 Cavanacor House |
Cavanacor House is situated one kilometre outside Lifford, on the road to Letterkenny. It is one of the earliest Plantation houses in Donegal and has been in continuous occupation since the 17th century. Protestant armies amassed on the flat plains at Cavanacor prior to the Siege of Derry and on 20th of April, 1689 James II dined at Cavanacor House during the Siege. Due to his protection the House survived his retreat from Derry. Ironically, while King James was dining at Cavanacor with John Keyes, Thomas and Frederick Keyes, his host's brothers, were inside Derry’s Walls, defending it against King James’ Army. In the 1690's Magdalene Tasker, (who was born at Cavanacor in 1634) married Capt. Robert Bruce Pollock. They and their children emigrated to America and settled in Somerset County in Maryland. In America the family shortened their name to Polk. James Knox Polk (born 1795), great, great, great grandson of Magdalene Tasker Polk, became the 11th American President in 1845 and held the Presidency until his death in 1849. |
| On July 3rd, 1823 Mary Keyes married Benjamin Geale Humfrey and Cavanacor House was in the possession of the Humfrey family until the 20th Century when it came into the possession of a Ms Clarke. In the 1960's Dr. Kathleen and Miss Ethel Snodgrass bought Cavanacor from Ms Clark and lived there for approximately 10 years during which they restored and maintained the house and grounds before turning the property over to the present owners, artists Eddie and Joanna O’Kane some twenty-five years ago. The O'Kanes have furnished the house with Jacobean and Georgian furniture. As working artists they have developed a thriving artistic centre at Cavanacor where pottery, sculpture and painting workshops are conducted. There is also a fine art gallery at Cavanacor. The House has a commanding view of the River Deele and is encircled by parkland and woodland walks. The House and gallery are open to the public at Easter and throughout the Summer. There is also a tea-room and craft shop with Cavanacor pottery and crafts from throughout Donegal. For further information email or tel: (+353) 74 9141143. Tá Teach Cavanacor suite ciliméadar amhain taobh amuigh de Leifear, ar an bealach go dtí Leitir Ceannain. Tá sé ceann de na bhfíorthús fáschoill teach í Dún na nGall agus ó shin ó an seachtú haois. Ar an 20ú lá de Aibreain 1689 fuair James II dineir ag Teach Cavavacor í rith an Léigear. Bhí cosaint aige agus sin an fath á teach slán sé an cúlú ó Doire. Nuair a bhí James ag ith ag an Cavanacor lé John Keyes, bhí Thomas agus Frederick Keyes dearthaoirí James taobh istigh de baile na Doire ag cosanach in eadan Rí James saighdiúirí. Sa bliain 1690 fuair Magdalene Tasker (rugadh sa Cavanacor í 1690ú) posadh go dtí Robert Bruce Pollock. Chuaigh iad agus a trí paistí go dtí Meiriceá agus dán said í Somerset contae í Maryland. Í Meiriceá athrú an clann a ainm go dtí Polk. James Knox Polk (rugadh 1795) sean, sean, iarua de Magdalene Tasker Polk bhí sé an 11ú meiriceá uachtarán í 1845 agus bhí an post seo aige go dtí an bás sa bliain 1849. Ar an 3ú lá de iúil 1823 phós Mary Keyes, Benjamin Geale Humfrey agus bhí Teach Cavanacor ag an clann seo go dtí an 20ú haois nuair a fuair Iníon Ní Clarke é. Thart fa bliain 1960 ceannaigh Dochtúir Kathleen agus InÍon Ethel Snodgrass teach Cavanacor ó Ms Clark agus conaí said ansin thart fa deich bliain. Tá an teach Cavanacor ag Eddie agus Joanna Ó Cathain anois tá sé acu thart fa feiche cuig bliain. Rinne na Uí Cathain an teach suas chuir siad troscán ó Jacobean agus Georgian ann. Lé ealaíontóirí obair tá ealain lár oscailte suas acu sa Teach Cavanacor tá potaireacht, dealbhóireacht agus síopa péinteáil ann. Tá ealain áilléar ag Cavanacor fosta. Tá radharc de an Abhainn Deele agus tá páirc agus talamh coille suil thart fan teach. Tá a teach agus an áilléar oscailte fríd an Samhraidh. Tá seomra tae agus siopa ábaltacht lé Cavanacor potaireacht agus ábaltacht thart fa Dún na nGall. Fa choinne níos mó faiséin r-phost nó Teil: (+353) 74 9141143. © |
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