“I think, when the people from the American embassy came here and saw the house, they wanted somewhere for him to have a quiet period between engagements. The visit here was intended to be private – if a visit by a president can ever be considered private.”
So says Susan Kellett of President Biden’s visit to Enniscoe House in April; Enniscoe being home to Susan, her son, DJ, his wife, Colette, and granddaughter, Fearne.
“We certainly hadn’t expected him to come here; he and his sister and son were all delightful to meet,” continues Susan.
“The security for the week beforehand, that was fairly tough going.”
When not preparing for Presidents and security teams, Susan and DJ operate a dog-friendly country house near Crossmolina, welcoming guests from April to October for dinner, bed and breakfast.
Susan and her son DJ Kelley. \ Claire Nash
The original Enniscoe House – three storeys over basement – dates from the 1740s. Original, because Enniscoe House is actually one house built onto another. By the 1890s, it was decided to build on to the front and sides of house. This time it was to be two storeys over a basement – to enjoy the high ceilings and plasterwork of the time. The elegant curved staircase in the internal hallway is built upon the outside wall of the original house. With a roof window over the stairway, sunlight dapples the pink walls of the upstairs oval landing.
\ Claire Nash
Previously, Major Meryn Pratt lived in the house and devoted his time to the gardens. On his death in 1950, he left the estate to his cousin – Susan’s father – professor of veterinary medicine Jack Nicholson and his wife, Patita. With work based in Dublin, they did not get to make this part of Mayo their full-time home, and so, the gardens went into hibernation.
\ Claire Nash
When Susan took over the house, she priortised the restoration of the walled ornamental garden.
“Luckily enough, we got into the Great Gardens of Ireland scheme and we have now restored the garden back to about 1905,” explains DJ.
Originally, there was just one large orchard, but over time, stone was brought from the lake shore to create the walled garden, focusing this one acre on ornamentals while the rest of the orchard became a 2ac kitchen garden.
\ Claire Nash
It is now one of the oldest certified organic gardens in the country at 27 years old. You can find 28 varieties of apple trees and hops that are grown for the local brewery, Reel Deel in Crossmolina, as well as produce for the dining room.
\ Claire Nash
Making Presidential connections
Enniscoe is also home to the North Mayo Heritage Centre, which was key to connecting President Biden with the region.
A group had previously come together in Crossmolina to index church records and, shortly afterwards, Susan offered former farmyard buildings to give the group a home of their own and a place to store the records.
\ Claire Nash
As computers came on the scene, the records were digitised and now the North Mayo Heritage Centre has over 1.2m records for the region alone.
“If it wasn’t for our head researcher, Brendan Wash – who is extremely good – the connection would not have been made,” says Susan.
\ Claire Nash
In 2016, there was talk that Vice-President Biden was related to the Blewitt family of Ballina, although no concrete relationship had been established.
Out of curiosity, the team at the North Mayo Heritage Centre – knowing the strong connection between their area and Biden’s hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania – started doing some research.
This research produced a surname of his great-great-great-grandmother. With the help of local knowledge, the connection was established and confirmed by checking the records they have.
While Brendan spoke about making this connection publicly, nothing more was thought of it as they carried on with their genealogy work at the heritage centre.
\ Claire Nash
That was until a phone call came through enquiring if President Biden could visit on his trip to Ireland this spring.
“It was great that through the research that was done, this is what came about,” says Martina Burke, manager of the Heritage Centre, from Bohola.
\ Claire Nash
“We were able to show him the research of his family history. He took an interest in an exhibition currently on display of people from north Mayo that went to America and became sports stars. He was very charismatic; he had the whole room at ease, which was nice.”
A place to getaway
Clearly, Enniscoe was deemed fit for a president. So, what is the guest experience like? “I see it all the time – you can see the stress and the weariness of a person nearly as they walk in the door for the first time and by that evening or breakfast time, they are a completely different person,” says DJ as we stand on the front step, taking in the tranquil atmosphere and views down to Lough Conn.
Not only does the setting of the grounds encourage winding down, the atmosphere of the house adds to the overall feeling of switching off from the outside world.
\ Claire Nash
While the house is solidly statuesque in appearance from the outside, inside, the relaxed country feel is emphasised with Susan and DJ’s warm welcome. Wedgewood blue complements the pinks and dark wood. Wallpaper that is estimated to have been hanging from the mid-1800s envelopes guests with a sense that the colours of the landscape have followed you indoors.
\ Claire Nash
Dinner at Enniscoe is a treat unique to the surroundings. Harvesting produce from the gardens in the afternoon for dinner that evening, on our visit we enjoyed an appetising garden salad to start featuring pickled beetroot, wild garlic flowers and dressed prawns followed by pan-fried cod with floury potatoes and plenty of carrots, chard and kale seasoned with fennel seeds and fresh herbs. We finished dinner with a perfect portion of warm gooseberry cake. After sinking into luxurious bedding under a four-poster canopy, the sun woke us up the next morning, streaming in through the tall Georgian windows.
\ Claire Nash
At breakfast in the dining-room, I snuck in a second bowl of porridge – I think it was the sweet cream and brown sugar that tempted me – before DJ served delicious scrambled eggs and crispy rashers.
Fáilte for na madraí
I originally discovered Enniscroe House because it is a dog-friendly country house – the only condition to this being that my four-legged friend could not come into the dining room.
After a long drive, my Boxer cross, Ruby, hopped out and seemed to know we were somewhere special. Stepping into the entrance hall, she clambered up the curved stair case a little too familiarly for my liking. She even seemed to know which bedroom to walk towards.
\ Claire Nash
I would emphasise that you need a trusting relationship with your dog if bringing them to Enniscoe – the rooms are furnished with beautiful antiques. I could feel my runners sink into the deep pile rug as DJ showed us to our room. While he explained about dinner, I was praying Ruby wouldn’t jump up on the bed for a snooze after the drive.
\ Claire Nash
Once we had our bearings, we went for a walk through the woods and into the walled garden. Aidan, one of the gardeners, was just finishing up and he made a fuss of Ruby – just what she enjoys. I brought food and water for the trip and as we came back to the house, Ruby had her supper. After my dinner, I brought her for a final quick walk and she wagged her way back in through the front door, delighted to be joining the humans by the fire in the drawing room.
She slept soundly in the room with us and the next morning, she jumped into the car, while we breakfasted. Soon after, she had a long walk down to the lake and through the woods.
She made friends with the other guests and, as we left, I suspect Ruby enjoyed Susan and DJ’s home so much, she would very much like to go back again.
Details
Dinner, bed and breakfast from €150 per person
enniscoe.com
northmayogenealogy.com
Read more
Mayo Mountain Rescue Team: the hard parts and the fun parts
16 trips to finally come home to Mayo
“I think, when the people from the American embassy came here and saw the house, they wanted somewhere for him to have a quiet period between engagements. The visit here was intended to be private – if a visit by a president can ever be considered private.”
So says Susan Kellett of President Biden’s visit to Enniscoe House in April; Enniscoe being home to Susan, her son, DJ, his wife, Colette, and granddaughter, Fearne.
“We certainly hadn’t expected him to come here; he and his sister and son were all delightful to meet,” continues Susan.
“The security for the week beforehand, that was fairly tough going.”
When not preparing for Presidents and security teams, Susan and DJ operate a dog-friendly country house near Crossmolina, welcoming guests from April to October for dinner, bed and breakfast.
Susan and her son DJ Kelley. \ Claire Nash
The original Enniscoe House – three storeys over basement – dates from the 1740s. Original, because Enniscoe House is actually one house built onto another. By the 1890s, it was decided to build on to the front and sides of house. This time it was to be two storeys over a basement – to enjoy the high ceilings and plasterwork of the time. The elegant curved staircase in the internal hallway is built upon the outside wall of the original house. With a roof window over the stairway, sunlight dapples the pink walls of the upstairs oval landing.
\ Claire Nash
Previously, Major Meryn Pratt lived in the house and devoted his time to the gardens. On his death in 1950, he left the estate to his cousin – Susan’s father – professor of veterinary medicine Jack Nicholson and his wife, Patita. With work based in Dublin, they did not get to make this part of Mayo their full-time home, and so, the gardens went into hibernation.
\ Claire Nash
When Susan took over the house, she priortised the restoration of the walled ornamental garden.
“Luckily enough, we got into the Great Gardens of Ireland scheme and we have now restored the garden back to about 1905,” explains DJ.
Originally, there was just one large orchard, but over time, stone was brought from the lake shore to create the walled garden, focusing this one acre on ornamentals while the rest of the orchard became a 2ac kitchen garden.
\ Claire Nash
It is now one of the oldest certified organic gardens in the country at 27 years old. You can find 28 varieties of apple trees and hops that are grown for the local brewery, Reel Deel in Crossmolina, as well as produce for the dining room.
\ Claire Nash
Making Presidential connections
Enniscoe is also home to the North Mayo Heritage Centre, which was key to connecting President Biden with the region.
A group had previously come together in Crossmolina to index church records and, shortly afterwards, Susan offered former farmyard buildings to give the group a home of their own and a place to store the records.
\ Claire Nash
As computers came on the scene, the records were digitised and now the North Mayo Heritage Centre has over 1.2m records for the region alone.
“If it wasn’t for our head researcher, Brendan Wash – who is extremely good – the connection would not have been made,” says Susan.
\ Claire Nash
In 2016, there was talk that Vice-President Biden was related to the Blewitt family of Ballina, although no concrete relationship had been established.
Out of curiosity, the team at the North Mayo Heritage Centre – knowing the strong connection between their area and Biden’s hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania – started doing some research.
This research produced a surname of his great-great-great-grandmother. With the help of local knowledge, the connection was established and confirmed by checking the records they have.
While Brendan spoke about making this connection publicly, nothing more was thought of it as they carried on with their genealogy work at the heritage centre.
\ Claire Nash
That was until a phone call came through enquiring if President Biden could visit on his trip to Ireland this spring.
“It was great that through the research that was done, this is what came about,” says Martina Burke, manager of the Heritage Centre, from Bohola.
\ Claire Nash
“We were able to show him the research of his family history. He took an interest in an exhibition currently on display of people from north Mayo that went to America and became sports stars. He was very charismatic; he had the whole room at ease, which was nice.”
A place to getaway
Clearly, Enniscoe was deemed fit for a president. So, what is the guest experience like? “I see it all the time – you can see the stress and the weariness of a person nearly as they walk in the door for the first time and by that evening or breakfast time, they are a completely different person,” says DJ as we stand on the front step, taking in the tranquil atmosphere and views down to Lough Conn.
Not only does the setting of the grounds encourage winding down, the atmosphere of the house adds to the overall feeling of switching off from the outside world.
\ Claire Nash
While the house is solidly statuesque in appearance from the outside, inside, the relaxed country feel is emphasised with Susan and DJ’s warm welcome. Wedgewood blue complements the pinks and dark wood. Wallpaper that is estimated to have been hanging from the mid-1800s envelopes guests with a sense that the colours of the landscape have followed you indoors.
\ Claire Nash
Dinner at Enniscoe is a treat unique to the surroundings. Harvesting produce from the gardens in the afternoon for dinner that evening, on our visit we enjoyed an appetising garden salad to start featuring pickled beetroot, wild garlic flowers and dressed prawns followed by pan-fried cod with floury potatoes and plenty of carrots, chard and kale seasoned with fennel seeds and fresh herbs. We finished dinner with a perfect portion of warm gooseberry cake. After sinking into luxurious bedding under a four-poster canopy, the sun woke us up the next morning, streaming in through the tall Georgian windows.
\ Claire Nash
At breakfast in the dining-room, I snuck in a second bowl of porridge – I think it was the sweet cream and brown sugar that tempted me – before DJ served delicious scrambled eggs and crispy rashers.
Fáilte for na madraí
I originally discovered Enniscroe House because it is a dog-friendly country house – the only condition to this being that my four-legged friend could not come into the dining room.
After a long drive, my Boxer cross, Ruby, hopped out and seemed to know we were somewhere special. Stepping into the entrance hall, she clambered up the curved stair case a little too familiarly for my liking. She even seemed to know which bedroom to walk towards.
\ Claire Nash
I would emphasise that you need a trusting relationship with your dog if bringing them to Enniscoe – the rooms are furnished with beautiful antiques. I could feel my runners sink into the deep pile rug as DJ showed us to our room. While he explained about dinner, I was praying Ruby wouldn’t jump up on the bed for a snooze after the drive.
\ Claire Nash
Once we had our bearings, we went for a walk through the woods and into the walled garden. Aidan, one of the gardeners, was just finishing up and he made a fuss of Ruby – just what she enjoys. I brought food and water for the trip and as we came back to the house, Ruby had her supper. After my dinner, I brought her for a final quick walk and she wagged her way back in through the front door, delighted to be joining the humans by the fire in the drawing room.
She slept soundly in the room with us and the next morning, she jumped into the car, while we breakfasted. Soon after, she had a long walk down to the lake and through the woods.
She made friends with the other guests and, as we left, I suspect Ruby enjoyed Susan and DJ’s home so much, she would very much like to go back again.
Details
Dinner, bed and breakfast from €150 per person
enniscoe.com
northmayogenealogy.com
Read more
Mayo Mountain Rescue Team: the hard parts and the fun parts
16 trips to finally come home to Mayo
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