pleasure Gardens and specially laid out adventure playground where the young visitors can enjoy a nice time in complete safety.

The house is open to visitors daily from 10am – 6pm April to September.
Pre booked groups and coach tours are welcome all year round.
Website: www.roscommoncoco.ie/kinghouse.htm
E-mail: kinghouse@roscommoncoco.ie

Until the next time its goodbye and God Bless from The Hills of Sligo.