house

Detached four-bay two-storey house, built c. 1800, with modern two-storey and single-storey extensions to rear (southwest). Now also in use as a commercial premises. Three-bay single-storey building, c. 1860, attached to the rear (southwest) at the northwest corner, reputedly formerly in use as a coaching inn and later as a school. Hipped natural slate roof to two-storey building with two rendered chimneystacks. Some remaining sections of cast-iron rainwater goods. Roughcast rendered walls, now covered in vegetation. Square-headed window openings with replacement timber casement windows and having tooled limestone sills. Square-headed door opening with timber panelled door and overlight. Single-storey building to the northwest with pitched natural slate roof, rendered chimneystacks and rubble limestone walls. Two-storey outbuilding to southeast of site, aligned along with main building, with pitched natural slate roof, brick eaves course, rubble limestone walls and square-headed openings. Road-fronted at rural crossroad junction. Located to the south of Keenagh and to the west of Barry.

This modest but appealing two-storey house retains much of its early character and form. The loss of the original fabric to the openings fails to detract substantially from its appearance. It retains much of its early fabric including a hipped natural slate roof. The proportions of this building suggest that it was extended to the southeast at some stage, perhaps at an early date. The single-storey building to the northwest was apparently in use as a coaching inn (local information). However, this building was constructed during the second half of the nineteenth century (Ordnance Survey first edition six-inch map 1838), so it is more likely that the two-storey building is a former inn. As a coaching inn, this building would have provided a focal point along the main Mullingar to Lanesborough Road (important crossing of the River Shannon from an early date), offering accommodation and food for travelers and their horses along this busy route. The single-storey building to the west was also formerly in use as a school (local information). This house and associated structure form an interesting complex of associated buildings, and is an integral element of the built heritage of the local area.