Kilcleagh Park, Kilcleagh, Co. Westmeath
Kilcleagh Park stands as a testament to centuries of Irish country house evolution, its elegant form revealing two distinct periods of construction that blend harmoniously together.
Kilcleagh Park, Kilcleagh, Co. Westmeath
The original late eighteenth-century block was commissioned by Thomas Daly, who served as High Sheriff of Westmeath, and built on a site with even deeper roots; an earlier house, possibly fortified, had occupied this spot since the 1600s. Today, the building showcases how Georgian refinement was successfully married with later Victorian additions, creating a cohesive whole that retains much of its original character.
The architectural details of Kilcleagh Park reveal the skill and artistry of its builders across different eras. The original doorcase, cleverly composed to resemble a Venetian opening, creates a visual dialogue with the matching Venetian window positioned directly above it, demonstrating the Georgian love of symmetry and proportion. A particularly striking feature is the Italianate porch, added during the late nineteenth-century extension, which the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage notes as being of high artistic merit. The bracketed eaves cornice serves both a practical and aesthetic purpose, running around the entire building to unite the original Georgian block with its Victorian addition.
The house maintains many of its period features, from the natural slate roof to the distinctive hoodmouldings that frame its windows. These elements, combined with the building’s good proportions and careful preservation, make Kilcleagh Park an important example of how Irish country houses evolved over time, adapting to new tastes whilst respecting their architectural heritage. The residence stands not just as a single moment frozen in time, but as a living document of changing architectural fashions and the continuity of country house life in Westmeath.