My ancestors - Ebrill - Contents

Doorus House, near Kinvara, Co.Galway

The youth hostel now spells it Doorus House.
Other spellings seen include Dooras House or Duras House or Durrus House.

The house is on a peninsula a few miles NW of Kinvara, on Kinvara Bay (see map), Co.Galway (Co.Clare border).

Doorus House.
See larger and full size.
Photo 2007. From Stephen Holman. Used with permission.

Doorus House was built c.1810 by the de Basterot family of France, some of whom had come to live in Ireland in the late 18th century (though some later lived abroad again).
The house was renovated 1866.
In late 19th cent it was the summer house of Florimond, Comte de Basterot (or Florimund or Florimand, French count), who lived abroad otherwise.
Comte de Basterot was a friend of Yeats, Edward Martyn and Lady Gregory.
The idea for the Abbey Theatre emerged from their talks at Doorus House in 1896-98.

The house was later owned by the Quinn family.
Then bought as a shooting lodge by Charles Ebrill.
Charles is listed in Connacht Tribune, 9 Dec 1939, as selling "part of the lands at Dooras", with the house known as "Duras Cottage" (described as 2 storey cottage with outbuildings, at seashore), apparently as part of some court case he seems to have lost.
See also Connacht Tribune, 16 Dec 1939.

It was inherited by Denis and Adrian Ebrill, prob. 1954.
Denis and Adrian Ebrill donated it to An Oige (Irish Youth Hostel Association) 1961.
It was formally opened as youth hostel (with a plaque about its literary past) by literary critic Thomas Rice Henn, Sun 20 Aug 1961. Opening attended by many literary and prominent guests, including Ernest Blythe and Douglas Gageby.
See Connacht Tribune, 26 Aug 1961, p.7 and p.10.
See feature on house, Connacht Tribune, July 20, 1973.

It is now Doorus House Youth Hostel (and facebook), Kinvara, Co.Galway.
There is apparently a photo of one of the Ebrills there.

Entrance to Doorus House.
Click to rotate.
From Google Street View.
See satellite view.

Doorus House.
Photo 2009. From here. Used with permission.

Interior

Adrian Ebrill (left) and Ernest Blythe (centre)
at unveiling of plaque and opening of youth hostel, 1961.
From Connacht Tribune, 26 Aug 1961.

The plaque today.
Photo 2009. From here. Used with permission.

Same room as above. Picture referring to opening of youth hostel in 1961.
Photo 2009. From here. Used with permission.