LADY BERNARD LADY BERNARD, who has died aged 75, lived at Castle Bernard, the ancient family seat of the Earls of Bandon in Co Cork. The eldest daughter of the late Earl of Bandon and the late Lady Holcroft, Jennifer Bernard inherited the estate in 1979 on the death of her father, Percy Ronald Gardner Bernard, known widely as "Paddy" Bandon.
The 5th and last earl, he died without male issue and the title became extinct. Having lived and worked in England, mostly in London, Jennifer Bernard faced a daunting task when she took on the running of the ancient estate that included a 400-acre working farm, plus a stretch of the river Bandon, renowned for salmon and sea trout. Born in England, she attended no fewer than seven schools, often clashing with the authorities over what she perceived as nonsensical rules.
Her main career was in the personnel division of the John Lewis retail chain where she worked for several years. That first-hand experience in human resources, allied with a natural charm and innate ability to get on easily with people, were to prove invaluable when she moved to Bandon after her father's death. Castle Bernard, originally named Castle Mahon, was an old fortress of the O'Mahonys that the Bernards acquired in the early 17th century. During the War of Independence, the 4th earl was kidnapped in 1921 by the IRA and held hostage for six weeks. Despite threatening to kill him, they treated him well.
Apparently, he played cards with his captors who eventually released him. Nonetheless, they burned down the castle later that year and it now stands as a ruin.
In addition to running the estate, Lady Bernard lost no time immersing herself in local activities, visiting elderly residents in Bandon Community Hospital, helping with craft works and other activities. A keen horsewoman, she was also very involved in the local pony club.
The Bandon Golf Club is on land leased from the Bernards. Members of the local angling club fish the estate's waters. In addition to organising holiday letting, she ran the farm for several years before deciding to lease the land to a neighbouring farmer.
On summer evenings, she liked to hold parties in the dungeons of the old castle, now sadly out of bounds and in a precarious state. The parkland of Castle Bernard serves as an unofficial leisure park for the townspeople.
Four years ago, she suffered a stroke. As well as losing all movement on her left side, her eyesight dimmed, a severe blow to someone who loved reading.
Jennifer Bernard is survived by her sister, Lady Frances (Carter).
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Lady Bernard: born April 30th, 1935; died June 3rd, 2010