Destruction of Irish country houses (1919–1923) April 1921, north Cork IRA leader, Liam Lynch, enraged by the destruction of several houses in reprisal for an IRA ambush declared, 'six big houses and castles of their friends, the Imperialists will go up for this.'" At least 76 country mansions were destroyed in the War of Independence; 30 "Big Houses" were burned in 1920 and another 46 in the first half of 1921, mostly in the conflict's Munster heartland, i.e. counties Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Clare and Limerick. Historian James S. Donnelly stated in a study of the burning of over 50 country mansions in County Cork in 1919–21
Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork acres in Somerset (worth 5,094 guineas per annum), 20,195 acres in County Cork (worth 6,943 guineas per annum), 11,531 acres in County Kerry (worth 2,447 guineas per annum), and 3,189 acres in Limerick (worth 2,859 guineas per annum). Lord Cork married Lady Emily Charlotte de Burgh (19 October 1828 - 10 October 1912), second daughter of Ulick de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde, on 20 July 1853. They had seven children: Lord Cork died at Berkeley Square, Mayfair, London, in June 1904, aged 75, and was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son, Charles. The Countess of Cork died