Weather record Ireland's lowest officially recognised air temperature, , was measured at Markree Castle on 16 January 1881. 20th century The soldier and politician Bryan Cooper inherited the castle on the death of his father in 1902 and resided there with his family (except during World War I and when carrying out political duties) from 1903 until his death in 1930. After the Second World War the castle fell on hard times and stood empty and derelict for many years. In 1988 it appeared on the front cover of The Vanishing Country Houses of Ireland, a testament to the sad state of decay of many of Ireland's great houses at the time until, in 1989, Charles Cooper transformed his ancestral castle into a hotel. The castle's restoration was featured in a television documentary, and the renewed facilities featured a hotel and restaurant. The castle today In recent times, Markree Castle has operated as a hotel, run by Charles and Mary Cooper, the 10th generation of the family to live there. In 2015, after four centuries, it finally changed hands and is now run by the Corscadden family who also own Cabra Castle Hotel in Co. Cavan, Ballyseede Castle Hotel in Co. Kerry and Bellingham Castle in Co. Louth. The estate holds an array of wild life including red squirrels, otters, and kingfishers. The entrance contains a monumental staircase, which leads to a wonderful hall, from where a second staircase in carved wood leads to the 30 guest rooms. On the landing, a huge stained glass window traces the Cooper family tree from Victorian times back to the time of King John. The dining room is decorated in Louis Philippe-style plasterwork. See also Markree Observatory References External links History of the Cauchoix objective Castles in County Sligo Collooney Hotels in County Sligo