Stradbally Hall
Encyclopedia
Stradbally Hall is a large house in Stradbally, County Laois
, Ireland
. It is owned by the Cosby family and is positioned in the heart of Stradbally, around ten minutes from Portlaoise on the N80
. The estate has hosted the Electric Picnic
boutique arts-and music festival since it began in 2004 and also hosts other events such as the Steam Rally.
took possession of the Franciscan
religious house in Stradbally, which she then gave to Francis Cosby
as a reward for his part in suppressing the native Irish
. The family rebuilt large parts of the estate and landscaped it to their tastes and desires, including the addition of a hermitage
. Encountering financial difficulties, the family left Ireland for the city of Bristol
, England
in the early eighteenth century. An account written at the time described how the family returned rather quickly to Stradbally "not all of us liking England".
Stradbally Hall has been rebuilt several times, most recently in 1860 by Charles Lanyon
, who rebuilt it in an Italian
ate style complete with a ballroom.
remembered her as "a strikingly beautiful figure" whilst attending the Laois Hunt Ball at the Hall dressed in emeralds owned by the family. She was also known for organising parties during the Christmas
season and bred and also judged Welsh ponies.
During World War II
, Maj Errod Ashworth Sidney Cosby rejoined his regiment and, being fluent in the Russian language
, performed the role of interpreter in the Persian Gulf
. Mrs Cosby remained at Stradbally Hall to tend to the couple's children for the duration of the war. She opened a girls school in the house during the 1950s, allowing the girls to board and to tend to their ponies on the estate. Three governesses were responsible for their education.
Prime Minister
Edward Heath
was invited to address a conference of young members of his country's Conservative Party
at Stradbally Hall on one occasion. This was later cancelled at short notice.
In the latter decades of the twentieth century, a financial struggle ensued over the maintenance of Stradbally Hall. Buckets were positioned under leaks to prevent rainwater damaging the main reception rooms. Paintings and emeralds were sold off to raise much needed funds.
Maj Errod Ashworth Sidney Cosby died in 1984 and passed the estate on to his eldest son, Adrian. Adrian farmed the estate before passing it on to his son, Thomas. Thomas initiated the annual Electric Picnic
music festival which began in 2004.
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. It is owned by the Cosby family and is positioned in the heart of Stradbally, around ten minutes from Portlaoise on the N80
N80 road (Ireland)
The N80 road is a national secondary road in Ireland that runs southeastwards from its junction with the N52 and R443 in the town of Tullamore in County Offaly, to the N11 at Ballynahallin, just north of Enniscorthy in County Wexford, a distance of 116 km...
. The estate has hosted the Electric Picnic
Electric Picnic
The 2005 festival took place on Saturday 3 September and Sunday 4 September. It is best remembered for Arcade Fire's performance which came before their subsequent mainstream success...
boutique arts-and music festival since it began in 2004 and also hosts other events such as the Steam Rally.
Early history
During the English colonial plantations of Laois and Offaly, Elizabeth I of EnglandElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
took possession of the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
religious house in Stradbally, which she then gave to Francis Cosby
Francis Cosby
Francis Cosby was an English soldier and settler in Ireland. He has been implicated in the Massacre of Mullaghmast.-Life:He was the second son of John Cosby of Great Leak, Nottingham. He settled in Ireland in the reign of Henry VIII...
as a reward for his part in suppressing the native Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
. The family rebuilt large parts of the estate and landscaped it to their tastes and desires, including the addition of a hermitage
Hermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
. Encountering financial difficulties, the family left Ireland for the city of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the early eighteenth century. An account written at the time described how the family returned rather quickly to Stradbally "not all of us liking England".
Stradbally Hall has been rebuilt several times, most recently in 1860 by Charles Lanyon
Charles Lanyon
Sir Charles Lanyon DL, JP was an English architect of the 19th century. His work is most closely associated with Belfast, Northern Ireland.-Biography:Lanyon was born in Eastbourne, Sussex in 1813...
, who rebuilt it in an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
ate style complete with a ballroom.
Early 20th century
Enid Elizabeth Cosby lived in the house for seventy years until her death at the age of ninety-three in 2008. In 1934 at the age of nineteen, she married into the Cosby family when she took Maj Errod Ashworth Sidney Cosby as her husband. At her death, The Irish TimesThe Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
remembered her as "a strikingly beautiful figure" whilst attending the Laois Hunt Ball at the Hall dressed in emeralds owned by the family. She was also known for organising parties during the Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
season and bred and also judged Welsh ponies.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Maj Errod Ashworth Sidney Cosby rejoined his regiment and, being fluent in the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, performed the role of interpreter in the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. Mrs Cosby remained at Stradbally Hall to tend to the couple's children for the duration of the war. She opened a girls school in the house during the 1950s, allowing the girls to board and to tend to their ponies on the estate. Three governesses were responsible for their education.
Late 20th century
The BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
was invited to address a conference of young members of his country's Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
at Stradbally Hall on one occasion. This was later cancelled at short notice.
In the latter decades of the twentieth century, a financial struggle ensued over the maintenance of Stradbally Hall. Buckets were positioned under leaks to prevent rainwater damaging the main reception rooms. Paintings and emeralds were sold off to raise much needed funds.
Maj Errod Ashworth Sidney Cosby died in 1984 and passed the estate on to his eldest son, Adrian. Adrian farmed the estate before passing it on to his son, Thomas. Thomas initiated the annual Electric Picnic
Electric Picnic
The 2005 festival took place on Saturday 3 September and Sunday 4 September. It is best remembered for Arcade Fire's performance which came before their subsequent mainstream success...
music festival which began in 2004.