Named after
Francis Patrick Mary Browne, better known as Father Browne, a distinguished Irish Jesuit and prolific photographer, born in Cork in 1880, who is generally considered to be Ireland's most important photographer of the twentieth century.
In 1912 Father Browne received as a gift from his uncle a ticket for the maiden voyage of RMS Titanic, from Southampton, England, to Queenstown, Ireland, via Cherbourg, France. He boarded the
Titanic on the afternoon of 10 April 1912 and took dozens of photographs of life aboard on that day and the next morning.
During his voyage he was befriended by a wealthy American couple who offered to pay his ticket to New York and back in return for his company. Browne telegraphed his superior, requesting permission, but the reply was clear "GET OFF THAT SHIP – PROVINCIAL". When news of the ship's sinking reached him, he realised that his photographs would be of great interest and he negotiated their sale to various newspapers and news cartels, appearing in publications around the world.
Father Browne’s images of the Titanic remain uniquely important to this day, Over 200 of them have been carefully remastered and displayed in the Father Browne Bar at Lough Eske Castle, where guests can enjoy a drink and a bite to eat, surrounded by these stunning and unique images.
Stone flooring, soft leather booths, wooden bar and classic wood and leather bar stools combine with deep green painted walls, creating the perfect setting for the collection of historic images displayed around the bar. A warm and intimate space, with log burning stove and nooks and corners to settle into, it is the perfect spot for a leisurely evening drink with a friend, or just your newspaper. Father Browne Bar has an extensive list of beers, wines, cocktails and whiskeys to choose from, so you will want to take your time.
Adjoining the Father Browne Bar is the Father Browne Boardroom, a private area which can host either a boardroom-style meeting or a private dining function. Please contact our events Team to discuss use of this room and other function spaces at Lough Eske Castle.
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Those fascinated by Father Browne’s photographs and the story of RMS Titanic may like to discover more of the ship’s story, which began in Belfast, at Harland & Wolff. The historic slipways in Belfast from which the ship was launched are now presided over by the world famous Titanic Experience, while the Harland & Wolff offices have been restored and converted into the unique Titanic Hotel Belfast.