Markree Demesne

10 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Markree Demesne, from 123 m² to 372,224 m² (37.22 ha, 91.98 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 19 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

• G3GB – green belt (Conservation, amenity or buffer space, corridor/belt, landscape)
  Sligo County Development Plan 2024-2030, Sligo · 3 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• C2.1BIE – business, industry, enterprise (Industrial, enterprise, employment)
  Sligo County Development Plan 2024-2030, Sligo · 1 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 17 Dec 2025N/a

  Construct 10 No. detached 1 bedroom guest accommodation units, upgrade existing lane to become service road, form extension to existing car-parking area, make connection to existing waste-water treatment system and upgrade percolation area, carry out landscaping and all ancillary site works at Markree Castle, Collooney, Co Sligo. F91AE81. These works are within the curtilage of a protected structure, Markree Castle RPS No. 294 CDP. This planning application is accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Report and a Natura Impact Assessment.

  Permission · Sligo County Council, 2560535

• 14 Nov 2024Conditional

  Construct a“lean-to” single storey extension (119 Msq) to sides and rear of existing shed at Markree Castle, Collooney, Co Sligo. Markree Castle is a protected structure, RPS No.294CDP.

  Permission, 1 home · Sligo County Council, 2460411

• 19 Jan 2024Conditional

  Retain existing storage shed and install biomass fueled heating system consisting of, 6 metre diameter woodchip storage tank, new boiler and water storage tank to be located in existing shed, underground pipework to connect new infrastructure to existing plant room at Markree Castle, Collooney, Co Sligo. Markree Castle is a protected structure, ref no. SL026-038

  Retention · Sligo County Council, 2460017

• 6 Jul 2022Conditional

  development consisting of (a) a side extension of existing dwelling house (b) existing storage units on site, together with all ancillary site works and services

  Retention, 1 home · Sligo County Council, 22232

• 6 Apr 2022Conditional

  development consisting of construction of a new stable barn, containing 9 stables, tack and feed storage rooms, hay storage shed, waste stable bedding shed, soiled water storage tank, (previously permitted under planning ref. no. 17/2. Access to the development will be via the access from the N4 parallel link, Collooney to Castlebaldwin road, previously permitted under planning ref. no. 21/129 and all associated and ancillary site works. The works also include the provision of a floodlit sand surfaced horse training arena and all associated site and ancillary works. Note: The former stables, waste stable bedding compound, and the flood lit arena were demolished, due to Sligo Co. Council CPO order, as part of the application for approval, An Bord Pleanala REF. 21.HA0044 for the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin road widening project.

  Permission · Sligo County Council, 22126

• 14 Apr 2021Conditional

  Development consisting of changes to the access road, to the layout of the site road that was granted permission under Planning Ref. PL 17/2. The application also includes the provision of a walled entrance and gate to replace the existing entrance, that was demolished along with the stables and ancillary facilities, due to Sligo Co. Council CPO order, forming part of planning application for the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin road widening project

  Permission · Sligo County Council, 21129

• 4 Jan 2017Conditional

  development consisting of the construction of a new American style stable barn containing 9 stables, tack and feed storage rooms, hay storage shed, waste stable bedding shed, soiled water storage tank, entrance onto the Eastern Parallel Link of the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin proposed road development and all associated and ancillary site works. The works also include the provision of a floodlit sand surfaced horse training arena and all associated site and ancillary works. (The existing stables, waste stable bedding compound, and floodlit arena is being demolished due to Sligo Co. Council CPO order as part of the planning application for the N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin road widening project).

  Permission · Sligo County Council, 172

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

• Special Area of Conservation: Unshin River SAC 001898
• Proposed Natural Heritage Area: Unshin River 001898

Recorded monuments

• SL026-028 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In undulating pasture, on a rise and within the demesne of Markree Castle (SL026-038----). A raised circular area (int. diam. 21m) enclosed by a ruinous stone wall (T 2.7m; int. H 0.5m; ext. H 3m) and an external fosse (Wth 5.5m). A terrace (Wth 7m; H 2.5m) skirts the fosse all round. The entrance (Wth 2.5m) is at E with a causeway (Wth 3.5m) across the fosse and a ramp to the interior. The interior is partially covered with overgrowth. There is a possible rath (SL026-029----) c. 250m to E. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

• SL026-029 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In undulating pasture, within the demesne of Markree Castle (SL026-038----). Indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as an embanked circular area (diam. c. 25m). An elongated rise (L 20m; Wth 10m; H 1.5m), covered with mature trees, may be the remains of this possible rath. A rath (SL026-028----) lies c. 250m to W. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

• SL026-038 House - 16th/17th century
  Description

  In undulating pasture, in a mature demesne landscape. The remains of a 17th-century house survive where they were incorporated into the SW end of the present 18th/19th-century Markree Castle. The 17th-century remains consist of three walls (T 1.35m), three storeys high, built of random rubble limestone with roughly dressed quoins. The SW wall (L 19.1m) retains its full length, the NW wall (L 20.9m) is incomplete, whilst there is only a short return (L 5.85m) of the SE wall. Numerous window and door opes have been inserted into the walls. The NW wall has a slight external base-batter. A very slight ledge, on the exterior wall-face, marks the division between the basement and ground floor. According to O'Rorke ([1889], vol. 2, 349) the earlier house was built by Cornet Cooper in the middle of the 17th century. Markree Castle was rebuilt in the 18th century as a three-storey structure and in 1802 it was enlarged and castellated; in 1866 it was further enlarged and remodelled (Bence-Jones 1988, 201-2). The demesne retains many estate features including ornate gothic gateways built in the 1830s (Howley 1993, 98 and fig. 162) and a large icehouse. Two raths (SL026-039----; SL026-075----), a circular enclosure (SL026-072----) and a possible earthwork (SL026-166----) are within the demesne. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

• SL026-071 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In woodland, on top of a ridge. A circular area (diam. c. 40m) enclosed by two earthen banks with an intervening fosse (Wth 4m) and an external fosse (Wth 1.6m; D 0.3m). The inner bank (Wth 2.5m; int. H 0.4m) drops 1.8m to the base of the intervening fosse. The outer bank (Wth 3.5m) drops 1.2m to the base of the intervening fosse and 1.4m to the base of the external fosse. The entrance is at SE through the inner (Wth 1.2m) and outer (Wth 1.8m) banks with causeways across both fosses. The rath is densely overgrown with trees and bushes, including rhododendrons. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

• SL026-072 Enclosure
  Description

  In woodland, on the N bank of the Arrow or Unshin River, on the demesne of Markree Castle (SL026-038----). Indicated on the 1838 OS 6-inch map as a circular enclosure (diam. c. 20m) abutting the river bank. The surrounding area is densely overgrown with trees and bushes including rhododendrons and the enclosure is inaccessible. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

• SL026-074 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  In woodland, on top of a rise. A circular area (diam. c. 30m) enclosed by a bank (Wth 3.5m; int. H 0.6m; ext. H 1.4m) and an external fosse (Wth 3.5m; D 0.4m). The bank is planted with trees and the interior is covered with dense overgrowth. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

• SL026-075 Ringfort - rath
  Description

  On the edge of an open expanse of undulating grassland, obscured within a dense strip of woodland, rhododendron and scrub along the boundary of the Markree Castle estate (SL026-038----). A slightly raised level D-shaped area (dims. c. 32m NE-SW; 18.5m NW-SE) defined on the curving SW-NE side by a broad low earthen bank (Wth 3m; int. H 0.35m; ext. H 1.25m) with an external shallow fosse (Wth c. 3m) at SW. On the straight SE side the rath is truncated by a substantial field boundary (Wth 3m; H 1m) flanked by field drains (Wth 2m; D 0.55m). The field boundary extends NE-SW parallel to the estate boundary wall 6m to SE. An identical parallel field bank flanked by field drains lies 2.5m to NE and appears to respect the curve of the rath. These parallel field banks are estate features apparently to delimit the woodland strip that borders the estate. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

• SL026-166 Earthwork
  Description

  Within the demesne of Markree Castle (SL026-038----), in level damp pasture, immediately N of woodland enclosed by the demesne wall. A low circular earthen platform (33m E-W; 34m N-S) defined SW-ENE by a low degraded scarp (H 0.4m) and E-SSW by a vertical scarp (H 1m). Centrally placed on top of the platform is a circular earthen plinth (diam. 10.5m; H 1.1m) topped by a ruined square stone turret (4.2m N-S; 4.3m E-W; H 4m). The turret has a brick-built chimney in the NW corner, a small splayed window in the N wall, a second window in the S wall and a door ope (Wth 0.8m) in the W wall. Encircling the base of the plinth is a shallow fosse (Wth 2m) crossed by a causeway at S. The demesne wall curves around the base of the platform E-SSW, at a distance of 1.6m from it. Though the turret is of 18th/19th-century date, the platform may be the remains of an earlier earthwork. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Sligo' compiled by Ursula Egan, Elizabeth Byrne, Mary Sleeman with Sheila Ronan and Connie Murphy (Dublin Stationery Office, 2005). Date of upload: 18 January 2008

Architectural heritage

• Markree Castle, gate lodge, 1830–1835 · National interest
  Description

  Detached multi-bay single-storey stone gate lodge, built 1832. South-facing main carriage arch with two-stage hexagonal castellated tower to west and lower secondary entrance further to west all interconnected by castellated wall. Squared and coursed ashlar limestone walling, splayed ashlar copings to crenellations, stepped parapet carried on stone corbels over entrance arch, armorial plaque inscribed 'Vincit Amort and Patriae'. Slit windows, ashlar limestone dressings, square-headed openings to gate lodge, painted timber sash windows. Pointed-arch carriage opening, moulded reveals, hood mould, scrolled label-stops, gates missing. Surrounded by fields and farmland, overgrown driveway.

• Markree Castle, worker's house, 1850–1890 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached three-bay two-storey rendered former gardener's house, built c. 1870. Small hipped roof open porch projects from centre north. Pitched slate roof, clay ridge tiles, projecting open-bed pedimented timber eaves to end bays carried on paired brackets each surmounted by a octagonal chimney pot, cast-iron gutters on overhanging eaves on paired brackets. Painted smooth-rendered ruled-and-lined walling. Square-headed window openings, limestone stone sills resting on small painted corbels to front elevation, painted four-over-four coupled timber sash windows, four-over-two tripartite over porch. Square-headed door opening, painted four-panel timber door, painted timber porch with octagonal columns set on stone plinths moulded capitals carrying diagonal bracing carrying roof. Gravel area to front, surrounded by trees, high rubble stone boundary walls to large garden to south. Located in Markree Demesne.

• Markree Castle, country house, 1800–1805 · National interest
  Description

  Detached twelve-bay three-storey over raised basement stone former mansion, built c. 1802, containing parts of earlier houses, now in use as hotel. Extensively enlarged and remodelled c. 1870 with addition of Gothic Revival porte-cochere, battlemented and machicolated square tower with two-storey square-profile oriel window and chapel to north front, two-storey canted bay window to west front. Ornamental doorway to garden front added 1896. Central crenellated projecting bow to garden front (south). Two-storey wing to east. Main roof hidden from view behind battlemented parapet wall, dressed limestone diagonally-set corbelled chimneystacks, cast-iron downpipes. Pitched slate roof to chapel. Uncoursed rubble limestone walling to earlier sections, squared limestone walling to north elevation and later additions, sill courses, string courses, crenellated parapets, octagonal turrets. Square-headed window openings to south elevation, ashlar limestone surrounds with chamfered reveals, painted timber casements c. 1950. Square-headed transomed and mullioned window openings to north and west elevations. Pointed-arch window openings to projecting tower, oriel window, port-cochere and chapel, leaded stained glass traceried windows with limestone hood moulds to porte-cochere and chapel. Ogee-headed north entrance door opening within porte-cochere, chamfered reveals, limestone flags, timber panelled double doors. Pointed arched door opening to south front with battlemented canopy, carved sandstone spandrels, engaged pink granite colonettes to reveals and semi-circular double perron. The interior is opulently decorated in florid classical style. Set in extensive parkland, terraced garden to south, crenellated limestone boundary walls and entrance gateway to north-west with turreted limestone ashlar gate piers.

• Markree Castle, bridge, 1820–1860 · Regional interest
  Description

  Triple-span gently-curved road-over-river stone bridge, built c. 1840. Uncoursed rubble limestone walling, ashlar string course, triangular coursed ashlar limestone cutwaters with pyramidal caps. Shallow pointed-arched openings, ashlar voussoirs with chamfered reveals. Tooled ashlar limestone parapet copings. Battlemented octagonal turret terminates parapet wall at south-west. Carries demesne road, leading to stable yard and farm buildings, over Arrow Unshin River.

• Markree Castle, icehouse, 1780–1860 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached masonry former icehouse, built c. 1820, now a ruin. Brick barrel vaulted entrance, steps to doorway in internal north-west wall opening into large, brick-lined, cylindrical ice pit with domed ceiling. Approached from north-east, built into hillside in a wooded area in Markree Demesne to north-west of Markree Castle.

• Markree Castle, bridge, 1820–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Single-span stone road-over-stream bridge, built c. 1830. Uncoursed rubble stone walling. Narrow lancet-arched opening with dressed stone voussoirs, coursed dressed ashlar limestone low parapet walls, dressed stone saddle-back copings, diamond-shaped caps to end piers. Spans north-south across narrow stream leading to Arrow Unshin River to north-east with estate driveway leading to Markree Castle to south-east.

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately high, moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map.

Terrain model

LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_1105 (ZIP).

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Markree Demesne with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Sligo.

Name

Markree Demesne · Marcréidh

Area

2,043,196 m² (204.32 ha, 504.88 acres)

Civil parish

Ballysadare, and its townlands

Barony

Tirerrill

Electoral division

Collooney, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Collooney electoral division: 3,188 people in 1,209 households; 58% of households own their home; 65% of homes were built since 2001; 14% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 2% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ardcurley, Ballygrania, Clooneenroe, Cooperhill or Gobbadagh, Knockrawer, Mullaghnabreena, Rathrippin, Toberbride

Placenames

Markree Demesne on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.