I have not published an entry in a couple of weeks but have been working hard! I am working on my entry for Strokestown Park in County Roscommon at the moment, which I will publish soon.

I have updated the home page and each entry with the newly published 2023 open dates.

I am still working on entries for the properties we visited during Heritage Week in August in 2022, so I have lots of work to do! I spent a long time working on the calendars which I have for sale here on the website, https://irishhistorichouses.com/2023/02/15/new-list-published-and-2023-section-482-calendar-order-form/

These list which properties are open on each calendar day of the year.

I have also been planning our trips around Ireland this year, to visit more Section 482 properties. There are no new properties on the list, although Portnason House in County Donegal had dropped off the list in 2022, and is now back on the list. Several other properties have dropped off the listing. I am sorry not to have visited Geragh in Sandycove in Dublin which is no longer listed. I also missed out on seeing Knocknagin House in Balbriggan, which I think sold last year, and is no longer listed – the same goes for Boland’s Lock in Tullamore.

I also didn’t get to visit Ballybur Castle in County Kilkenny, but it is still available to rent out, for weddings, and for group tours: see http://www.ballyburcastle.com/

The oddly named “Prison House” in County Mayo has also dropped off the list. I am also sorry that I did not get to see Cloughjordan House in County Tipperary before it dropped off the list. It remains a wedding and event venue, https://www.cloughjordanhouse.com/

I’m delighted I visited Claregalway Castle last year as it has now changed to be a section 482 accommodation listing. In corresponding with property owners in order to create my calendar, I was alerted to the fact that there are three types of listing for Section 482 properties. A property might be listed as “garden only,” such as Ballynatray or Oakfield Park. A property can be open to the public for sixty days. Or else a property can be listed as Accommodation. If it is listed as Accommodation it does not have to open to the public except when providing accommodation. Some accommodation properties do kindly list open dates for public visits.

Before I realised this distinction, several Accommodation listing owners generously opened their house to me for a tour. I want to highlight this distinction as it means you cannot show up at an accommodation listing expecting a tour!

Some Section 482 properties provide accommodation but are not classified under the Accommodation listing, for various reasons – for example, they may not be open for the required six months of the year. I would recommend that you contact the property before visiting, as they may be hosting a wedding or event.

The final property that has dropped off the Section 482 listing is a garden, Knockanree in County Wicklow. Unfortunately I missed out on visiting there also.

It just goes to show, I must try to visit places while they are on the list! Properties are generally on the list for a minimum of five years.

This year Stephen and I are treating ourselves to a stay in Ballyseede Castle in County Kerry, and we will also be revisiting the wonderful Bantry House. I have plotted out our year’s visiting, but even if we visit one property every weekend, we still won’t see every property!

Happy visiting!