-Visited Tullybeg the other day and thought I'd post an update, it's looking a lot more dilapidated that in 2021
History
St Stanislaus's college, known locally as Tullybeg, was never a 'Big House' despite the distinct manor-ly look of the front wing. instead it was opened in 1818 as a boarding school for preteen Catholic boys. In 1850 it began to take older boys. Unlike many other Catholic educational institutions in Ireland this one seems to have been a happy and fulfilling experience for the boys, with activities such as rowing and water polo and high marks towards university.
The school closed in 1886 and Tullybeg opened again as a school for Jesuit novices in 1818. It remained that until 1962, when a shortage of trainee novices led to it becoming a retreat house until 1991.
The building lay unused for several years in the 90s and was vandalised with the lead stripped from the roof. it was used as a nursing home for a while and the grounds became a golf course. Today the grounds are used for grazing cattle and growing maize, the main courtyard is used to store building materials, and the building, though sturdy enough externally with strong walls, rots and crumbles beyond repair from the inside.
So Tullybeg sits, neglected and falling into further dereliction, a monument to another, now passed, era in Ireland's history.
-Robert O'Byne (the Irish Aesthete)
Explore
Access was very easy with a bit of trial and error. (there are no security cameras despite warning signs). The first part we entered turned out to have a ceiling practically coming down above us and precious little but rubble to actually explore, so we found a way into the other wing. It's barely possible to make it to the second floor now, most of the ceilings are caving in and the first flights of the main staircase have crashed down.
whilst trying to avoid various dodgy bits of hanging beams etc. above me, I neglected to look at my footing and almost fell through gaping gaps in the rotting floorboards. Memo to self: always remember possibility of basement...
The chapel was an interesting wander but sadly completely stripped.
This place has passed its heyday, but it's still vast enough to be a good explore if you're passing by. I don't think anything could be done to restore it now, the cost would be too great, it's basically passed the point of no return. such a shame as there are echoes of its former beauty all throughout the building.
Photos
(still fuzzy... I think something's happening when I convert the RAW files the camera takes into JPGs?
)
Exterior shots:
The sun kept coming through the clouds and changing the light from gold to grey...
Courtyard is being actively used for storage ^
Heading in:
^anyone know what this is?
^ I wonder if these hooks were for Jesuit robes or part of the nursing home...
That's about it. there are other, better reports about Tullybeg from back when it was a more passable explore, but I hope you enjoyed the update.
History
St Stanislaus's college, known locally as Tullybeg, was never a 'Big House' despite the distinct manor-ly look of the front wing. instead it was opened in 1818 as a boarding school for preteen Catholic boys. In 1850 it began to take older boys. Unlike many other Catholic educational institutions in Ireland this one seems to have been a happy and fulfilling experience for the boys, with activities such as rowing and water polo and high marks towards university.
The school closed in 1886 and Tullybeg opened again as a school for Jesuit novices in 1818. It remained that until 1962, when a shortage of trainee novices led to it becoming a retreat house until 1991.
The building lay unused for several years in the 90s and was vandalised with the lead stripped from the roof. it was used as a nursing home for a while and the grounds became a golf course. Today the grounds are used for grazing cattle and growing maize, the main courtyard is used to store building materials, and the building, though sturdy enough externally with strong walls, rots and crumbles beyond repair from the inside.
So Tullybeg sits, neglected and falling into further dereliction, a monument to another, now passed, era in Ireland's history.
-Robert O'Byne (the Irish Aesthete)
Explore
Access was very easy with a bit of trial and error. (there are no security cameras despite warning signs). The first part we entered turned out to have a ceiling practically coming down above us and precious little but rubble to actually explore, so we found a way into the other wing. It's barely possible to make it to the second floor now, most of the ceilings are caving in and the first flights of the main staircase have crashed down.
whilst trying to avoid various dodgy bits of hanging beams etc. above me, I neglected to look at my footing and almost fell through gaping gaps in the rotting floorboards. Memo to self: always remember possibility of basement...
The chapel was an interesting wander but sadly completely stripped.
This place has passed its heyday, but it's still vast enough to be a good explore if you're passing by. I don't think anything could be done to restore it now, the cost would be too great, it's basically passed the point of no return. such a shame as there are echoes of its former beauty all throughout the building.
Photos
(still fuzzy... I think something's happening when I convert the RAW files the camera takes into JPGs?
)Exterior shots:
The sun kept coming through the clouds and changing the light from gold to grey...
Courtyard is being actively used for storage ^
Heading in:
^anyone know what this is?
^ I wonder if these hooks were for Jesuit robes or part of the nursing home...
That's about it. there are other, better reports about Tullybeg from back when it was a more passable explore, but I hope you enjoyed the update.
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