On his marriage to his cousin, Adelaide Guinness, in 1873, Edward Cecil Guinness purchased Farmleigh. Edward Cecil, the first Earl of Iveagh, was a great-grandson of Arthur Guinness and was the founder of the famous brewery. The first major construction project was in 1881-84, when Irish architect James Franklin Fuller (1832-1925) enlarged the House to the west, restored the old structure, and added a third storey. The Ballroom wing, built by Scottish architect William Young, was constructed in 1896. (1843-1900).
Farmleigh possessed all the requisites for graceful living and fashionable entertaining by the early years of the twentieth century, thanks to the building of a new Conservatory abutting the Ballroom in 1901 and expanded planting of broadleaves and exotics throughout the gardens. The eclecticism of its interior decoration, which ranges from classical through Jacobean, Louis XV, Louis XVI, and Georgian styles, adds to its allure.
In 1999, the Irish government paid €29.2 million to the Guinness family for Farmleigh. The Office of Public Works has meticulously restored the mansion to serve as the top lodging for visiting dignitaries and guests of the nation, as well as high-level government meetings and public enjoyment.
