Kind Hearts and Coronets

Central Park picnic under a Cherry Blossom. 3:30 PM. Photo: JH.

I had lunch with Desmond Fitzgerald, the 29th Knight of Glin, and James Piell of Christie’s to discuss their new book, Irish Furniture. Fitzgerald who is also head of the Irish Georgian Society which was founded by another Desmond, Desmond Guinness. He lives in Dublin and at Glin Castle on the River Shannon in Co. Limerick.

The castle, in one form or another, has belonged to the Knights of Glin for more than 700 years, although there is the old – now just a ruin, a remaining tower – and the new, built in the 18th century, with battlements added in the early 19th century. Today Fitzgerald and his wife run the place with its 15 bedrooms as a dinner, bed and breakfast hotel, with an especially enthusiastic clientele which likes to play golf at excellent nearby courses. (It is also only 30 minutes drive from the Shannon Airport).


	DPC and Desmond Fitzgerald, the 29th Knight of Glin

The title Knight of Glin has belonged to the Fitzgeralds of Limerick since the early 14th century. It is one of only three such titles of “Knight” that are recognized by the Irish government. And since Fitzgerald has three daughters and no sons, he will be the very last Knight of Glin after 29 generations.

The Fitzgeralds are a branch of the Norman family that took part in the Norman conquest of Ireland in the 14th century. The name Fitzgerald, in case you always wondered, comes from the French “Fils du Gerald,” (“Son of Gerald”), who were also Earls of Desmond. So, you see…

To this American boy, with Irish ancestors, it was more than fascinating to listen to the man discuss Irish history, including the great immigration of the Irish who came to America after the Potato Famine in the mid 19th century. For more than a century after, the land of the green was a romantic lost cause. Because of their bad experience farming the land in Ireland, the immigrating Irish preferred to stay in the cities where, with their strong association with the Jewish immigrants were able to forge a political base and power of influence that continues in many ways to this day.

Glin Castle.

All the misfortunes of Ireland is past, however. Today it is one of the most prosperous economies in Western Europe. That prosperity has raised not only the level and legitimacy of pride but also the expectations of young Irish who, like their generational counterparts in the West, are acquiring and restoring the Georgian Irish houses along with the 18th century Irish Baroque furniture that goes along with it.


Click to order

Fitzgerald who was once Deputy Keeper of furniture and woodwork at the V&A in London, is the world’s leading authority on this furniture. 20 years ago when he first started augmenting the collection he inherited, a walnut or mahogany chair could be had for $300. Today that chair would bring at least $20,000, and many other items run well into the six figures.

Because of his passion Fitzgerald has been working on this book for a number of years. It wasn’t until six years ago when he was introduced to James Peill, a young Englishman who is in charge of English furniture at Christie’s that he was able to complete the project with Peill’s collaboration. The result is the foremost book on the subject in the world, and can be purchased through Amazon.

The Knight of Glin is far too interesting to deserve only a few paragraphs, so there will be more to tell in a later Diary. In the meantime, you can pick up the book and begin to discover yourself.


	Barbara de Portago

Last night at the Pierre, the Versailles Foundation held its annual benefit dinner “In the Presence of” Their Majesties Simeon II of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Margarita, the King and Queen of Bulgaria”.

The Versailles Foundation, which was created for funding the restorations at Versailles over the past several decades, is run by Florence Van der Kemp and her daughter Barbara de Portago.

Mrs. Van der Kemp’s late husband Gerald, who died in 2001 at age 89, was the curator of Versailles for many years and largely responsible for its restoration after an entire (19th) century of neglect.

His widow and now her daughter have been highly effective in raising funds from American patrons for the Foundation which includes under its auspices, the restoration of Monet’s gardens at Giverny.

For the past several years the Foundation’s annual dinner has highlighted a royal personage who has shared with guests their knowledge, experiences and family histories.

Simeon II of Bulgaria with Lynn Wyatt and John Loeb

Simeon II with Princess Alexandra of Greece

Last night’s royal guest, Simeon, who succeeded when he was six years old and his father, the king, died in 1943, lived a half century in exile after the Second World War when Bulgaria was enveloped into the Soviet Union.

Everything changed in 1989 after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the development of Perestroika. His story about his experiences, which he recounted last night, were fascinating. But more on that in a later Diary.