Drummartin House, Drummartin, Aclare, Co. Sligo, F91ND76

Period Style Farm House on 54.48 acres. Located along and just off the R294 (Tubbercurry – Ballina Road), this property oozes character of a bygone era. Within 4 miles of Tubbercurry, 15 miles from Ballina & 15 miles from Knock Airport, the house has been vacant for the last number of years and needs upgrade & modernisation. (Vacant house grant should apply) It is set back 200m from the roadway and is approached by a gravel & tarmac avenue through fields that in a bygone era were known as ‘the lawn’. Dozens of mature 200-year-old beech trees adorn the property, giving it an air of prosperity, charm and romance that will always make owners and visitors alike, appreciate the beauty and magic of the house & grounds. This property has been home to a number of wonderful families over the last few hundred years including generations of the Mullarkey & Cooke families, and it is hoped by the vendors that future owners will live in and love this house as much as they did. To the rear of the house are panoramic views of the south facing Ox Mountains, where the sun and clouds can be seen dancing to create golden and green reflections that change by the minute – true inspiration for poets, painters or artists of any description. The Land Extending to 22.05ha (54.48acres) in total, it is in a number of lots, and can be sold in one or multiple lots. The land quality is mixed, ranging from very good to scrub. In addition to the farm land there is a good farmyard consisting of a 3-bay slatted shed, large concrete yard/ silage slab and cattle pen/crush. An old stone-built granary next to the yard could have potential to qualify for heritage grants to restore the character of a bygone era. The House Extending to approx. 169 sq. metres in total. This is a 5 bedroomed, two storey house that has been vacant over the past few years and requires upgrading. Accommodation Ground floor Entrance hall (2x2m) Sittingroom (4.5 x 4m) with open fireplace Kitchen / Dining Area (6 x 4m) Back Kitchen / Utility (2 x 3.8m) – Backdoor Downstairs Bedroom/ Office/ Store (4.5 x 1.8) Bathroom off utility (3 x 2.8m) Upstairs Bedroom 1 - 6 x 2.1m  Bedroom 2 - 4 x 2.1m  Bedroom 3 - 4.6 x 3.8m  Bedroom 4 - 4 x 3.8 m Bedroom 5 - 3 x 2.8m with Ensuite Suggested lots: Lot 1 – Drummartin House, sheds & farmyard on approx. 15.25 ha (37.68 acres) of mainly good land. If the house purchaser required less land, this may be accommodated. Lot 2 – approx. 5.37 ha (13.68 acres) along a side road approx. 500 metres west of lot 1. This is reasonable quality land and may have site potential subject to standard planning requirements. Lot 3 – approx. 1.43ha (3.5 acres) in 2 separate lots adjoining R294, 300 metres east of lot 1. This is mainly scrub land and cut away bog. Ideal for nature restoration and wildlife projects to compliment owners Eco Schemes.   Brief History of Drummartin House & Lands Much of the land at Drummartin townland was owned by various members of the Mullarkey family who resided in the area, and by the 1790’s a Patrick Mullarkey secured a large lease on lands at Drummartin as well as at various other area near Tubbercurry including at Ballyara & Tullycusheen. He was a successful flax & linen merchant in Sligo and consolidated further land holdings in the early 1800’s. Following his death in 1814, children, niece & nephews inherited his considerable wealth and were all very well educated, following professions in medicine and the clergy. All the Mullarkey’s were interested in race horses and were widely known nationwide in equestrian circle. One of Patricks sons Daniel, was a parish priest in Tourlestrane and undertook the building of Tourlestrane church in1844, the cost of which would have been mostly met by Dr. Joe. A possible grandson, or grandnephew of Patrick was Joseph Patrick (Joe) who was a notable achiever (1820-1866) and qualified as a medical doctor, and had a passion also for horses. While studying in college, Joe became friendly with George Henry Moore of Moorehall, Co. Mayo whose family owned a racehorse called Coranna. Joe & George took charge of training this horse and he duly won a fortune for both families when winning the Chester Gold Cup in England in May 1846, during the height of the Irish Famine. Elated by his success, Joe purchased another horse which he named “Pride of Ballyara” and this horse won further races and prize money for Joe in 1847. The fame of this horse is commemorated on a burial slab which can still be seen at the old Ballyara Cemetery, opposite St. Attracta’s Community School at Tubbercurry. Out of his winnings, Dr. Joe Mullarkey purchased foodstuff and had it shipped to Ballina Port, from where it  was carted to Drummartin, Aclare, & Tubbercurry as a gift to relieve the famine locally. It is thought that the present Drummartin House was built in the 1847/48 period, along with outbuildings, gardens and lawns. The many beech trees that are growing around Drummartin House today, were possibly planted around that time. Dr Joe Mullarkey  died unexpectedly in 1866 and Drummartin House passed to his sister Margaret and her husband Michael Mullarkey. Their son, “Big Jim” Mullarkey took over Drummartin House in 1871 but he was the last of the Mullarkeys to occupy the house. He sold it in 1885 to Henry McGloin of Foxford and McGloin was there until the 1930’s where the house and lands were taken over by the newly formed Irish Land Commission. The Land Commissions role under the Newly formed Free State was to re-distribute large farms that were under worked and underutilised , and to sell to willing and able working farmers from the locality. The hundreds of acres that were attached to Drummartin House were therefore split up. The House was purchased in 1937 by John Cooke along with 54 acres. After John Cookes death it was taken over by his son Jack in 1972, until his death in 2017. Since then, it belongs to siblings of the late Jack Cooke. Further information on Drummartin House history & its owners is available from the following publications, for which we thank & compliment the compilers: Kilmactigue Parish – History & Memories – compiled by Padraig Maye (R.I.P), Daniel Jones & Marie Fleming The light of Bygone Days Vol. 2 – Sligo Families - By John C. Mc Ternan (R.I.P).