"In this book Mark Bence-Jones sets out to describe every Irish country house of which he knows, whether still standing or ruined or long-demolished. He covers the whole of Ireland, Northern Ireland as well as the Republic, and includes houses large and small and of every period and style, from medieval castles to houses built in the 1970s. He includes famous houses and houses that are unknown; he does not confine himself to houses of architectural or historical importance. Nearly 2, 000 Irish country houses are featured in this book, each having an alphabetical entry describing it. Almost all the entries give information on the history and ownership of the houses; many of them are enlivened with anecdotes and fascinating details, not only about the architecture and decoration of the houses, but also about their surroundings, their literary associations, their ghosts and their celebrities." -- From jacket.