THe owners of one of the republic's most historic homes have won a long-running battle over rights of way.
Barristers Constance Cas- sidy and edward Walsh secured victory over Sligo County Council which sought to allow public access along four routes on the estate.
Lissadell was the ancestral home of the Gore Booth family, as well as the former home of Coun-tess Constance Markievicz and had strong links with WB Yeats, pictured.
After years of legal wrangling and a 58-day court battle, the five-judge Supreme Court has ruled that three routes into the estate are not public ways.
However, a small part of the land on Lissadell with access to the coast can be used by the public but no cars can park there.
The lawyers bought the estate and house for about e 4.5 million (£3.7m) in 2003. outside the Four Courts in Dublin, the couple's daughter elanor thanked their neighbours, more than 30 people involved in the restoration of the house, and their legal team for their hard work, support and encouragement.
The lawyers were working yesterday and could not attend the case.
The case centred on a 2008 decision by the council to grant four access routes through the estate - including one passing just yards from the front door of the property - after complaints were made by members of the public.
It argued it had a statutory obligation to protect such public rights of way under the 1993 roads Act and the roadways had been used extensively by the public for well in excess of 100 years.
The estate has attracted thousands of visitors a year.
Ms Walsh said her parents and family were happy with the court ruling that found the rights of way claimed by the local authority do not exist, in particular the right to parking and right of way in front of the house.
A hearing on the legal bill - estimated to run to about e 7m - will be heard at a later date.
Solicitor Dermot Hewson, for Sligo County Council, said the council was intensely disappointed by the outcome.
He confirmed the local authority would also "hotly" contest the costs if awarded against it in full.
Designed by London architect Francis Goodwin for Sir robert Gore-Booth MP, the building of Lissadell began in 1830 and was completed five years later, replacing a smaller house.
It was the childhood home of Constance Gore-Booth, who in later years, as Countess Markievicz, was closely connected with the leaders of the struggle for independence and became the first woman to be elected to the House of Commons.
She refused to take her seat as the first woman MP at Westminster but later sat as a member of the first Dail.
Her brother Josslyn was the grandfather of the last Lissadell owner, who had the same name and put it on the market 10 years ago.
The new owners have spent an estimated e 9m restoring the estate.
The Supreme Court handed out a complex 116-page ruling citing its reasons on what was one of the longest and most expensive property disputes in the history of the state.
* HERITAGE: Lissadell House in Co Sligo was once the home of Countess Constance Markievicz, right