The fraught period of Irish history from 1919-23 saw many “Big Houses” associated with British rule attacked and destroyed. Nowhere was this more evident than in County Cork, arguably the most republican county in the War of Independence against Britain (1919-21) and in the Irish Civil War (1921-23).

Ballinacarriga House, Kilworth, in north-east Cork, was home since 1730 to the Pyne family and since 1851 to the Corban-Lucas family. Despite its strategic location, military, religious, social and colonial connections with Britain, it survived family differences, near insolvency, war, tragedy and dereliction, when others did not. Find out why and how in this fascinating story of a house, a family and a village.