Saint Clerans (Issercleran)

Craughwell (Galway)

St Clerans is an impressive house near the south east Galway town of Craughwell. The five-bay, two-storey country home was built in 1780 by the Burke family and is situated on a 110 acre estate. The house was built in two phases. The first was the rear block which was built to coincide with the abandonment of the family's nearby ancestral castle. The front block was not built until 1807. This is the part that is now the front facade of the house. It was built by J.H. Burke and designed by Sir Richard Morrison. These two phases are credited with making St Clerans an ideal example of the development of styles in country house design. 

St Clerans is the birthplace of Robert O'Hara Burke (1821-1861), an Australian explorer who famously perished in his attempt to cross the vast country from north to south in 1861. St Clerans has also brought a level of Hollywood glamour to County Galway. In 1952 the house and it's surrounding estate were purchased by famed movie director John Huston. He moved in with his wife Ricki and children Anjelica and Tony. John Huston owned St Clerans for 19 years and in that time he made on average one film per year. Huston referred to St Clerans as,

"One of the most beautiful houses in all of Ireland"

The house has changed hands a number of time over the years, being owned at one stage by the talk show host Merv Griffin. It has been a B&B and restaurant, and is now a private home once again. 

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