Go on a journey with Robert O’Byrne as he brings fascinating Irish ruins to life. Fantastical, often whimsical, and frequently quirky, these atmospheric ruins are beautifully photographed and paired with fascinating text by Robert O’Byrne. Born out of Robert’s hugely popular blog, The Irish Aesthete, there are Medieval castles, Georgian mansions, Victorian lodges, and a myriad of other buildings, many never previously published. Robert focuses on a mixture of exteriors and interiors in varying stages of decay, on architectural details, and entire scenarios. Accompanying texts tell of the Regency siblings who squandered their entire fortune on gambling and carousing, of an Anglo-Norman heiress who pitched her husband out the window on their wedding night, and of the landlord who liked to walk around naked and whose wife made him carry a cowbell to warn housemaids of his approach. Arranged by the country’s four provinces, the diverse ruins featured offer a unique insight into Ireland and an exploration of her many styles of historic architecture.

This book, the first fully sustained reading of Henry James's and Oscar Wilde's relationship, reveals why the antagonisms between both authors are symptomatic of the cultural oppositions within Aestheticism itself.

This book takes the reader on a tour of ten grand Irish country houses, provided an intimate look at a marvellous hotchpotch of rooms and decoration.

Ireland’s finest photographer in the 20th century, Fr Frank Browne repeatedly visited County Wicklow across almost half a century. Over that time, he had the opportunity to capture images of this part of the country as it underwent change and yet, somehow, retained its essential character. The earliest photograph, for example, is of the Dargle Valley, a spot that looks much the same today as it did when Fr Browne first went there in 1910. Other pictures show landmark beauty spots such as the Powerscourt Waterfall and the Sugarloaf Mountain, as well as the rugged landscape of the Sally Gap. The monastic remains of Glendalough are exquisitely caught, along with the still waters of Lough Tay. But while his eye was able to spot the timeless beauty of this rural idyll, Fr Browne also noted the modern and innovative, capturing key moments in the development of a newly independent Ireland, such as the construction of the Poulaphouca Reservoir in the late 1930s and workers in the newly opened Solus Teoranta Lightbulb Factory in Bray. Cars are few, but bicycles plentiful in his photographs. The advent of modern technology contrasts with traditional pastimes: a horse fair in Blessington, sheep dipping on a farm, a thatcher repairing the roof of an old cottage. He shows bustling preparations for the International Eucharistic Congress of June 1932, along with commercial activity in towns such as Arklow and Wicklow. New schools are shown being built in the first, older pursuits like fishing continue in the second. And Fr Browne’s ability to gain access everywhere means he was able to photograph many of Wicklow’s most famous historic houses, like Powerscourt before its interiors were tragically destroyed by fire, and Shelton Abbey which he visited just a year before the building and its contents were sold. The book is divided into five/six sections, each offering readers the chance to follow in Fr Browne’s footsteps and explore a different part of the county.

Irish houses have a character and personality quite different from that found anywhere else. Quixotic, often whimsical and definitely quirky, they provide a sanctuary from the Irish climate, which is frequently gray, cold, and damp. No wonder, therefore, that over the centuries Ireland's domestic architecture and interior design have developed a distinctive personality in which color and vivacity are highly prized. Romantic Irish Homes presents 15 of the finest examples of these traits, each one of them distinctive and yet sharing the same native spirit. From vast ancient castles through sturdy Georgian manors to small farmhouses, the majority of them never previously photographed, the homes featured here offer a unique insight into the Irish temperament and an exploration of a style of decoration that, while adapted to meet 21st-century demands, still retains an historic integrity. Photographed by Simon Brown, Romantic Irish Homes is every bit as charming and memorable as the Irish people themselves.

In Essentially Irish, antiques dealer and stylist Josephine Ryan offers a privileged glimpse into a fascinating array of Irish homes. The interiors featured include elegant Georgian country houses, chic city apartments, pretty cottages and striking contemporary homes. Their decorative styles may differ, but each home demonstrates what has made Irish interiors admired the world over - a rich colour palette, a close affinity with the landscape, an appreciation of the patina of the antique and a passion for the work created by a rich tradition of artists and craftsmen. The homes in this book are every bit as varied as their creative owners, and the carefully chosen locations illustrate the many facets of classic Irish style. This book is perfect for anyone who seeks ideas for their own Irish-inspired interior, or for those who simply want to dream... * From the author of the best-selling French Home (more than 37,000 copies sold). * An easy-to-achieve, beautiful look for anyone who loves Ireland and Irish style. * Stunning photography by leading Irish interiors photographer James Fennell.