The Northwest Sights

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1. Glebe House and Gallery

On the northwest shore of Gartan Lough just off R251 is Glebe House and Gallery, a sweetly elegant redbrick Regency manor with 25 acres of gardens. For 30 years, Glebe House was the home of the distinguished landscape and portrait artist Derek Hill, who furnished the house in a mix of styles with art from around the world and who died in 2000; in 1981 he gave the house and its contents, including his outstanding art collection, to the nation. Highlights of more than 300 works include paintings by Renoir and Bonnard, lithographs by Kokoschka, ceramics and etchings by Picasso, and the paintings Whippet Racing and The Ferry, Early Morning by Jack B. Yeats, as well as Donegal folk art produced by the Toraigh Islanders and paintings by Louis Le Brocquy. The decoration and furnishings of the house, including original William Morris wallpaper, are also worth a look. Everything Hill collected is still here, including his cobra-skin slippers on the wooden floor under his bed. The house is accessed only by guided tour ( 45 minutes) and it is advisable to book in advance as tours are currently limited due to Covid-19.