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Gerry Cleary, PhD

Fee £100.00 (concession rate £80.00) - fee will amend when you select the appropriate fee rate below.

New year 2026

10 weekly sessions on Mondays 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm, starting 19 January

Until the 1922 Partition every county in Ireland had "big houses".Their history was long.Some of their predecessors were fortified dwelling or strong castles dating back to the 1169 Norman Conquest.From the 17th century onwards they became symbols of the new English order in Post Gaelic Ireland. This was consolidated in the 18th century when Ascendancy Ireland witnessed the flowering of the architecturally magnificent new "big houses" - reflecting the power of the Protestant Ascendancy over the Irish population.They were seats of political power and refined culture and the arts.Their owners improved the Irish landscape by halting and reversing deforestation.We will also examine their decline and, in some cases, destruction in the early 20th Century.Not all were the preserve of the gentry. Merchant princes in Ulster adopted their "culture" with relish.The "Linen Houses" of the Lagan Valley are good examples of this development.Finally, we will look at modern examples which have survived and flourished.

This class will take place on QUB campus

Support Requirements

If as a result of your disability you have support requirements, please complete a support needs form and return it 3 weeks before your class commences. The form is available to download here under the Facilities and Support for Disabled Students section or contact the office on 90 973323.

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