ANNADALE HOUSE WAS NAMED AFTER ANGEL ANNA SLACKE. SHE TOOK OVER THIS HOUSE SOME YEARS AFTER HER FATHER DIED. SHE WAS SEVEN WHEN HE DIED. SHE SPENT MOST OF HER TIME VISITING HER UNCLE WILLIAM OR HER AUNT MRS. SLACKE (COUNTESS OF CO. ROSCOMMON). WHEN ANGEL ANNA SLACKE VISITED DUBLIN, SHE GOT THE MEASLES AND WAS CONFINED TO BED FOR A WHILE. SHE WAS SOMETIMES DEPRIVEDOF HER SLEEPAND WHILE SHE LAY IN BED, SHE WOULD HEAR VOICES WHICH SEEMED TO PROCEED FROM THE ROOM OVER HEAD HERS. IN HER DIARY, SHE SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE PERSONS PRAYING. SHE MADE ENQUIRIES AND DISCOVERDED THAT THE VOICES BELONGED TO TWO YOUNG PRINTERS (BENNET DUGDALE & MATTHIAS JOYCE) WHO WERE METHODISTS, THE NEW RELIGION FOUNDED BY JOHN WESLEY. ANGEL ANNA SOON DECIDED TO GO TO WHITEFRIAR STREET TO HEAR THE PREACHERS. SHE CONVERTED TO METHODISM AND THEN SET UP A METHODIST SOCIETY. THE SOCIETY CONSISTED MAINLY OF ESTATE TENANTS AND SOME ENGLISHMEN WHO WORKED IN THE IRON FOUNDRY. MRS. SLACKES FIRST MEETING WITH JOHN WESLEY TOOK PLACE IN BALLYCONNELL, POSSIBLY IN JUNE 1785. HE WAS TO HONOUR HER BY STAYING AT ANNADALE ON TWO OCASSIONS. ANNADALE ALWAYS HAD A LOVELY WELCOME FOR JOHN WESLEY AND THE RECTOR, AND NOT ONLY FOR THEM, BUT FOR WILLIAM GORE, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR LEITRIM WHO NORMALLY LIVED IN TORKINGTONIN WALES.HE USED ANNADALE AS HIS BASE WHEN HE CAME TO THE COUNTRY TO CANVASS BEFORE HIS ELECTION TIME.