house

Terraced four-bay two-storey house, built c.1795, having rendered doorcase to front (west) and recent additions to rear (east). Pitched slate roof with rendered eaves course, chimneystack, cast-iron rainwater goods and recent rooflights. Lined-and-ruled rendered walls with rendered plinth. Square-headed window openings with rendered sills having uPVC casement windows. Round-headed stairwell window opening with uPVC casement window to rear elevation. Recessed round-headed door opening within render doorcase comprising fluted pilasters on panelled plinths surmounted by frieze with lion head motifs in relief and moulded cornice. Rendered reveals to opening having timber panelled door with brass door furniture, single-pane fanlight and limestone threshold.

This elegantly proportioned house retains much of its original form and character together with important features and materials including its unusually designed render doorcase. It is one of a long terrace of houses located on the east side of Emmet Square, formerly known as Shannon Square after the Earls of Shannon, which was laid out between 1785 and 1810 to accommodate the wealthy merchants of the town. This house was the home of Miss O'Cleary who was hostess to Eamonn de Valera when he visited Clonakilty and addressed a large crowd from the upstairs window of the house.