guinnessfamily

A jewel in the crown

from National Library of Ireland on The Commons

• 10 older comments, and then…
• Bernard Healy said:

  Wonderful! In a past life I used to work on St Stephen's Green, just a few doors away from Iveagh House. I remember reading years ago in a book of ghost stories that tradition held that a ghostly cross appeared at one of the windows every Holy Thursday. I've heard at least two explainations for it. The first is that a Catholic servant died in one of the rooms and was refused permission for a visit from a priest by the Protestant owners. The apparition of the cross is said to be a reminder of that injustice. The second is that one of the Guinness family was dying and was being assisted at her deathbed by a Catholic nurse who held a crucifix. Lord Iveagh, we are told, snatched away the crucifix and flung it out the window. I'm not sure if anyone goes to look for the cross any more. I heard somewhere that a crowd used to gather on Holy Thursday to spot it. I suppose a trick of the light is the most likely explaination. Has anyone ever seen it?

• Carol Maddock said:

  Bernard Healy I have not! Though will keep an eye out for it in future...

• beachcomber australia said:

  Sometimes Flickr is amazing! In 2016 (including bollards) via Michael Foley, who has a fantastic album of interior shots which will delight Morning Mary - From his album - www.flickr.com/photos/michaelfoleyphotography/albums/7215...

• beachcomber australia said:

  I see the lovely Elinor Wiltshire took at least six photos of this facade for some reason. All the photos manage to cut off the top of the building, and show a good deal of road and parking spaces. Was her viewfinder skew-whiff?

• DannyM8 said:

  Bernard Healy There is a great photo in the Catalogue from the Morgan Aerial Photographic Collection NPA MOR630 which shows Iveagh Gardens and the back of the house.