*Photograph: John Mangan
A West Clare property which was home to Sisters of Mercy for 91 years has been requested to be made a protected structure by Clare County Council.
Miltown House bid farewell to the Sisters of Mercy in June of this year ending a 91 year association between the nuns and Spanish Point. The 8.86 acre site has since gone on the property market with a price tag of €500,000.
Cllr Bill Chambers (FF) requested that Miltown House be added to the local authority’s record of protected structures at a recent meeting of the West Clare Municipal District.
Consideration to the appeal will be given when a review of the County Development Plan begins this month. Acting senior planner in the Council’s planning department, Helen Quinn outlined that the drafting of a new plan is a two process “which will involve the preparation of a record of protected structures”. If deemed appropriate, the property will be recommended for elected members to approve.
Detailing that Miltown House was built in 1782 by Thomas J Moroney, Cllr Chambers said the house was “a fine six bed property” and noted “many of the original features remain”. He believed the condition of the house was “testament” to the Moroney family and the Sisters of Mercy. “Its protection would preserve a historic house for future generations”.
Tribute to the Sisters of Mercy’s contribution to the area was acknowledged by Cllr Shane Talty (FF). In seconding the requested, he stressed that he trusted the Council’s planning department to have “due regard to the history of the house”.
