Mount Juliet Estate in Kilkenny Ireland

In 1757, young Somerset Hamilton Butler, soon to be the first Earl of Carrick, and his bride-to-be set about developing a working estate on the banks of the river Nore. The estate was a true labour of love: land on either side of the river was connected via an eight-arched stone bridge that still stands today. On a ridge overlooking the river, they built the Manor House. Stepping inside for the first time, that house instantly became a home, one that would stand for seven generations of subsequent earls and beyond. Surveying the majestic beauty that stretched out around him, with his wife by his side, Somerset found that deciding on a name for the estate came easily. Thus, Mount Juliet was born, a place for Somerset and his new wife – Lady Juliet Butler – to spend their life together. Over the next 150 years, the estate bore witness to the varied fortunes of seven earls; to the turbulence of Irish history; to the flourishes and struggles that each season brought to the land itself. In 1914, Mount Juliet was purchased by Sir Dermot McCalmont, who had fallen for the estate’s charms some years earlier and invested much of his substantial family wealth in reinvigorating the once-proud property. This meant refurbishing the Manor House with a new ballroom, stairwell and marble fireplaces, yes, but McCalmont also expanded the horizons of what the state could offer and the ways in which it could thrive. As such, he also channelled his passion and vigour into building large, modern kennels that are still used to this day, and the world-famous Ballylinch Stud, which was once home to the most celebrated two-year-old colt of the twentieth century, the Tetrarch. Just as importantly, the McCalmonts recognised the important role that the staff played and built dedicated housing for them, ensuring that throughout the political and economic twenties and thirties, the estate was able to prosper. Under the McCalmonts’ care, love had returned to Mount Juliet, and we channel that same devotion into every element of the estate as it stands today. Under the stewardship of its subsequent owner Dr. Tim Mahony, Mount Juliet became one of Europe’s most highly regarded destinations. The current custodians of the estate channel the same devotion of those previous owners into every element of the estate as it stands today. It is revered for its world class golf and beloved for its fireside singsongs; cherished for its elegantly-maintained Manor House and admired for its beautifully-rendered Hunter’s Yard. From: – https://www.mountjuliet.ie/