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| Athenry House: Courtesy of Brain Quinn's 'Athenry Historic - Google Maps'. |
The Town House was built by John Lopdell between 1822 and 1830. It was originally known as 'River View' before it was called Athenry House. By 1865, the river Clarin with its roman-arched bridge, was brought through the estate lending added charm to the place.
Dr. Henry John Wellington Leonard died there in 1893, leaving an invalid wife, and a raised family of one son and four daughters. Historian Aggie Qualter remembers her going to Athenry House 'I remember two big tennis tournaments at Town House during WWI, both within a few weeks. Judging from the crowd that attended , they may well have been the County championships. I'll never know. The gentry came from all over - in landaus, carriages, and bell-ringing pony traps. The Lobdells ( I presume this is a spelling mistake of Lopdells?), Roes, Halls and Concannons came on bicycles (bikes were status symbols in those years).
I am researching the life of Dr. Henry John Wellington Leonard at the moment and hopefully I can publish it soon.
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