The Pear Garden

This morning I visited my elderly neighbour, who lives in a large old farmhouse just down the road known as Ballyrobin House. The house has an interesting association with the struggle for Irish independence.
Garret Fitzgerald, a former Taoiseach was the son of Mabel (née McConnell) Fitzgerald. Her father was John McConnell, a prominent Unionist and Freemason, who in 1878 married Margaret Neill of Ballyrobin House. James Craig, later to become the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, knew McConnell well through his family Dunvilles whiskey business.
Mabel was well educated and graduated with a BA from Queens in 1906. She worked for George Bernard Shaw and George Moore until she met Desmond Fitzgerald in 1910 in London. Desmond Fitzgerald was a member of London literary groups as well as the Irish Literary Society.
Mabel became pregnant and eloped in 1911 to France with Desmond Fitzgerald. They married and in 1913 they moved to West Kerry where Desmond, along with Ernest Blythe and The O'Rahilly, became leaders of the Irish Volunteers in Dingle.
Both Desmond and Mabel volunteered at the GPO in Easter 1916, but Pearse sent Mabel home, unwilling to take both parents of young children.
Mabel favoured the Republican side whereas her husband favoured the Treaty. This put a strain on their relationship, but after the murder of Kevin O'Higgins, her position shifted and they were reconciled. After this at the age of 41, she had her last child, Garret.
Between the staunchly Unionist side of the McConnell grandparents and the Republican sympathies of his mother, Garret Fitzgerald can't have lacked for political choices. He did sign the Anglo-Irish Agreement in 1985, despite the strong opposition of the Unionists.
I believe he has visited Ballyrobin House, but also apparently now and again other visitors interested in the Fitzgerald history, turn up at the door!
Some time soon I hope to take a series of photographs of this interesting house.