County Louth

2021 Section 482 List

by jenjunebug

The list of properties for 2021 has finally been published! Here it is – not too different from last year, though there are a few new places, and a few have been removed since last year.

List of approved buildings/gardens open to the public in 2021 

Section 482 Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 

Due to COVID restrictions properties may not be open as advertised, please check with the property owner before arranging a visit to any of the properties listed. 

Carlow 

Borris House

Borris, Co. Carlow
Morgan Kavanagh
Tel: 087-2454791
www.borrishouse.com
Open: Feb 2-7, 9-14, 16-21, 27-28, June 1-3, 8-10, 15-16, 22-24, 29-30, July 1, 6-8, 13-15, 20-21, 27-29, Aug 3-5, 10-12, 14-22, 24-26, 31, Sept 1-2, 12 noon -5pm Fee: adult €10, child €5, OAP/student €8, 

Borris House, County Carlow
Borris House, County Carlow. Photograph from Country Life.

Huntington Castle 

Clonegal, Co. Carlow
Postal address: Huntington Castle, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Alexander Durdin Robertson
Tel: 053-9377160
www.huntingtoncastle.com

Open: Feb 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, Mar 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, Apr 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, May 1-31, June 1-30, July 1-31, Aug 1-31, Sept 1-30, Oct 2-3, 9-10, 16- 17, 23-24, Nov 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, Dec 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 11am-5pm
Fee: house/garden, adult/student €9, garden only €6, OAP house/garden €8, garden only €5, child house /garden €6, garden only €3, group and family discounts available 

Huntington Castle, County Carlow.

The Old Rectory 

Killedmond, Borris, Co. Carlow.
Mary White
Tel: 087-2707189 

https://www.blackstairsecotrails.ie/ 

Open: July 1-31, Aug 1-31, 9am-1pm Fee: adult €10, OAP/student €6, child free 

Old Rectory, Killedmond, County Carlow.

The Old Rectory Lorum

Kilgreaney, Bagenalstown, Co. Carlow

Bobbie Smith
Tel: 059-9775282
www.lorum.com 

(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: Feb 14-November 30 

Old Rectory Lorum, County Carlow. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Cavan 

Cabra Castle (Hotel) 

Kingscourt, Co. Cavan
Howard Corscadden.
Tel: 042-9667030
www.cabracastle.com
Open: all year, except Dec 24, 25, 26, 11am-12 midnight Fee: Free 

Corravahan House & Gardens 

Corravahan, Drung, Ballyhaise, Co. Cavan Ian Elliott
Tel: 087-9772224
www.corravahan.com 

Open: Jan 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, Feb 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, Mar 1-2, 8-9, May 4- 5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 30-31, June 1-4, Aug 14-31, Sept 1-2, 9am-1pm, Sundays 2pm- 6pm
Fee: adult €10, OAP/student/child €5 

Corravahan, County Cavan.

Clare 

Barntick House 

Clarecastle Co. Clare
Ciaran Murphy
Tel: 086-1701060
Open: May 1-31, Aug 1-31, 5pm-9pm
Fee: adult/student €5, child/OAP free, group discount available 

Loughnane’s 

Main Street, Feakle, Co. Clare
Billy Loughnane
Tel: 086-2565012
www.eastclarehostels.com
Open: June 2-July 31, Wed-Sun, Aug 1, 4-8, 11-22, 25-29, 2pm-6pm Fee: Free 

Newtown Castle

Newtown, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare Mary Hawkes- Greene
Tel: 065-7077200 

www.newtowncastle.com 

Open: Jan 4-May 31, Mon-Fri, June 1-30 Mon-Sat, July 1-Aug 31 daily, Sept 1-Dec 17 Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm
Fee: Free 

Newtown Castle, County Clare. Photograph from National Library of Ireland.
Newtown Castle, County Clare. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Cork 

Ashton Grove

Ballingohig, Knockraha, Co. Cork
Gerald McGreal
Tel: 087-2400831
Open: Mar 1-12, May 4-31, June 1-3, 14-25, July 17-18, 31, Aug 14-22, Wednesdays 2pm-6pm, Tues, weekends & National Heritage Week, 8am-12 noon 

Fee: adult €6, OAP/student/child €3 

Bantry House & Garden

Bantry, Co. Cork
Julie Shelswell-White
Tel: 027-50047
www.bantryhouse.com
Open: Apr 1-Oct 31, 10am-5pm
Fee: adult €11, OAP/student €8.50, child €6, groups over 8-20, €8 per person, groups 21+ €7 per person 

Bantry House,County Cork. photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Blarney Castle & Rock Close

Blarney, Co. Cork
C. Colthurst
Tel: 021- 4385252
www.blarneycastle.ie
Open: all year except Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, Jan-Mar, Mon-Sat, 9am- sundown, Sun, 9am-6pm, Apr-May, 9am-6pm, June-Aug, Mon-Sat, 9am-7pm, Sun, 9am-6pm, Sept, Mon-Sat, 9am-6.30pm, Sun, 9am-6pm,
Oct, Nov, Dec daily 9am-6pm,
Fee: adult €18, OAP/student €15, child €10, family and season passes 

Blarney Castle, County Cork. photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Blarney House & Gardens

Blarney, Co. Cork
C. Colthurst
Tel 021- 4385252
www.blarneycastle.ie
Open: June 1- Aug 31, Mon-Sat, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 10am-3pm Fee: adult €10, OAP/student €7, concession joint with castle

Blarney House, County Cork. Photograph from National Library of Ireland.

 Burton Park 

Churchtown, Mallow, Co. Cork Paul Doherty
Tel: 022-59955
www.slieile.ie 

Open: May 8-July 7, Mon-Sat closed Bank Holidays, Aug 14-22, 11am-3pm Fee: adult/child/OAP/student €9 

Burton Park, County Cork. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Brideweir House 

Conna, Co. Cork
Ronan Fox
Tel: 025-36386
Open: Jan 1-Dec 24, 11am-4pm
Fee: adult €10, child/student €5, OAP free 

Brideweir, County Cork. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Creagh House

Main Street, Doneraile, Co. Cork Michael O’Sullivan
Tel: 022-24433 

(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: April-Sept
Public tours of house all year 

Drishane Castle & Gardens 

Drishanemore, Millstreet Town, Co. Cork Thomas Duggan
Tel: 087-2464878, 029-71008 

www.millstreet.ie 

Open: June 1-Sept 30, Mon-Sat, (Jan-May, Oct-Dec Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm by appointment only) National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 9am-5pm
Fee: adult €5, OAP/student free, child free when accompanied by adult 

Drishane Castle. Photograph from the National Library of Ireland.
Drishane Castle, County Cork. Photograph from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Drishane House 

Castleownshend, Co. Cork

Thomas Somerville
Tel: 028-36126, 083-574589

 www.drishane.com 

Open: May 1-20, Aug 14-22, Sept 13-23, Oct 1-20, 11am-3pm Fee: adult €10, OAP €8, student/child €6 

Drishane House, County Cork

Dún Na Séad Castle 

Baltimore, Co. Cork
Donna O’Driscoll
Tel: 087-7374592
www.baltimorecastle.ie
Open: March 1-Oct 31, 11am-6pm
Fee: adult/OAP/student €5, child under 12 free 

Baltimore Castle, County Cork.

Garrettstown House 

Garrettstown, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Denis Mawe
Tel: 021-4778156 

www.garrettstownhouse.com
Open: May 15-Sept 10, 12 noon-5pm
Fee: adult/OAP/student/other concessions €5, child €3 

Garrettstown House, County Cork. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Kilcascan Castle 

Ballineen, Co. Cork
Alison Bailey
Tel: 023-8847200 

Open: Aug 1-31, Sept 1-30, 9.30am-1.30pm Fee: Free 

Kilcascan Castle, County Cork. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Kilshannig House 

Rathcormac, Co. Cork
Hugo Merry
Tel: 025-36124
Open: May 1-31, June 1-30, July 1-31, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 8.30am- 2.30pm, 

Fee: adult €10, child/student €8.50, group discount by arrangements 

Kilshannig, County Cork.
Kilshanning House, County Cork.

4 Mulgrave Place, 

No 4 Mulgrave Road, Cork City
Trevor Leacy
Tel: 087-2808302
Open: May 1-Sept 30, closed Sundays, National Heritage Week, August 14-22, weekdays and National Heritage Week, 11am-4pm, Saturdays 11am-3pm 

Fee: adult €4, OAP/student/child €2, family €7 (2+2) 

Riverstown House

Riverstown, Glanmire, Co. Cork
Denis/Rita Dooley
Tel: 021- 4821205
Open: May 5-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29, June 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26, July 1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 29-31, Aug 5-7, 12-22, 26-28, Sept 2-4, 2pm-6pm 

Fee: adult €8, OAP/student €5 

Riverstown House, County Cork. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Woodford Bourne Warehouse 

Sheares Street, Cork
Edward Nicholson
Tel: 021-4273000
www.woodfordbournewarehouse.com
Open: all year except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, 1pm-11pm Fee: Free 

Donegal 

Cavanacor House 

Ballindrait, Lifford, Co. Donegal Joanna O’Kane
Tel: 074-9141143, 085-8165428 

www.cavanacorgallery.ie 

Open: Feb 1-20, May 1-31, Aug 14-22, 1pm-5pm Fee: adult €8, OAP/student/child €6 

Cavanacor, County Donegal. Picture from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Oakfield Park

Oakfield Demesne, Raphoe, Co. Donegal

David Fisher- Estate Manager
Tel: 074-91773068 

www.oakfieldpark.com 

Open: Apr 1-4, 7-11, 14-18, 21-25, 28-30, May 1-2, 5-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30, 12 noon-6pm, June 1-30, July 1-31, Aug 1-31, 11am-6pm, Sept 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 22-26, 29-30, 12 noon-6pm, Dec 1-5, 8-12, 15-23, Dec 1-17, weekdays, 4pm-10pm, weekends, 12noon-10pm, Dec 18-23, 12 noon-10pm 

Fee: adult €9, child €6, family and annual passes available 

Oakfield Park, County Donegal. Photograph from Country Life magazine.

Portnason House 

Portnason, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal
Madge Sharkey
Tel: 086-3846843
Open: Jan 18-22, 25-29, Feb 1-5, 8-12, Aug 14-30, Sept 1-17, 20-23, 27-28, Nov 15- 19, 22-26, Dec 1-3 6-10, 13-14, 9am-1pm 

Fee: adult €8, OAP/student/child €5 

Portnason House, County Donegal. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Salthill Garden

Salthill House, Mountcharles, Co. Donegal

Elizabeth Temple
Tel: 087-7088078, 074-9735014 

www.donegalgardens.com 

Open: May 1, 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29, June 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-26, July 1-3, 5-9, 12-24, 26-31, Aug 2-7, 9-22, 26-28, 30-31, Sept 1-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-30, 2pm- 6pm
Fee: adult/OAP/student €5, child under 10 years €2, over 10 years €3 

Salthill House Gardens, County Donegal. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Dublin City 

Bewley’s 

78-79 Grafton Street/234 Johnson’s Court, Dublin 2 Peter O’ Callaghan
Tel 087-7179367
www.bewleys.com 

Open: all year except Christmas Day, 11am-7pm Fee: Free 

Bewleys Cafe, Dublin. Photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Hibernian/National Irish Bank 

23-27 College Green, Dublin 2
Dan O’Sullivan
Tel: 01-6755100
www.clarendonproperties.ie
Open: all year, except Dec 25, Wed-Fri 9.30am-8pm, Sun 11am-7pm, Sat, Mon, Tue, 9.30-7pm 

Fee: Free 

11 North Great George’s Street 

Dublin 1
John Aboud
Tel: 087-7983099
www.number11dublin.ie
Open: March 8-13, May 10-15, June 7-12, July 5-10, Aug 2-7, 14-22, Sept 6-12, Oct 4-9, Nov 8-11,15-18, 1pm-5 pm
Fee: adult €7, students/OAP €3, child free under 12years 

Number 11 North Great Georges Street, Dublin.

81 North King Street 

Smithfield, Dublin 7
James Kelly
Tel: 086-8597275
Open: Apr 1-3, 5-10, 12-17, 19-24, 26-30, May 1, June 1-5, 7-12, 14-19, 21-26, 28- 30, July 1-3, 5-10, 12-17, 19-24, 26-31, Aug 2-7, 9-28, 30-31, Mon-Fri, 9am- 4.30pm, Sat, 12.30pm-4.30pm 

Fee: Free 

The Odeon (formerly the Old Harcourt Street Railway Station) 

57 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2

Mary Lacey
Tel: 01-6727690 

www.odeon.ie 

Open: May- Dec, 12 noon to midnight, closed Sundays Fee: Free 

Harcourt Street Station, now The Odeon, Dublin. Photograph from National Library of Ireland.

Powerscourt Townhouse Centre 

59 South William Street, Dublin 2
Mary Larkin
Tel: 01-6717000
www.powerscourtcentre.ie
Open: all year except New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day, St. Stephen’s Day, & Bank Holidays, Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm, Thurs, 10am-8pm, Sundays, 12 noon-6pm 

Fee: Free 

Powerscourt Townhouse, Dublin.

10 South Frederick Street 

Dublin 2
Joe Hogan
Tel: 087-2430334
Open: Jan 1-24, May 1, 3-8, 10-15, 17-22, 24-27, Aug 14-22, 2pm-6pm Fee: Free 

The Church 

Junction of Mary’s Street/Jervis Street, Dublin 1 Ann French
Tel: 087-2245726
www.thechurch.ie 

Open: Feb 1- Dec 24, 27-31, 11am-11 pm Fee: Free 

County Dublin 

Clonskeagh Castle 

80 Whitebean Road, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14

Fergus Armstrong
Tel: 089-4091645, 086-2428540 

www.clonskeaghcastle.com

Open: Feb 6-9, Mar 6-9, Apr 6-9, May 1-8, June 1-8, July 1-8, August 14-22, Sept 1- 8, Nov 6-9, Dec 6-9, 2pm-6pm
Fee: adult €6, child/OAP/student €3 

Colganstown House 

Hazelhatch Road, Newcastle, Co. Dublin
Lynne Savage Jones
Tel: 087-2206222
Open: Apr 12-18, May 6-28, June 10-12, Aug 14-27, Nov 1-13, weekdays 2pm-6pm, weekends 9am-1pm 

Fee: adult/OAP €10, student/child free 

Colganstown, County Dublin.

Fahanmura

2 Knocksina, Foxrock, Dublin 18
Philip Harvey
Tel: Philip, 087-2463865, Paul, 086-3694379
www.fahanmura.ie
Open: March 15-28, Apr 5-10, May 6-14, June 14-20, July 5-10, Aug 14-22, Sept 11- 19, 9am-1pm
Fee: adult €5, student €2, OAP/child free 

Fahanmura, Dublin. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Farm Complex

Toberburr Road, Killeek, St Margaret’s, Co. Dublin
David Doran
Tel: 086-3821304
Open: Feb 13-22, March 20-29, May 1-3, 10-16, June 18-27, Aug 14-23, Sept 18-27, 2pm-6pm 

Fee: adult €6, student/OAP/child €5 

“Geragh” 

Sandycove Point, Sandycove, Co. Dublin
Gráinne Casey
Tel: 01-2804884
Open: Jan 28-29, Feb 1-5, 8-12, 15-22, May 4-31, Aug 14-22, Sept 1-3, 2pm-6pm

Fee: adult €7, OAP €4, student €2, child free 

Geragh Haus, Dublin. Photograph by William Murphy, flickr creative commons.

Knocknagin House 

Delvin Bridge, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin Richard Berney
Tel: 087-2847797
Open: July 1-31, Aug 1-29, 9am-1pm

Fee: adult/OAP/child/student €5 

Knocknagin House, County Dublin. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

The Old Glebe 

Upper Main Street, Newcastle, Co. Dublin
Hugh F. Kerins, Martin Connelly
Tel: Frank 087-2588356, Martin 087-6686996
Open: May 1-31, June 1-30, Mon- Sat, Aug 14-22, 10am-2pm, 4 tours daily during National Heritage Week, 10am, 11am, 12 noon, 1pm, tour approx. 45 minutes 

Fee: Free, voluntary contributions only in 2021 due to Covid-19. Proceeds to charity 

The Old Glebe, County Dublin.

Martello Tower

Portrane, Co. Dublin
Terry Prone
Tel: 01-6449700
Open: March 6-Sept 26, Sat & Sun, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 9am-1pm

Fee: adult €5, student €4, OAP €1 

Martello Tower, Portrane, County Dublin. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Meander 

Westminister Road, Foxrock, Dublin 18,
Ruth O’Herlihy,
Tel: 087-2163623
Open: Jan 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, May 1, 4-8, 10-11, 17-22, June 8-12, 14-19, 21- 26, Aug 14-22, 9am-1pm 

Fee: adult €5, OAP/child/student €2 

Meander, County Dublin. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Primrose Hill 

Very Top of Primrose Lane, Lucan, Co. Dublin
Robin Hall
Tel: 01-6280373
Open: Feb 1-28, June 1-30, July 1-23, Aug 14-22, 2pm-6pm

Fee: adult/OAP €6, child free 

Primrose Hill, Lucan, County Dublin.

St. George’s

St. George’s Avenue, Killiney, Co. Dublin

Robert McQuillan
Tel: 087-2567718
Open: July 1-31, Aug 1-31, 9am-1pm 

Fee: adult €5 OAP/student/child €3.50 

Tibradden House 

Mutton Lane, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16

Selina Guinness
Tel: 01-4957483 

www.selinaguinness.com 

Open: Jan 14-17, 23-24, 28-29, Feb 4-7, 11-12, 19-21, 26-28, May 3-13,16, 18-20, 23-27, June 2-4, 8-10, 14-16, 19-20, Aug 14-22, weekdays 2.30pm-6.30pm, weekends 10.30am-2.30pm
Fee: adult/OAP €8 student €5, child free, Members of An Taisce the The Irish Georgian Society (with membership card) €5 

Tibradden House, County Dublin. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Galway 

Castle Ellen House

http://www.castleellen.ie/

Open: April 4-7,11-15,18-22, 25-29, May 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27, 30-31, June 1-3, 6- 10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-30, July 1, 4-8, 11-16, 18-22, 25-29, Aug 1-5, 8-12, 14-26, 29- 31, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 12 noon-4pm
Fee: Free 

Castle Ellen House, County Galway. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Claregalway Castle

Claregalway, Co. Galway
Eamonn O’ Donoghue
Tel: 091-799666

www.claregalwaycastle.com

Open: June-Sept, Thursday-Sunday, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 12 noon- 4pm 

Fee: adult €6, student/OAP/child €4 

Lisdonagh House

Caherlistrane, Co. Galway
John & Finola Cooke
Tel: 093-31163 

www.lisdonagh.com

(Tourist Accommodation Facility) Open: May 1-Oct 31 

Fee: Free 

Lisdonagh House, County Galway. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

The Grammer School 

College Road, Galway
Terry Fahy
www.yeatscollege.ie
Tel: 091-533500
Open: May 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, June 12-13, July 1-31, Aug 1-23, 9am-5pm

Fee: adult/OAP/student €5, child under 12 free 

Oranmore Castle 

Oranmore, Co. Galway

Leonie Phinn 

www.oranmorecastle.com 

Tel: 086-6003160 

Open: April 1-20, May 13-22, June 8-18, Aug 14-23, Sept 8-17, 12 noon-4pm

Fee: adult €10, child €5 

Oranmore Castle, County Galway. Photograph by Johanna, flickr creative commons.

Signal Tower & Lighthouse 

Eochaill, Inis Mór, Aran Islands, Co. Galway Michael Mullen
Tel: 087-2470900

www.aranislands.ie 

Open: April 1- October 31, 9am-5pm.
Fee: adult €2.50, child €1.50, family €5, group rates depending on numbers 

Woodville House Dovecote & Walls of Walled Garden 

Craughwell, Co. Galway
Margarita and Michael Donoghue
Tel: 087-9069191

www.woodvillewalledgarden.com

Open: Jan 29-31, Feb 1-28, Apr 1-13, 11am- 4.30pm, June 1, 6-8, 13-15, 21-22, 27- 29, July 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 31, Aug 1-2, 6-8, 13-22, 27-29, Sept 4-5, 11am-5pm Fee: adult/OAP €6, child €3, student, €5, family €20, guided tours €10 

Woodville Dovecote, County Galway. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Kerry 

Ballyseede Castle

Ballyseede, Tralee, Co. Kerry

Marnie Corscadden
Tel: 066-7125799 

www.ballyseedecastle.com 

Open: Mar 1-Dec 21, 28-31 Fee: Free 

Ballyseede Castle, County Kerry. Photograph from flickr creative commons, by Keith Robinson, 2015.

Derreen Gardens

Lauragh, Tuosist, Kenmare, Co. Kerry

John Daly
Tel: 087-1325665 

www.derreengarden.com 

Open: all year, 10am-6pm
Fee: adult/OAP/student €8, child €3, family ticket €20 (adults and all children & 2 maps) 

Kells Bay House & Garden 

Kells, Caherciveen, Co Kerry

Billy Alexander
Tel: 066-9477975 

www.kellsbay.ie 

William Alexander
Open: Feb-Dec 9.30am-dusk
Fee: adult €8.50, child €6, family €26 (2 adults + 3 children under 17 years) 

Tarbert House

Tarbert, Co. Kerry
Ursula Leslie
Tel: 068-36198, 087-2917301
Open: May, June, July, Aug, 2pm-4pm Fee: adult/OAP €5, student €2, child free 

Tarbert House, County Kerry. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Kildare 

Blackhall Castle 

Calverstown, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare
Jeffrey & Naomi White
Tel: 045-485244, 087-6532297
Open: May 1-31, Aug 14-22, Sept 1-15, Dec 1-20, 2pm-6pm Fee: Free 

Blackhall Castle, County Kildare.

Burtown House and Garden

Athy, Co. Kildare
James Fennell
Tel: 086-2631485
www.burtownhouse.ie
Open: May 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29, June 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26, 30, July 1-3, 7-10, 14-17, 21-24, 28-31, August 4-7, 11-31, Sept 1-2, 9am-12 noon 

Fee: adult €10, OAP/child€6, student €5 

Burtown House, County Kildare.

Coolcarrigan House & Gardens 

Coolcarrigan, Coill Dubh, Naas, Co. Kildare

Robert Wilson-Wright
Tel: 086-2580439
www.coolcarrigan.ie 

Open: Feb 1-5, 8-12, Mar 8-12, April 19-23, May 10-14, 17-21, Aug 4-10, 14-29, Sept 4-10, 9am-1pm
Fee: adult €8, OAP/student €5, child free 

Coolcarrigan, County Kildare.

Farmersvale House 

Badgerhill, Kill, Co. Kildare
Patricia Orr
Tel: 086-2552661
Open: Jan 18-31, Feb 1-6, July 23-31, Aug 1-31, 9.30am-1.30pm
Fee: adult €5, student/child/OAP €3, (Irish Georgian Society members free) 

Farmersvale House, County Kildare. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Griesemount House

Ballitore
Co Kildare
Katharine Bulbulia
Tel: 087-2414556
www.griesemounthouse.ie
Open: April 19-23, 26-30, May 10-21, 17-21, 24-28, June 16-20, 23-30, July 5-9, 12- 16, 19-23, Aug 14-22, 10am-2pm
Fee: adult €6, OAP/student €5, child €3 

Harristown House 

Brannockstown, Co. Kildare
Hubert Beaumont
Tel: 087-2588775
www.harristownhouse.ie
Open: Jan 11-15, 18-22, Feb 8-12, 15-19, May 4-28, June 7-11, Aug 14-22, Sept 6-10, 9am-1pm 

Fee: adult/OAP/student €10, child €5 

Harristown House, County Kildare

Kildrought House 

Celbridge Village, Co. Kildare
June Stuart
Tel: 01-6271206, 087-6168651
Open: Jan 1-20, May 18-26, Aug 11-31,10am-2pm
Fee: adult €6, OAP/student/child €3, child under 5 years free, school groups €2 per head 

Kildrought House. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Larch Hill

Kilcock, Co. Kildare

Michael De Las Casas Tel: 087-2213038 

www.larchill.ie

Open: May 1-14, 17-21, 24-31, June 1-11, 15-18, 22-25, 29-30, Aug 14-29, 10am- 2pm
Fee: adult/ OAP/student €8, child €5, under 4 years free 

Larchill, County Kildare. Photograph from Country Life.
Larchill, County Kildare. Photograph from Country Life.

Leixlip Castle 

Leixlip, Co. Kildare
Penelope Guinness
Tel: 01-6244430
Open: Feb 1-5, 8-12, Mar 1-5, 8-12, May 11-14, 17-23, June 14-18, 21-27, Aug 14- 22, Sept 6-12, 9am-1pm 

Fee: adult €8, OAP/student/child €4, concessions no charge for school groups 

Leixlip Castle, County Kildare.
Leixlip Castle, County Kildare.

Moone Abbey House & Tower 

Moone Abbey, Moone, Co. Kildare
Jennifer Matuschka
Tel: 087-6900138
Open: May 1-30, Aug 14-22, Sept 1-30, 12 noon- 4pm

Fee: adult €8, OAP/student/child €4 

Moone Abbey, County Kildare.
Moone Abbey, County Kildare.

Moyglare Glebe 

Moyglare, Maynooth, Co. Kildare
Joan Hayden
Tel: 01-8722238
Open: Jan 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, May 1-31, Aug 14-22, Sept 4-7, 8.30am-12.30pm

Fee: adult €6, OAP/student/child €3 

Steam Museum Lodge Park Heritage Centre July 10

Lodge Park, Straffan, Co. Kildare Robert C Guinness
Tel: 01-6288412 

www.steam-museum.com 

Open: May 1-3, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30, June 4-7, 11-13, 18-20, 25-27, July 2-4, 9- 11,16-18, 23-25, 30-31, Aug 1-2, 6-8, 13-22, 27-29, Sept 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26, 2pm-6pm,
Fee: adult €7.50, OAP/child €5, student engineering free with card, 

family €20, (2 adults + 2 children) 

Kilkenny 

Aylwardstown House 

Glenmore, Co. Kilkenny
Nicholas Kelly
Tel: 051-880464, 087-2567866
Open: Aug 1-31, Sept 1-30, 9am-5pm

Fee: adult €5, OAP/student €3, child free 

Aylwardstown House, County Kilkenny. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Ballybur Castle 

Ballybur Upper, Cuffesgrange, Co. Kilkenny

Mhairi Gray
Tel: 086-1919099
www.ballyburcastle.com 

Open: May 1-10, June 10-30, Aug 14-24, Sept 1-20, 2pm-6pm Fee: Free 

Ballybur Castle, County Kilkenny. flickr creative commons by Andrew Holmes
Inside Ballybur Castle, County Kilkenny. flickr creative commons by Andrew Holmes

Ballysallagh House

Johnswell, Co. Kilkenny
Geralyn & Kieran White
Tel: 087-2906621, 086-2322105
www.ihh.ie
Open: Feb 1-20, May 1-31, Aug 14-22, 9am-1pm Fee: adult €5, OAP/student/child €2.50 

Ballysallagh House, County Kilkenny. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Creamery House 

Castlecomer Co. Kilkenny
John Comerford
Tel: 087-918444
Open: May 21- Sept 26 Friday, Saturday, and Sundays, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 12 noon-5pm 

Fee: adult/OAP €5, child/student €3 

Creamery House, County Kilkenny. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Kilfane Glen & Waterfall

Kilfane, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny

Susan Mosse
Tel: 056-7727105
www.kilfane.com 

Open: July 1-31, Aug 1-31, 11am -6pm
Fee: adult €7, OAP/student €6.50, child €6, family €20 

Kilfane Waterfall, County Kilkenny, photo by irishfireside on flickr creative commons

Kilkenny Design Centre 

Castle Yard, Kilkenny

Joseph O’ Keeffe
Tel: 064-6623331 

www.kilkennydesign.com 

Open: all year,10am-7pm Fee: Free 

Kilkenny Castle stables, Kilkenny Design, County Kilkenny.

Shankill Castle 

Paulstown, Co. Kilkenny
Geoffrey Cope,
Tel: 087-2437125
www.shankillcastle.com
Open: Apr 2-Oct 31, Thurs-Sunday, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22

Fee: house & gardens, adult €10, OAP/student/child 

gardens, adult €5 OAP/student /child €4 

Shankill Castle gateway, County Kilkenny. photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Tybroughney Castle

Piltown, Co. Kilkenny
Louis Dowley
Tel: 087-2313106
Open: June 1-30, July 1-31, Mon- Fri, Aug 1-31, 9am-5pm

Fee: adult €2, student/ OAP/child free 

Tybroughney Castle, County Kilkenny. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Laois 

Ballaghmore Castle

Borris in Ossory, Co. Laois
Grace Pym
Tel: 0505-21453
www.castleballaghmore.com
Open: all year, 9.30am-6pm
Fee: adult €5, child/OAP €3, student free, family of 4, €10

 

Ballaghmore Castle, County Laois. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Stradbally Hall 

Stradbally, Co. Laois
Thomas Cosby
Tel: 086-8519272
www.stradballyhall.ie
Open: May 1-31, June 1-9, Aug 14-22, Oct 1-14, 9am-1pm

Fee: adult €10, OAP/ student €5, child free 

Stradbally Hall, County Laois. photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Leitrim 

Manorhamilton Castle (Ruin) 

Castle St, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim

Anthony Daly
Tel: 086-2502593 

Open: Jan 7-Dec 21, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, closed Sat & Sun, 10am- 5pm
Fee: adult €5, child free 

Manorhamilton Castle, County Leitrim. Photograph by Keith Ewing, flickr creative commons.

The Station House 

Brocagh Lower, Glenfarne, Co. Leitrim
Ann White
Tel: 087-1016063
Open: Aug 1-31, Sept 1-30, Mon- Fri, 6pm-10pm, Sat & Sun, and Bank Holidays 9am-1pm 

Fee: Free 

Limerick 

Ash Hill

Kilmallock, Co. Limerick
Simon and Nicole Johnson
Tel: 063-98035
www.ashhill.com
(Tourist Accommodation Facility)
Open: Jan 15-Oct 31, Nov 1-29, Dec 1-15, 9am-4pm

Fee: adult/student €5, child/OAP free 

Ash Hill, County Limerick. photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Glebe House 

Holycross, Bruff, Co. Limerick
Kate Hayes and Colum McCarthy
Tel: 087-6487556
Open: Jan 4-29, May 10-28, Aug 13-22, Sept 13-24, Mon-Fri, 5.30pm-9.30pm, Sat- Sun, 8am-12 noon 

Fee: Free 

Bruff Glebe House, County Limerick. Picture from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Glenville House

Glenville, Ardagh, Co. Limerick
Owen O’Neill
Tel: 086-2541435
Open: Apr 3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-30, May 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-26, Aug 14-22, Sept 1-4, 7-11, 14-17, 9.30am-1.30pm 

Fee: adult €5, OAP/student €3, child free 

Glenville House, County Limerick. Picture from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Kilpeacon House 

Crecora, Co. Limerick
Donie & Mary Costello
Tel: 087-9852462
Open: May 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-30, June 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27, July 3-4, 10- 11, 17-18, 24-25, Aug 1, 7-8, 14-22, 28-29, Sept 1-20, 10am-2pm 

Fee: €8 

Kilpeacon House, County Limerick. Picture from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Odellville House 

Ballingarry, Co. Limerick
Aisling Frawley
Tel: 085-8895125
www.odellville.simplesite.com
Open: May 1-31, June 1-30, July 1-30, Aug 1-31, 10am-2pm

Fee: adult €8, student/OAP/child €4 

Odellville House, County Limerick. Picture from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Mount Trenchard House and Garden 

Foynes, Co. Limerick
Frieda Keane Carmody
Tel: 087-2220692
Open: May, June, July, Sept, weekdays, Aug 1-31, daily, 10am-5pm
Fee: adult €8, OAP €6, child/student €4, groups between 10-20, €6 per person 

The Turret 

Ryanes, Ballyingarry, Co. Limerick
Donal Mc Goey
Tel: 086-2432174
Open: May, June, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 12 noon-5pm

Fee: adult €5, OAP/child/student/ concession €2 

The Turret, County Limerick. Picture from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

The Old Rectory

Rathkeale, Co. Limerick
John Roche
Tel: 087-8269123
Open: May 1-Nov 28, Saturday and Sundays, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 10am-2pm 

Fee: adult €8, child/OAP/student €3 

Longford 

Moorhill House 

Castlenugent, Lisryan, Co. Longford

Michael O’Donnell
Tel: 047-81952
Open: Aug 1-31, Sept 1-29, 9.30am-1.30pm

Fee: adult/OAP/student/child €8 

Moorhill House, County Longford. Picture from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Louth 

Barmeath Castle 

Dunleer, Drogheda, Co. Louth
Bryan Bellew
Tel: 041-6851205
Open: May 1-31, June 1-9, Aug 14-22, Oct 1-20, 9am-1pm Fee: adult /OAP/student €5, child free 

Barmeath Castle, County Louth

Killineer House & Garden

Drogheda, Co. Louth
Charles & Eithne Carroll
Tel: 086-2323783, 041-9838563,
www.killineerhouse.ie
Open: Feb 1-20, May 1-15, June 1-10, Aug 14-28, 9am-1pm

Fee: adult/OAP/child/student, house: €4, garden €6 

Killineer House, County Louth. photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Rokeby Hall 

Grangebellew, Co. Louth

Jean Young
Tel: 086-8644228 

www.rokeby.ie 

Open: May 1-31, Mon-Sat, Aug 14-22, Sept 1-30, Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm Fee: adult/OAP €7, child/student €5 

Rokeby, County Louth.

Mayo 

Brookhill House

Brookhill, Claremorris, Co. Mayo
Patricia and John Noone
Tel: 094-9371348, 087-3690499, 086-2459832
Open: Jan 13-20, Apr 13-20, May 18-24, June 8-14, July 13-19, Aug 1-23, 2pm-6pm

Fee: adult €6, student €3, OAP/child/ wheelchair free 

Brookhill House, County Mayo. Picture from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Enniscoe House & Gardens

Castlehill, Ballina, Co. Mayo

Susan Kellett
Tel: 096-31112 

www.enniscoe.com

(Tourist Accommodation Facility)
Open: April 1-Oct 31
Open: garden, April 1-Oct 31, 10am-5pm,
Fee: garden & heritage centre adult €8, OAP €6, child/student €3, family 2 adults and 2 children €15, tour of house €5 per adult, free two days National Heritage Week 

Enniscoe House, County Mayo. Photograph from Tourism Ireland.

 Old Coastguard Station 

Rosmoney, Westport, Co. Mayo
James Cahill
Tel: 094-9025500
www.jamescahill.com/coastguardstation.html
Open: July 1-Sept 9 closed Sundays, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 11am-4pm Fee: €1 

Old Coastguard Station, County Mayo. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Prizon House

Prizon North, Balla, Co. Mayo.
Tom O’Connor
Tel: 087-9032133
Open: May 1-31, Aug 1-31, 2pm-6pm

Fee: adult €10, student/OAP/child free 

Prizon House, County Mayo. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Meath 

Beau Parc House

Beau Parc, Navan, Co. Meath
Emer Mooney
Tel: 041-9824163
Open: Mar 1-20, May 1-31, Aug 14-22, 10am-2 pm

Fee: adult €10, OAP/student/child €8 

Cillghrian Glebe now known as Boyne House Slane 

Chapel Street, Slane, Co. Meath
Alan Haugh
Tel: 041-9884444
www.boynehouseslane.ie
Open: all year, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 9am-1pm Fee: Free 

Dardistown Castle 

Dardistown, Julianstown, Co. Meath

Lizanne Allen
Tel: 086 -2774271 

www.dardistowncastle.ie 

Open: Jan 9-31, Feb 11-21, May 15-21, Aug 14-31, Sept 1-30, 10am-2pm

Fee: adult €6, student/OAP €5, child free 

Dardistown Castle, County Meath.

Dunsany Castle

Dunsany, Co. Meath
Randall Plunkett
Tel: 046-9025169
www.dunsany.com
Open: July 3-31, Aug 1-31, Sept 1-4,10am-4pm
Fee: adult 18years + €15, weekends €20, OAP/student €5, child free 

Dunsany Castle, County Meath.

Gravelmount House 

Castletown, Kilpatrick, Navan, Co. Meath
Brian McKenna
Tel: 087-2520523
Open: Jan 1-13, May 10-30, June 1-20, Aug 14-22, 9am-1pm

Fee: adult €6, OAP/student/child €3 

Hamwood House

Dunboyne, Co. Meath
Charles Hamilton
Tel: 086-3722701
www.hamwood.ie
Open: Apr 2-Sept 26, Fri-Sun, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 10am-7pm

Fee: adult/OAP/student €10, including 2km trail and café, child under 12 free 

Hamwood House, County Meath. Photograph from Country Life.

Killeen Mill

Clavinstown, Drumree, Co. Meath Dermot Kealy
Tel: 086-2619979
(Tourists Accommodation Facility) 

Open: April- Sept 

Killeen Mill, County Meath. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Loughcrew House 

Loughcrew, Old Castle, Co. Meath

Emily Naper
Tel: 049-8541356
(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: April- Sept 

www.loughcrew.com 

Garden: Mar 18-Sept 30 daily, 10am-5pm, Aug & Sept, 11am-4pm Fee: adult €7, OAP/student €5, child €3.50, group concessions 

Loughcrew 22nd May 2010
Loughcrew, County Meath, 22nd May 2010.

Moyglare House 

Moyglare, Co. Meath
Postal address Maynooth Co. Kildare
Angela Alexander
Tel: 086-0537291
www.moyglaremanor.ie
Open: Jan 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, May 1-21, 24-28, 31, June 1-3, Aug 14-22, 9am-1pm
Fee: adult €7.50, OAP/student/child €5 

Moyglare House, County Meath.

Slane Castle

Slane, Co. Meath
Alex Conyngham
Tel: 041-9884477
www.slanecastle.ie
Open: April 19-29, May 2-20, 23-27, 31, June 1-3, 7-10, Aug 14-22, Sept 29-30, Oct 1-2, 4-7, Sundays 12 noon-5pm, Monday – Saturday 11am-3pm 

Fee: adult €14, OAP/student €12.50, child €8.40 

Slane Castle, County Meath.

St. Mary’s Abbey 

High Street, Trim, Co. Meath
Peter Higgins
Tel: 087-2057176
Open: Jan 25-29, Feb 22-26, Mar 8-12, Apr 12-16, May 24-30, June 21-27, July 19- 25, Aug 14-22, Sept 13-17, 20-24, 2pm-6pm 

Fee: adult €5, OAP/student/child €2 

St. Mary’s Abbey, County Meath. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

The Former Parochial House

Slane, Co. Meath
Alan Haugh
Tel: 087-2566998
Open: May 1-Dec 22, Mon-Sat, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 9am-1pm

Fee: adult 5, child/ OAP/student €3 

Swainstown House 

Kilmessan, Co. Meath
Caroline Preston
Tel: 086-2577939
Open: Mar 1-2, 4-5, April 5-6, 8-9, May 3-9, June 7-13, July 5-11, Aug 14-22, Sept 13-17, 20-24, Oct 4-5, 7-8, Nov 1-2, 4-5, Dec 6-7, 9-10, 11am-3pm 

Fee: adult €8, child €1, OAP/student €3 

Swainstown, County Meath.

Tankardstown House 

Rathkenny, Slane, Co. Meath

Brian Conroy
Tel: 087-2888925 

www.tankardstown.ie 

Open: all year including National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 9am-1pm Fee: Free 

Tankardstown, County Meath.

Monaghan 

Castle Leslie 

Glaslough, Co. Monaghan
Samantha Leslie
Tel: 047-88091
www.castleleslie.com
(Tourist Accommodation Facility)
Open: all year, National Heritage Week, events August 14-22 Fee: Free

Castle Leslie, County Monaghan.
Castle Leslie, County Monaghan.

 Hilton Park House

Clones, Co. Monaghan
Fred Madden
Tel 047-56007
www.hiltonpark.ie
(Tourist Accommodation Facility) Open: April- Sept 

House and garden tours available for groups, May, July, Aug, Sept, Monday-Friday, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, June 1-4, 10-14, 17-21, 24-29, 12 noon-4pm Fee: adult €10, OAP/student €6, child free 

Hilton Park, County Monaghan. Photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Mullan Village and Mill 

Mullan, Emyvale, Co. Monaghan

Michael Treanor
Tel: 047-81135 

www.mullanvillage.com 

Open: Aug 1-31, Sept 1-30, 2pm-6.30pm Fee: €6 

Offaly 

Birr Castle 

Birr, Co. Offaly

Alicia Clements Tel: 057-9120056 

www.birrcastle.com

Open: May 1-Aug 31, Mon-Sat, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, closed Aug 1, 8, 29,10am-2pm
Fee: adult €20, castle €10, garden €10, groups €15 per head, garden €7.50, castle €7.50 

Birr Castle, County Offaly.

Ballybrittan Castle 

Ballybrittan, Edenderry, Co. Offaly
Rosemarie
Tel: 087-2469802
Open: Jan 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 23-24, 30-31, Feb 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 27-28, Mar 6-7,13- 14, 20-21, 27-28, May 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, June 12-13,19-20, 26-27, July 3-4,10- 11,17-18, 24-25, 31, Aug 14-22, Sept 4-14, 2pm-6pm. 

Fee: free – except in case of large groups a fee of €5 p.p.

 Ballindoolin House 

Edenderry, Co. Offaly
Rudolf Prosoroff
Tel: 00436765570097
Open: April 6-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29, May 1-6, 8-13, 15-20, 24-27, 31, June 1-3, 7- 10, 14-17, 21-24, 28-30, Aug 14-22, 10am-2pm 

Fee: adult €10, student /OAP/child €5 

Boland’s Lock 

Cappincur, Tullamore, Co. Offaly
Martin O’Rourke
Tel: 086-2594914
Open: July 1-31, Aug 1-31, 12 noon-4pm

Fee: adult €2, OAP/student /family €5 

Boland’s Lock, County Offaly. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Corolanty House

Shinrone, Birr, Co. Offaly
Siobhan Webb
Tel: 086-1209984
Open: Jan, Feb, July, Aug, Sept, daily 2pm-6pm Fee: Free 

Corolanty House, County Offaly. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Crotty Church 

Castle Street, Birr, Co. Offaly Brendan Garry
Tel: 086-8236452 

Open: all year, 9am-5pm 

Fee: Free 

Gloster House

Brosna, Birr, Co. Offaly
Tom & Mary Alexander
Tel: 087-2342135
Open: Feb 1-26, Mon-Fri, May 1-31, Aug 14-22, 9am-1.30pm

Fee: adult/student/child/OAP €7 

Gloster House, County Offaly. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

High Street House 

High Street, Tullamore, Co. Offaly

George Ross
Tel: 086-3831992 

www.no6highstreet.com 

Open: Jan 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, May 1-18, Aug 14-22, Sept 1-24, 9.30am-1.30pm

Fee: adult/student €5, OAP €4, child under 12 free 

Loughton 

Moneygall, Birr, Co. Offaly
Michael Lyons
Tel: 089-4319150
www.loughtonhouse.com
Open: May 11-16, 18-23, 25-30, June 1-6, 8-13, 15-20, 22-27, 29-30, Aug 1, 3-8, 10- 22, 11am-3.30pm 

Fee: adult €5, OAP/student €4, child €3 (under 12 free), family (2 adults & 2 children over 12) € 15 

Loughton House, County Offaly.

Springfield House 

Mount Lucas, Daingean, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Muireann Noonan
Tel: 087-2204569
www.springfieldhouse.ie 

Open: Jan 1-14, 1pm-5pm, May 14-16, 24-28, July 2-4, 9-11, 16-18, Aug 7-29, 2pm- 6pm, Dec 26-31, 1pm-5pm
Fee: Free 

The Maltings

Castle Street, Birr, Co. Offaly

Eoin Garry
Tel: 086-3286277 

www.canbe.ie 

(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: April 1-Dec 31 

The Maltings, County Offaly. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Roscommon 

Castlecoote House

Castlecoote, Co. Roscommon

Kevin Finnerty

Tel: 087-2587537

 www.castlecootehouse.com 

(Tourist Accommodation Facility)

Open: May-Oct 

Garden-guided tours, 2pm-6pm Fee: €5, €2 per car 

Castlecoote House, County Roscommon. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Clonalis House 

Castlerea, Co. Roscommon
Pyers O’Conor Nash
Tel: 094-9620014, 087-3371667
(Tourist Accommodation Facility)
April 1-October 1
www.clonalis.com
Open: Jun 1-Aug 31, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 11am-5pm, last tour 3.45pm, tours by appointment
Fee: adult €10, OAP/student €8, child €5, under 7 years free, group rates can be arranged 

Clonalis, County Roscommon.

King House

Main Street, Boyle, Co. Roscommon Eimear Dowd
Tel: 090-6637369 

www.visitkinghouse.ie

Open: April 16-Sept 24, Tue-Sun, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 11am-5pm

Fee: adult €7, OAP/student /child €5, 10% group discounts 

King House, County Roscommon. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Shannonbridge Fortifications 

Shannonbridge, Athlone, Co. Roscommon

Fergal Moran
Tel: 085-1345582 

www.shannonbridgefortifications.ie 

Open: May 1-Sept 30, 11am-5pm 

Fee: Free 

Shannonbridge Fortifications, County Roscommon. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Strokestown Park House

Strokestown Park House, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon

Ciarán
Tel: 01-8748030
www.strokestownpark.ie 

Open: Jan 2-Dec 20, Jan, Feb, Mar 1-16, Nov, Dec,10.30am-4pm, March 17-Oct 31, 10.30am-5.30pm,
Fee: adult €14, €12.50, €9.25, OAP/student €12.50, child €6, family €29, groups €11.50 

Strokestown Park, County Roscommon. Photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Sligo 

Coopershill House

Riverstown, Co. Sligo
Simon O’Hara
Tel: 071-9165108 

www.coopershill.com
(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: April-Sept 

Tues- Sat, 11am-5pm
Fee: adult/child/OAP/student €5 

Coopershill House, Sligo. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Lissadell House & Gardens

Lissadell, Ballinfull, Co. Sligo

Edward Walsh
Tel: 087-2550969 

www.lissadell.com 

Open: June-Sept 10.30am-6pm
Fee: adult €14, child €7, OAP €12, concessions family 

Lissadell House and Gardens County Sligo Ireland. Photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Markree Castle

Collooney
Co Sligo
Nicholas Ryan
Tel: 071-9167800 

www.markreecastle.ie
Open: June, July, Aug, 12 noon-4pm Fee: Free 

Markree Castle, County Sligo. photograph by Tom Keenan, creative commons flickr.

Newpark House and Demesne

Newpark, Ballymote, Co. Sligo
Christopher & Dorothy-Ellen Kitchin
Tel: 087-3706869, 087-2894550
Open: March 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 22-26, May 10-16, 24-27, 31, June 1-17, Aug 14-22, Sept 7-8, 9am-1pm
Fee: adult €7, OAP/student/group €5 

Newpark House, County Sligo. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Rathcarrick House

Rathcarrick, Strandhill Road, Co. Sligo
Michael Sweeney
Tel: 071-9128417
Open: June, July, Aug, Tue-Sat, National Heritage Week Aug 14-22, 2pm-6pm

Fee: adult €5, OAP/student/child free

Rathcarrick House, County Sligo. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Temple House

Ballymote, Co. Sligo
Roderick and Helena Perceval

Tel:071-9183329, 087-9976045 

www.templehouse.ie
(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: April 1-October 31 

Temple House, County Sligo. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Tipperary 

Beechwood House

Ballbrunoge, Cullen, Co. Tipperary
Maura & Patrick McCormack
Tel: 083-1486736
Open: Jan 4-8, 18-22, Feb 1-5, 8-12, May 1-3, 14-17, 21-24, June 11-14, 18-21, Aug 14-22, Sept 3-6, 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, 10.15am-2.15pm 

Fee: adult €5, OAP/student €2, child free, fees donated to charity 

Beechwood House, County Tipperary. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Clashleigh House 

Clogheen, Co. Tipperary
Elizabeth O’Callaghan
Tel: 086-8185334
Open: April 1-May 27, Tues & Thurs, June 1-29, Tue, Thurs, Sat & Sun, Aug 14-22, Sept 2-Oct 28, Tues & Thurs, 9am-1pm 

Fee: adult €8, OAP/student/child €4 

Clashleigh House, County Tipperary. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Cloughjordan House

Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary
Sarah Baker
Tel: 085-2503344
www.cloughjordanhouse.com
Open: May 4-29, Sept 6-30, Oct 4-30 excluding Sundays, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 9.30am-1.30pm 

Fee: adult €6, OAP/student/child €5 

Cloughjordan House, County Tipperary. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Fancroft Mill 

Fancroft, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary

Marcus & Irene Sweeney
Tel: 0505-31484, 087-9263300 

www.fancroft.ie

Open: May 6-27, June 9-30, Aug 14-22, Sept 15-22, 10am-2pm
Fee: adult €8, OAP/student €6, child free under 5 years, adult supervision essential, group rates available 

Fancroft Mill, County Tipperary. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Grenane House 

Tipperary, Co. Tipperary
Philippa Mansergh-Wallace
Tel: 062-52484
Open: May & Sept, Mon-Sat, Aug 14-22, 2pm-6pm, closed Saturday, Sept 18

Fee: adult €8, student/OAP €6, group rates available 

Greenane House, County Tipperary. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. I assume this is the house that is 482, despite the difference in spelling!

Killenure Castle 

Dundrum
Co Tipperary
Eavaun Carmody
Tel: 087-6402664
www.killenure.com
Open: May 11-31, June 1-30, Aug 14-22, 10.30am-2.30pm

Fee: adult €8, child /OAP/student €6, group concessions 

Killenure Castle, County Tipperary. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Lismacue House

Bansha, Co. Tipperary
Katherine Nicholson
Tel: 062-54106
www.lismacue.com
(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: Mar 17-Oct 31 

Lismacue House, County Tipperary. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Redwood Castle 

Redwood, Lorrha, Nenagh, North Tipperary

Redwood is off the Birr/Portumna Rd

Coleesa Egan
Tel: 087-7479566 

www.redwoodcastleireland.com

Open: June 8-23, 29-30, July 1-16, 19-29, Aug 1-27, 29-31, Sept 1-2, 2pm-6pm

Fee: adult €10, OAP/student/child €5 

Redwood Castle, County Tipperary, photograph by discover lough derg on flickr creative commons.

The Rectory

Cashel Road, Cahir, Co. Tipperary

Richard & Josephine Fahey 

Tel: 087-2601994

(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: May 1-Oct 31 

The Rectory, Cahir. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Silversprings House 

Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Jim Gilligan
Tel: 086-2539187
Open: May 1-31, June 1-30, Aug 14-22, 12 noon-4pm

Fee: adult €5, OAP/student €3, child free 

Silversprings House, County Tipperary. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Waterford 

Ballynatray Estate 

Co. Waterford
Postal address: Glendine, Youghal, Co. Cork

Katherine Gordon
Tel: 086-1701832
www.ballynatray.com
Open: April 1-Sept 30, 12 noon- 4pm
Fee: adult €6, child OAP/student €3 

Ballynatray House, County Waterford. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Cappagh House (Old and New)

Cappagh
Dungarvan
Co Waterford
Charles and Claire Chavasse
Tel: 087-8290860, 086-8387420
www.cappaghhouse.ie
Open: April, June, & August, Wednesday & Thursday, May & September Wednesday Thursday & Saturday, National Heritage Week, August 14-22, 9.30am-1.30pm
Fee: adult/OAP/student/€5, child under 12 free 

Cappagh House, County Waterford. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Cappoquin House & Gardens 

Cappoquin, Co. Waterford
Sir Charles Keane
Tel: 058-54290, July 087-6704180
www.cappoquinhouseandgardens.com
Open: July 20-24, 26-31, Aug 2-7, 9-28, 30, Sept 1-4, 6-11, 13-18, 20-25, 27-30, 9am-1pm
Gardens open all year, 9am-6pm, closed Sundays
Fee: house/garden €15, garden only €6 

Cappoquin House, County Waterford.

Curraghmore House 

Portlaw, Co. Waterford
Vanessa Behal
Tel: 051-387101
www.curraghmorehouse.ie
Open: May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Thurs-Sun and Bank Holidays, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22,10am-4pm 

Fee: adult/OAP/student, house/garden/shell house tour €20, house €15, garden & shell house €12, garden €7, child under12 years free 

Curraghmore, County Waterford.

Dromana House 

Cappoquin, Co. Waterford
Barbara Grubb
Tel: 086-8186305
www.dromanahouse.com
Open: May 1-8, 22-31, June 1-30, July 1-10, Aug 14-22, 2pm-6pm
Fee: adult/OAP/student, house €10, garden: adult/OAP/student €6, child under 12 free, groups of 10 or more house/garden €12, garden €5, house €9, 

Dromana, County Waterford.

Salterbridge House & Garden 

Salterbridge, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford
Philip Wingfield
Tel: 086-8223005
www.salterbridgehouseandgarden.com
Open: Mar 22-26, Apr 6-9, 12-16, 19-23, 26-30, May 3-7, 10-31, Aug 14-22, 9am- 1pm 

Fee: adult house/garden €10, house or garden only €5, child/student half price, OAP free 

Salterbridge, County Waterford.

The Presentation Convent 

Waterford Healthpark, Slievekeel Road,Waterford

Michelle O’ Brien
www.rowecreavin.ie
Tel: 051-370057 

Open: Jan 1-Dec 31, excluding Bank Holidays and Sundays, Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm, Sat, 10am-2pm, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22
Fee: Free 

Presentation Convent, County Waterford. photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Tourin House & Gardens 

Tourin, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford

Kristin Jameson
Tel: 086-8113841
www.tourin.ie 

Open: April 1-Sept 30, Tue-Sat, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 1pm-5pm

Fee: adult €6, OAP/student €3, child free. 

Tourin, County Waterford.

Westmeath 

Lough Park House 

Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath
Liam O’Flanagan
Tel: 044-9661226
Open: Mar 16-22, Apr 1-7, May 1-7, June 1-7, July 16-26, Aug 1-6, 14-22, Sept 1-6, 2pm-6pm 

Fee: adult €6, child free 

Lough Park House, County Westmeath. photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

St. John’s Church 

Loughstown, Drumcree, Collinstown, Co. Westmeath

Billy Standish
Tel: 044-9666570
Open: Aug 1-31, Sept 1-30, 2pm-6pm 

Fee: adult €4, child/OAP/student €2 

St. John’s Church, County Westmeath. photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Rockfield Ecological Estate

Rathaspic, Rathowen, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Sean Daly
Tel: 086-2487447
Open: May 25-30, June 15-25, July 15-30, Aug 14-29, Sept 10-20, 2pm-6pm

Fee: Free 

Tullynally Castle & Gardens

Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath

Octavia Tullock
Tel: 044-9661856 

www.tullynallycastle.com

Open: Castle, Apr 8-10, 15-17, 22-24, 29-30, May 6-8, 13-15, 20-22, 27-29, June 3-5, 11-12, 17-19, 24-26, July 1-3, 8-10, 15-17 Aug 14-22, Sept 2-4, 9-11, 10.30am- 2.30pm
Garden: Apr 1-4, 8-11, 15-18, 22-25, 29-30, May 1-2, 6-9, 13-16, 20-23, 27-30, June 3-6, 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, July 1-4, 8-11,15-18, 22-25, 29-31, Aug 1, 5-8, 12-22, 26- 29, Sept 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 23-26 10.30am-2.30pm 

Fee: adult, castle & access to garden €16, garden only €8, child, castle & access to garden €8, garden only €4, families, castle & access to garden €40, garden only €20 

Tullynally, County Westmeath.

Turbotstown

Coole, Co. Westmeath
Peter Bland
Tel: 086-2475044
Open: July 22-30, Aug 1-31, Dec 1-20, 9am-1pm

Fee: adult/student €8, child/OAP €4 

Wexford 

Clougheast Cottage 

Carne, Co. Wexford
Jacinta Denieffe
Tel: 086-1234322
Open: Jan 11-31, May 1-31, August 14-22, 9am-1pm Fee: €5 

Clougheast Cottage, County Wexford. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Kilmokea Country Manor & Gardens

Kilmokea, Great Island, Campile, New Ross, Co. Wexford Mark Hewlett
Tel: 086-0227799
www.kilmokea.com 

(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Open: Mar- Nov 

Gardens: 

Open Mar17-Nov 5, 10am-5pm
Fee: adult €7, OAP €6, student €5, child €4, free under 3 years, family group of 4, €20 

Kilmokea, County Wexford. Photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Wilton Castle

Bree, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford

Sean Windsor
(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

Tel: 053-9247738 

www.wiltoncastleireland.com 

Open: all year 

Wilton Castle, County Wexford. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Woodbrook House

Killanne, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford

Giles Fitzherbert
(Tourist Accommodation Facility) 

053-9255114 

www.woodbrookhouse.ie 

Open April 1-October 31

Woodville House

New Ross, Co. Wexford
Gerald Roche
Tel: 087-9709828
Open: May 1-31, June 1-30, July 1-31, Aug 1-31, 10am-2pm

Fee: adult/OAP/ €5, child/student free 

Woodville House, Wexford. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Wicklow 

Altidore Castle 

Kilpeddar, Greystones, Co. Wicklow
Philip Emmet
Tel: 087-7601369
Open: Mar 10-30, May 1-31 June 1-3, 1pm-5pm, Aug 14-22, 2pm-6pm

Fee: adult /OAP/ student €5, child over 10 years €5 

Altidore Castle, County Wicklow.

Ballymurrin House 

Kilbride, Wicklow, Co. Wicklow
Philip Geoghegan
Tel: 086-1734560
www.ballymurrinquakerfarmstead.eu
Open: Mar 1-6, 8-13, 15-20, 22-23, May 1, 3-8, 10-15, 17-22, 24-29, 31, Aug 9-22, 2pm-6pm, 2 tours provided daily at 2pm and 4 pm 

Fee: adult/OAP €8, student €4, child free under 12 supervision required 

Ballymurrin, County Wicklow.

Castle Howard 

Avoca, Co. Wicklow
Mark Sinnott
Tel: 087-2987601
Open: Jan 11-13, Feb 1-5, Mar 1-3, 22-24, June 10-12, 14-15, 19, 21-26, 28, July 5-9, 19-22, Aug 13-22, Sept 6-11, 18, 25, Oct 4-6, 11-13, 9am-1pm 

Fee: adult €8.50, OAP/student €6.50, child €5

 

Castle Howard, County Wicklow.

Charleville 

Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow
Tatiane Baquiega
Tel: 01-6624455
Open: Feb 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 22-26, May 4-28, 31 June 1-4, 8, Aug 14-22, Mon-Fri, 1pm-5pm, Sat & Sun, 9am-1pm 

Fee: house/garden €6 

Charleville House, County Wicklow.
Charleville House, County Wicklow.

Killruddery House & Gardens 

Southern Cross Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow Anthony Meath
Tel: 087-7729882

www.killruddery.com 

Open: Apr 1-Oct 31, 9am-6pm,
Fee: adult €8.50, garden and house tour €15.50, OAP/student €7.50, garden and house tour €13, OAP/student €7.50, garden and house tour €13, child €3 under 4 years free, garden and house tour €5.50 

Kilruddery House, May 2013

Kiltimon House 

Newcastle, Co. Wicklow
Michelle O’Connor
Tel: 087-2505205
Open: May 1-31, Aug 14-22, Sept 1-20, 9am-1pm

Fee: adult €10, OAP/student/child €5 

Kiltimon House, County Wicklow. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Kingston House

Kingston, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow Liam Lynam
Tel: 087-2415795
Open: Aug 1-31, Sept 1-30, 10am-2pm

Fee: adult €3, OAP/student/child €2 

Knockanree Garden 

Avoca, Co Wicklow
Perter Campion
Tel: 085-8782455
Open: May 20-July 3, Mon- Sat, August 14-22, Oct 1-14, Mon-Sat, 9.30am-1.30pm

Fee: adult €3, OAP/student €2 

Knockanree Gardens, County Wicklow.

1 Martello Terrace 

Strand Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Liz McManus
Tel: 087-2357369
Open: May, June, Sept, Oct, Mon & Thurs, July & Aug, Mon, Thurs, & Sat, National Heritage Week, Aug 14-22, 1pm-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm, closed Oct 25 

Fee: Free

1 Martello Terrace, Bray, County Wicklow. Photograph from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

 Mount Usher Gardens

Ashford, Co. Wicklow
Caitriona Mc Weeney
Tel: 0404-49672
www.mountushergardens.ie
Open: all year 10am-6pm, closed Dec 25-26
Fee: adult €8, student/OAP €7, child €4, no charge for wheelchair users 

Mount Usher gardens, County Wicklow. Photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Powerscourt House & Gardens 

Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow

Sarah Slazenger
Tel: 01-2046000
www.powerscourt.ie 

Open: All year, closed Christmas day and St Stephens day, 9.30am-5.30pm, ballroom and garden rooms Sun, 9.30am-1.30pm
Fee: Mar-Oct, adult €11.50, OAP €9, student €8.50, child €5, family ticket €26, Nov- Dec, adult €8.50, OAP €7.50, student €7, child €4, family ticket 2 adults + 3 children €18, children under 5 free 

Powerscourt, County Wicklow

Russborough 

The Albert Beit Foundation, Blessington, Co. Wicklow

Eric Blachford
Tel: 086-2522414
enc@russborough.ie 

Open: Mar 1- Dec 25, 10am-5pm,
Fee: adult €12, OAP/student €9, child €6 

Russborough House, County Wicklow. Photograph from Tourism Ireland.

Beaulieu, County Louth

by jenjunebug

Contact: Cara Konig-Brock tel.: +353 41 983 8557

e: info@beaulieuhouse.ie

w: www.beaulieuhouse.ie

Beaulieu House, near Drogheda in County Louth, is not on the Section 482 list in 2019 or 2020, for the first time in many years. I visited, however, during Heritage Week in 2019, and it’s definitely worth a write-up. The front hall is magnificent, and the history of the house is a lesson in the history of Ireland. The history of Beaulieu encompasses the history of Ireland from the 1640s and its owners played an active role.

It is pronounced “Bewley” and sometimes written on earlier maps as “Bewly.” Nobody is sure where the name came from, but the website suggests that it may come from “booley,” the practice of the Irish in which cattle are moved from place to place to graze.

The house overlooks the River Boyne – you can see it beyond the garden at the side of the house:

View from Beaulieu overlooking the River Boyne estuary.

Beaulieu is a very important house architecturally as it is one of the few Dutch influenced houses still surviving, in a style deriving from works of Inigo Jones. It was built around 1715 and incorporates an older building. The Irish Aesthete tells us that the architect was probably John Curle. [1] The Dictionary of Irish Architects tells us that John Curle may have come originally from Scotland, and was active in Counties Fermanagh, Louth, Meath and Monaghan in the late 1690s and first quarter of the 1700s. As well as working on Beaulieu, he designed the original house at Castle Coole, Co. Fermanagh, built in 1709, and in about 1709 he designed Conyngham Hall (later Slane Castle), Co. Meath (another Section 482 property). It has also been suggested that Curle also designed Stackallan House, Co. Meath, in 1712.

Stackallan House, County Meath. Photograph from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

Cement-rendered with redbrick trim, Beaulieu has two show facades, the west front and the south garden front. The entrance is of seven bays, with the two end bays brought forward. The windows are framed with flat brick surrounds, and the doorcase, of brick, consists of two Corinthian pilasters supporting a large pediment with carved swags.

photograph from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

There are three dormer windows over the centre three bays, and one above each two-bay projection, and this type of dormer window is a classical mid-seventeenth century practice of construction. [2] The high eaved roof is carried on a massive wooden modillion cornice. Modillions are small consoles at regular intervals along the underside of some types of classical cornice.

photograph from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, showing the modillion cornice.

The two tall moulded chimneystacks are also of brick. [3] There is a single-storey projecting billiard room in the back and a canted bay which I did not see, on the east side. [4]

photograph from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, showing the billiard room extension.

The garden front is a six-bay elevation with two doorcases, one in the centre of each principal room, both with Ionic pilasters and crowned with large triangular pediments. It looks as though the doors open by lifting upwards on a sash, like the door/window we saw at Corravahan in County Cavan.

photograph from the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage.

This side of the building has three dormer windows.

Beaulieu is now owned by Cara Konig-Brock, who inherited it in from her mother Gabriel de Freitas, who was the tenth generation of descendants since King Charles II granted the lands to Henry Tichbourne in 1666. Gabriel inherited the house from mother, Sidney nee Montgomery, who was married to Nesbit Waddington. [5] The house is unusual in that it has often passed through the female rather than male line.

We arrived early for the tour, so wandered the gardens first. We were excited to see the ramshackle remnants of a festival in the wooded part of the back garden – Vantastival takes place at Beaulieu. I love the magic, creativity and craftsmanship of the pop-up structures in the woods.

There was even a boat in the garden, I assume left over from the festival:

But before I discuss the garden, I’ll tell you about the tour and the house, to give a bit of perspective.

We were greeted by a guide when it was time to enter the house. The front hall which we entered is impressive and rather worn with age. It is double height, and I found it difficult to take in everything at once; when overwhelmed, I focus on one thing – in this case it was the couch. I was delighted to be invited sit in front of the huge fireplace to start the tour, to be able to take in my surroundings. Our guide told us we could take photographs as long as we don’t take pictures of the paintings. It was hard to take photographs, however, without including the paintings, as they covered the walls! So I didn’t take many photos, unfortunately. The large two storey hall is a late seventeenth century copy of a medieval hall.

Stephen in front of the fireplace at the start of the tour, in front hall. The large chimneypiece has bolection moulding, defined in Casey and Rowan’s Buildings of Ireland book as “convex moulding covering the joint between two different planes and overlapping the higher as well as the lower one, especially on panelling and fireplace surrounds of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.”

Before Henry Tichbourne, who acquired it around 1666, the land was owned by the Plunketts. According to the Beaulieu website, the Plunkett family may have first inhabited a tower house at the location. I came across the Plunketts when we visited Dunsany Castle, another Section 482 property. Sir Hugh de Plunkett, an Anglo-Norman, came to Ireland during the reign of Henry II. From then on the family owned lands in Louth and Meath. In 1418 Walter Plunkett obtained royal confirmation of his rights in Bewley and other land. [6] Christopher and Oliver Plunkett, the 6th Baron of Louth (1607-1679) took part in the 1641 Rebellion, and were outlawed. [7] The wide walls of the original tower house can be found in the fabric of the building today. [8] Our guide described these walls: rather contrary to expectations, the walls get thicker higher up. This makes sense if you consider that cannonballs would hit the upper part of a structure.

According to Mark Bence-Jones, it is one of the first country houses built in Ireland without fortification, although until the 19th century it was surrounded by a tall protective hedge, or palisade. [9] Also, the front door is hung with massive carved oak and iron studded shutters, which Bence-Jones explains are probably a vestige of military protection. We did not see these shutters as the door was open for visitors. In the 17th century, troops were garrisoned in the house for a time. We learned more about these troops during the tour.

A History of Beaulieu is a History of Ireland in the 1600’s

To begin chronologically, it’s best to start in 1641 during Phelim O’Neill’s uprising against the British. Phelim O’Neill (1604-1653) rose up to try to prevent a second wave of Plantation in Ireland. During the plantations, first in Laois and Offaly and then in Ulster, lands were taken from the native Irish and given to Protestant settlers to farm, in order to firm up the English King’s control in Ireland. Richard Plunkett, who owned the land at Beaulieu at the time and was a colonel in Phelim O’Neill’s army, allowed Phelim to station his troops in his fortified dwelling at Beaulieu. In his fight, Phelim attacked the walled city of Drogheda.

Henry Tichbourne (or Tichborne – different reference sources spell the name differently) at this time was governor of Lifford, County Donegal. [10] He had come to Ireland from England where as a younger son of Benjamin the 1st Baronet Tichborne of Titchborne, Co. Southampton, he had joined the military. He became commissioner for the Plantation of County Londonderry. Tichborne was sent to Drogheda to protect the city from Phelim O’Neill and his followers. Henry saved the city of Drogheda. His victory is celebrated in the incredible intricately carved wooden “trophy” over the front door in Beaulieu, which includes the “Barbican gate” of Drogheda, underneath the armoured soldier:

According to our guide, after the battle with Phelim O’Neill, the house at Beaulieu was left empty, and Henry Tichbourne moved in. Later, he purchased the land from the Plunketts. The Plunketts had mortgaged their land in order to raise funds for the rebellion of 1641. Tichbourne was able to take over the mortgages and pay them, and thus acquire the estate, thus buying the land and tower that had been formerly occupied by his enemies. [11]

In 1642 King Charles I appointed Tichbourne Lord Justice of Ireland, and he held office until January 1644. In 1644 he went to England with the aim of negotiating peace between the King and the Irish Confederacy. James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, came to the aid of Tichbourne in Drogheda in 1642. This could explain why Tichbourne was involved with trying to negotiate an agreement between King Charles and the Confederates, as Ormonde was a leading negotiator. [12] Complications arose because at the same time, the Puritans were gaining support in the Parliament in England. They judged Charles I to be betraying his religion and his people. Tichbourne sided with Charles I. He was captured by Parliamentary forces and spent some months as a prisoner in the Tower of London.

Upon his release, he returned to Drogheda. When Oliver Cromwell and his troops came to Ireland in 1649 they laid siege to Drogheda. Tichborne decided that the Royalists could not retain control of Ireland, and decided to join Cromwell’s side, the “Parliamentarians.” When Charles II was restored to the throne in 1661, he forgave Tichborne for his submission to the Parliament loyal to Oliver Cromwell. Charles II was very forgiving. (see Antonia Fraser’s excellent biography of Charles II. Fraser, incidentally, grew up in another house on the Section 482 list, Tullynally.) Charles II confirmed Henry Tichbourne’s ownership of Beaulieu in 1666, and made Tichbourne Marshall of the Irish Army. [13]

The painting in the chimneypiece in the Hall is of Drogheda after Cromwell’s siege. Henry Tichbourne, the grandson of the Tichbourne who fought at Drogheda, commissioned Willem Van Der Hagen to paint a port-scape of Drogheda in the early 1720s. Van Der Hagen began a painting career in Ireland around 1718. He began by painting sets at the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin – a theatre which has been re-established today after years of alternative use – and went on to become a founding father of Irish landscape painting. The panel painting is built into the overmantel, a picture that refers to Henry’s grandfather the military commander. It is a landscape of Drogheda, with, as the website describes: “its Cromwell-bombarded, medieval walls, gabled houses, (Dutch billies), numerous towers, gates, church spires, monastery gardens and a famous double barbican.”

Beaulieu House

Henry’s son William Tichborne was knighted in 1661 and sat in the Irish Parliament for the borough of Swords, 1661-1666. He was attainted by the Irish Parliament of King James II but was not dispossessed of his estates. He was M.P. for County Louth from 1692 until he died in 1693. He was married to Judith, daughter and co-heiress of John Bysse, Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland. [14]

William’s son Henry also sat in the Irish House of Parliament, representing Ardee and later, County Louth. He also served as Mayor of Drogheda. He was High Sheriff of County Louth and of County Armagh in 1708. He was raised to the Irish peerage as Baron Ferrard of Beaulieu soon after the accession of George I, for promoting the cause of William III in Ireland. He was also Governor of Drogheda. It was probably Henry Baron Ferrard who started work creating the house as we see it today. It was originally thought that the house was begun in William Tichbourne’s time, but due to a letter found by Dr. Edward McPartland in the Molesworth papers in the National Library of Ireland between the then Lord Molesworth and the 1st Lord Ferrard of Beaulieu, it suggests that the building work was carried out between 1710-1720. [15]

The front hall is described in Sean O’Reilly’s Irish Houses and Gardens. From the Archives of  Country Life:

“In the entrance hall the magnificence impresses itself on the visitor through architectural effect – the grandeur of the way it rises through two storeys, with the upper levels glazed, most unusually, on inner and outer walls. The internal windows, like those outside with sashes postdating the original construction, allow light to pass between the corridor and hall… the hall is interesting especially for its suggestion of the mixture of traditional or medieval and new Renaissance lifestyles. It is backward looking in the conception of a hall as public living room, a function it continues to serve today as it takes up such a huge proportion of the building… Yet the hall also looks ahead to the Renaissance in its classical articulation and enforced symmetry, all symbolising the power of intellectual discipline.” [16] 

The guide told us that the front hall was actually the courtyard originally, and the front door of the house was the middle door at the back of the hall. There are even windows on the upper level of the hall, which were originally the front windows of the house, and they are part of the corridors upstairs and overlook the hall – see pictures on the website. None of my reference sources however state that this is the case, and the front hall was certainly built in the time of Henry Tichborne, Lord Ferrard.

There are more wooden carvings over two other doors in the Hall. One shows the coat of arms of Ferrard of Beaulieu, who commissioned the three carvings, and the other features musical instruments. The hall was probably used as a place for musical recitals and performances. The lovely plasterwork and panelling is original.

The Ferrard Coat of Arms carved over the door in the Front Hall. According to Thomas U. Sadlier and Page L. Dickinson’s Georgian Mansions in Ireland, the coat-of-arms with the coronet of Lord Ferrard displays the arms of Tichborne, quartering Lymerston, Syferwast, Loveday, de Rake, Wandesford, Martin, Wallis, Rythe and Bysse. The Bysse crest contains silver bells. In Great Irish Houses, the carving is said to be done by a Huguenot. Above the doorway are the antlers of an Irish elk.
One carving over a door features classical instruments while another pictures Irish instruments. The candle sconce was probably made for candles but was later electrified.

The coats of arms include that of William Tichbourne impaling those of his wife, Judith Bysse. More coats of arms embellish the fireplace.

Henry Tichbourne Lord Ferrard wrote in a letter about his relief at finishing the current work on his house. He is proud of the staircase, which was probably delivered by boat, and assembled in Beaulieu, in 1723. The staircase has three flights, with carved balusters and the newels in the form of fluted Corinthian columns. As well as the staircase, it is said that the bricks were brought up the Boyne as ballast in boats, perhaps from Holland.

The wainscoted drawing room contains another work by Willem Van der Hagen, a magnificent trompe-l’oeil painting on the ceiling in a large plaster compartmental panel frame, with garlands of foliage and flowers. It pictures goddess Aurora descending in a chariot to her garden bower from the heavens [17].

Photograph by Paul Highnam 2015, from Country Life picture library.

Most of the other reception rooms also have wood panelling. A fine Italian marble fireplace adorns one of the reception rooms, with a classical carving of Neptune being drawn in a conch shell.

Van der Haagen also designed the gardens, including the terracing and the walled garden. [18] William Aston employed men to create two lakes on the property, in order to provide work in times of scarcity. There is a painting of him in the front hall, pointing toward the lakes.

Lord Ferrard’s sons predeceased him – the eldest was drowned when crossing to England in 1709. The estate therefore passed to Henry Tichbourne’s daughter, Salisbury Tichbourne, and her husband William Aston. [19]

I was fascinated to see the crest with the arm carrying a broken sword, on the chairs in the front hall. I thought it was the crest for the family in Clonalis. On further questioning, the guide told us that it refers to a joust undertaken by King Henry II of France. In 1559 King Henry II wanted to joust against the best jouster of his court. The courtier, Gabriel Montgomery, did not want to joust against King Henry for fear of winning, but Henry promised that no retribution would be taken. The jouster however killed Henry, breaking his jousting stick – which can be seen in the crest. The jouster fled, as despite the king’s assurances for his safety, the jouster could not trust that the king’s widow, Catherine de Medici, would not seek revenge! The broken lance forms part of the Montgomery crest.

Salisbury and William had a son, Tichborne Aston, who was an M.P. for Ardee. In 1746, he married Jane Rowan, daughter of William Rowan. They had a son and a daughter and the property passed down through the generations to its current owners. [20]

I loved that from upstairs you can look over the railing onto the front hall. We saw a bedroom which can be hired out for b&b, which sounds like a treat!

The Beaulieu website describes the gardens:

“Four acres of walled garden and grassy terraces surrounding Beaulieu have remained largely original to their early design. Lime trees form an avenue along the short, straight drive and picturesque lakes complete the vista at the front of the house. Family letters [those of Sir Henry, Baron Ferrard] describing the walled garden from this period, tell us that fruits such as figs and nectarines were being grown and also describe crops of flax, hops and bear.”

Inside the walled garden.

At the entrance to the walled garden is a lovely building with classic pillared portico that has been recently renovated:

Inside the attached garden shed is a fern-decked well:

The walled garden is absolutely splendid:

A chapel on the grounds is St. Brigid’s of Beaulieu. According to our guide, it was originally built in 1413 by William Plunkett, a pre-Reformation bishop, and his crypt is inside. Sadlier and Dickinson’s Georgian Mansions of Ireland in fact tells us that John Plunkett of “Bewly” and his wife Alicia founded a church within their manor as far back as the close of the thirteenth century, in the reign of Edward II! The latest version was built in 1807. It contains also a “cadaver stone” the guide told us, which was found in the mud flats of the river, which has a carved skeleton on it. According to Casey and Rowan, it is one of the earliest representations of cadaver figures in Irish medieval sculpture. It displays a female in an advanced state of decomposition, with a lurid range of reptilian life. Worms, toads, newts and lizards slide in and around the shroud. [21]

Photograph by Paul Highnam, 2015, from Country Life Picture Library.

But instead of with death I leave you with life, of growth in the wonderful polytunnel.

[1] https://theirishaesthete.com/2013/01/12/i-am-gabriel/

[2] p. 154-155. Casey, Christine and Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster. The Counties of Longford, Louth, Meath and Westmeath. Penguin Books, London, 1993.

[3] Mark Bence-Jones. A Guide to Irish Country Houses.(originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.

[4] https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/13902509/beaulieu-house-beaulieu-co-louth

[5] https://lvbmag.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/beaulieu-house-louth-gabriel-konig/

[6] p. 17-20. Sadlier, Thomas U. and Page L. Dickinson, Georgian Mansions in Ireland. Printed for the authors at the Dublin University Press, by Ponsonby and Gibbs, 1915.

[7] http://www.nli.ie/pdfs/mss%20lists/louth.pdf

“Though the Plunketts were deeply involved in the upheavals of the 1640s and 1689- 91, they survived with their lands intact. During the rebellion of 1641, the 6th Baron Louth, Oliver Plunkett, together with several other Catholic Old English lords of the Pale, formed an alliance with Irish rebel leaders from Ulster. The Catholic gentry of Louth appointed Lord Louth as colonel-general of the royalist forces to be raised in the county, though he declined the position. He was taken prisoner in 1642 and outlawed for high treason. Under the Cromwellian land settlement, his lands were forfeited. When Charles II returned to the throne in 1660, most of these lands were restored to Lord Louth and to his son Matthew.”

Also this site tells us of the earlier Plunketts at Beaulieu:

“The Plunkett family of Tallanstown, county Louth was descended from Sir Hugh de Plunkett, an Anglo-Norman who came to Ireland during the reign of Henry II. From then on the family owned lands in Louth. From the fourteenth century they lived at Bewley (Beaulieu) near Drogheda, and a branch of the family was associated with Tallanstown by the late fifteenth century. Early in the fourteenth century, John Plunkett of Bewley, a direct descendent of Sir Hugh, had two sons. One of these, Richard Plunkett, was the ancestor of two titled landowning families; the Earls of Fingall and the Barons of Dunsany, of Dunsany Castle, county Meath – Christopher Plunkett was created Lord Dunsany in 1461. The other son, John Plunkett of Bewley, was the ancestor of the Lords Louth. Of John Plunkett’s direct descendants, his grandson, Walter Plunkett of Bewley, was Sheriff of county Louth in 1401, a position later held by Sir John Plunkett of Bewley, Kilsaran and Tallanstown, who died in 1508. “

[8] https://beaulieuhouse.ie/a-short-history-of-beaulieu/ and also see the article in Country Life, October 28, 2015. https://beaulieuhouse.ie/cms/wp-content/uploads/Country-Life-OCT-28-BEAULIEU.pdf

[9] Mark Bence-Jones. A Guide to Irish Country Houses.(originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.

[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Henry_Tichborne

[11] see Sadlier, Thomas U. and Page L. Dickinson, Georgian Mansions in Ireland. Printed for the authors at the Dublin University Press, by Ponsonby and Gibbs, 1915. See also Great Irish Houses, edited by Amanda Cochrane, published by Image Publications, London, 2008. The text of this book is by many authors, and individual entries are not credited. Text is by Desmond Fitzgerald, Desmond Guinness, Kevin Kelly, Amanda Cochrane, Ben Webb, William Laffan, Deirdre Conroy, Kate O’Dowd, Elizabeth Mayes and Richard Power.

[12] The best piece I have read about the Catholic Confederacy of the 1640s is by Micheál Siochrú, Confederate Ireland 1642–1649 A constitutional and political analysis. Four Courts Press, 1998.

[13] p. 81. Montgomery Massingberd, Hugh and Christopher Simon Sykes. Great Houses of Ireland. Laurence King Publishing, London, 1999.

[14] p. 17-20. Sadlier, Thomas U. and Page L. Dickinson, Georgian Mansions in Ireland. Printed for the authors at the Dublin University Press, by Ponsonby and Gibbs, 1915.

[15] p. 85. Montgomery Massingberd, Hugh and Christopher Simon Sykes. Great Houses of Ireland. Laurence King Publishing, London, 1999.

[16] p. 130. O’Reilly, Sean. Irish Houses and Gardens. From the Archives of Country Life. Aurum Press Ltd, London, 1998. 

[17] https://theirishaesthete.com/2013/06/29/a-room-with-a-view/

[18] p. 86. Great Irish Houses. Forewards by Desmond FitgGerald, Desmond Guinness. IMAGE Publications, 2008.

[19] p. 17-20. Sadlier, Thomas U. and Page L. Dickinson, Georgian Mansions in Ireland. Printed for the authors at the Dublin University Press, by Ponsonby and Gibbs, 1915. According to The Peerage website, Salisbury was the granddaughter of Henry Tichbourne: her father Robert Charles Tichbourne was the son of Lord Ferrard but he predeceased his father so the property passed to his son-in-law William Aston who had married Salisbury Tichbourne. This genealogy makes sense as it accounts for Salisbury’s unusual name, as Robert Charles Tichbourne married Hester Salisbury.

[20] Henry Tichborne, married Jane, daughter of Sir Robert Newcomen of Kenagh, County Longford. They had five sons and three daughters: Sir William Tichborne, the second but eldest surviving son, married Judith Bysse, daughter of John Bysse, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, by whom he was the father of Henry, first and last Baron Ferrard. Henry Baron Ferrard married Arabella Cotton. She was the daughter of Sir Robert Cotton, 1st Baronet of Combermere, in Cheshire. They had four sons (William, Cotton, Robert & Henry), all of whom died before their father leaving no male issue, so that at his death in 1731 his titles became extinct.

The son Robert Charles married Hester Salisbury and their only surviving daughter, Salisbury Tichborne, married William Aston, MP for Dunleer. They had a son, Tichborne Aston (1716-1748), who was an M.P. for Ardee. In 1746, he married Jane Rowan, daughter of William Rowan. Tichborne and Jane Aston had a son, William (1747-1769), and a daughter, Sophia.

According to Great Mansions of Ireland, while William Aston owned Beaulieu, the house had Lord Chief Justice Singleton as a tenant. This Chief Justice was a friend of the Lord Lieutenant, the four Earl of Chesterfield, which may explain why it is sometimes said that Lord Chesterfield himself occupied Beaulieu. In D’Alton’s History of Drogheda, a poet and bricklayer, Henry Jones, is said to have been born in Beaulieu. He was also a friend of the Earl of Chesterfield, and of Aston.

Sophia Aston married Thomas Tipping of Bellurgan, County Louth, who was M.P. for the borough of Kilbeggan. Her brother William died and Beaulieu passed to her. Their daughter Sophia-Mabella Tipping, married Rev Robert Montgomery, Rector of Monaghan, and the house passed to them.

Rev Robert Montgomery and Sophia-Mabella had sons Rev. Alexander and (Captain)Thomas Montgomery.

Reverend Alexander Montgomery married Margaret Johnson, and they had a son Richard Thomas Montgomery (1813-1890). According to his grave, Alexander Montgomery took on his wife’s name and became Alexander Johnson. The son, Richard Thomas, married Frances Barbara Smith.

Their son Richard Johnson Montgomery (1855-1939) Maud Helenda Collingwood Robinson of Rokeby Hall.

Richard Johnston Montgomery’s daughter Sidney married Nesbit Waddington. They were parents of Gabriel and Penderell.

Gabriel Waddington married, and was mother of Cara, the current owner.

[21] p. 156. Casey, Christine and Alistair Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster. The Counties of Longford, Louth, Meath and Westmeath. Penguin Books, London, 1993. You can see a picture of the stone at http://irishheraldry.blogspot.com/2014/09/heraldry-and-inscriptions-at-st-brigids.html

Barmeath Castle, Dunleer, Drogheda, County Louth

by jenjunebug

contact: Bryan Bellew. Tel: 041-6851205

Opening dates in 2021 (but check due to Covid 19 restrictions): May 1-31, June 1-9, Aug 14-22, Oct 1-20, 9am-1pm  

Fee: adult /OAP/student €5, child free

photograph taken from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage [1]
photograph taken from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage [1] I myself didn’t manage to take a photograph of the entire building.
photograph taken from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage [1]. Square tower which was added in 1839, with its Romanesque arch and portcullis.
photograph taken from National Inventory of Architectural Heritage [1]

I was excited to see Barmeath Castle as it looks so impressive in photographs. We headed out on another Saturday morning – I contacted Bryan Bellew in advance and he was welcoming. We were lucky to have another beautifully sunny day in October.

We drove up the long driveway.

The Bellew family have lived in the area since the 12th century, according to Timothy William Ferres. [2] The Bellews were an Anglo-Norman family who came to Ireland with King Henry II. The Castle was built in the 15th century by previous owners, the Moores, as a tower house. The Moores were later Earls of Drogheda, and owned Mellifont Abbey after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, which became the Moore family home until 1725. [3]

We were greeted outside the castle by Lord and Lady Bellew – the present owner is the 8th Lord Bellew of Barmeath. I didn’t get to take a photograph of the house from the front as we immediately introduced ourselves and Lord Bellew told us the story of the acquisition of the land by his ancestor, John Bellew.

The name “Barmeath” comes from the Irish language, said to derive from the Gaelic Bearna Mheabh or Maeve’s Pass. Reputedly Queen Maeve established a camp at Barmeath before her legendary cattle raid, which culminated in the capture the Brown Bull of Cooley, as recounted in the famous epic poem, The Tain.

The Historic Houses of Ireland website tells us:

“Barmeath Castle stands proudly on the sheltered slopes of a wooded hillside in County Louth, looking out over the park to the mountains of the Cooley Peninsula and a wide panorama of the Irish sea. The Bellew family was banished to Connacht by Cromwell but acquired the Barmeath estate in settlement of an unpaid bill.” [4]

John Bellew fought against Cromwell and lost his estate in Lisryan, County Longford, and was banished to Connacht.

Theobald Taaffe, Lord Carlingford, also lost lands due to his opposition to Cromwell and the Parliamentarians and loyalty to King Charles I. The Taaffes had also lived in Ireland since the twelfth or thirteenth century, and owned large tracts of land in Louth and Sligo. Theobald Taaffe, 2nd Viscount, was advanced in 1662 to be Earl of Carlingford. He engaged John Bellew as his lawyer to represent him at the Court of Claims after the Restoration of King Charles II (1660). Theobald’s mother was Anne Dillon, daughter of the 1st Viscount Theobald Dillon. John Bellew, while banished to Connacht, married a daughter of Robert Dillon of Clonbrock, County Galway. The Clonbrock Dillons were related to the Viscounts Dillon, so perhaps it was this relationship which led Lord Carlingford to engage John Bellew as his lawyer. Bellew won the case and as payment, he was given 2000 of the 10,000 acres which Lord Carlingford won in his case, recovered from Cromwellian soldiers and “adventurers” who had taken advantage of land transfers at the time of the upheaval of Civil War. Lord Carlingford may have taken up residence in Smarmore Castle in County Louth, which was occupied by generations of Taaffes until the mid 1980s and is now a private clinic. A more ancient building which would have been occupied by the Taaffe family is Taaffe’s Castle in the town of Carlingford.

The Baronetcy of Barmeath was created in 1688 for Patrick Bellew, the lawyer John’s son, for his loyalty to James II. [see 2] Patrick, who was High Sheriff of County Louth, married Miss Elizabeth Barnewall, sister of Sir Patrick Barnewall Baronet of Crickstown Castle, County Meath (a little bit of a ruin survives of this castle). His son John inherited Barmeath and the title, 2nd Baronet Barmeath.

John’s second son, Christopher, remained in Galway and established the market town, Mount Bellew.

A three storey seven bay house. Two round corner turrets were added on the former entrance front, which is now the garden-facing side.

The castle we see today was built onto the 15th century tower house, in 1770, for Patrick Bellew, 5th Baronet, and enlarged and castellated in 1839 by Sir Patrick Bellew, 7th Bt, afterwards 1st Baron Bellew. The title Baron Bellew of Barmeath was created in 1848 for Sir Patrick, who had previously represented Louth in the House of Commons as a Whig, and also served as Lord Lieutenant of County Louth. Part of a genuine tower house is still part of the castle, detectable by the unusual thickness of the window openings at the northeastern corner of the building. [5] Before the 1839 enlargement, it was a plain rectangular block, two rooms deep and three storeys high, with seven windows across the front, and a central main door.

Mark Bence-Jones suggests in his A Guide to Irish Country Houses that the design for the enlargement may have been by John Benjamin Keane. [6]. Lord Bellew recalled Mr. Bence-Jones’s visit to the house! However, the Irish Historic Houses website names the Hertfordshire architect, Thomas Smith, as the designer of the Neo-Norman castle.

John Benjamin Keane worked first as an assistant to Richard Morrison, and went into independent practice by 1823. According to the Dictionary of Irish Architects, during the next two decades he received several important commissions including the new Queen’s College, Galway, and a number of major Catholic churches in Dublin and elsewhere, and in 1846-48 he was engineer to the River Suir Navigation Co. [7] He also designed several houses, such as Stradone House in County Cavan for Major Burrowes (1828), Cloncorick Castle County Leitrim for Edward Simpson (1828), Ballybay House in County Monaghan for Lt. Col. Leslie (1829), Laurah in County Laois for Sir Walter Burrowes (1829), Belleek Manor in County Mayo (around 1830), Gothicization of Castle Irvine County Fermanagh in 1831-1835, Glencorig Castle County Leitrim, probably Pilltown House County Meath (1838), Edermine County Wexford in 1840, Magheramenagh Castle, County Fermanagh for James Johnston (1840, now a ruin), Oak Park mausoleum in County Carlow, and Glencara House County Westmeath. It makes sense that he could have Gothicized Barmeath since he worked on Castle Irvine in that period.

However, the Dictionary of Irish Architects attributes Barmeath to Thomas Smith (1798-1875). He also worked on Castle Bellingham in County Louth (another magnificent castle which is available for weddings) [8], and Braganstown House in County Louth (privately owned).

The faces in the carving around the windows reminded me of Borris House.

At this time, Bence-Jones tells us, two round corner turrets were added on the former entrance front, which became the garden front. A new entrance was made under a Romanesque arch guarded by a portcullis on a square tower which was built at one end of the side elevation. On the other side of the castle, a long turreted wing was added, enclosing a courtyard. The castle kept its Georgian sash-windows, though some of them lost their astragals later in the nineteenth century. The entire building was cased in cement, lined to look like blocks of stone, and hoodmouldings were added above the windows.

The Bellews brought us inside, and Lady Bellew had us sign the visitors’ book. I told them I am writing a blog, and mentioned that we visited Rokeby Hall and met Jean Young, who had told us that she is reading the archives of Barmeath. Lord Bellew proceeded with the tour. 

On the staircase, we chatted about history and enjoyed swapping stories. Lord Bellew pointed out the unusually large spiral end of the mahogany staircase handrail, perpendicular to the floor – it must be at least half a metre in diameter. The joinery of the staircase is eighteenth century, with Corinthian balusters.

Mark Bence-Jones describes it:

“Staircase of magnificent C18 joinery, with Corinthian balusters and a handrail curling in a generous spiral at the foot of the stairs, opening with arches into the original entrance hall; pedimented doorcases on 1st floor landing, one of them with a scroll pediment and engaged Corinthian columns.”

Bence-Jones continues his description:

“Long upstairs drawing room with Gothic fretted ceiling. Very handsome C18 library, also on 1st floor; bookcases with Ionic pilasters, broken pediments and curved astragals; ceiling of rococo plasterwork incorporating Masonic emblems. The member of the family who made this room used it for Lodge meetings. When Catholics were no longer allowed to be Freemasons, [in accordance with a Papal dictat, in 1738], he told his former brethren that they could continue holding their meetings here during his lifetime, though he himself would henceforth be unable to attend them.” Bence-Jones writes in his Life in an Irish Country House that it was Patrick Bellew, the 5th Baronet, who remodelled the house and had the ceiling made. [9]

When in the library, I told Lord Bellew that I’d read about his generous ancestor who continued to allow the Freemasons to meet in his home despite his leaving the organisation. Lord Bellew pointed out the desk where Jean works when she visits the archives. What a wonderful room in which to spend one’s days!

The rococo details pre-date the exterior Gothicization. The egg-and-dart mouldings around the first floor doors, Corinthian columns and staircase all seem to date, according to Casey and Rowan, to approximately 1750, which would have been the time of the 4th and 5th Baronets; John the 4th Baronet (1728-50) died of smallpox, unmarried, and the title devolved upon his brother, Patrick (c. 1735-95), 5th Baronet. The library might be from a little later. Casey and Rowan describe it:

“The finest room, the library, set on the NE side of the house above the entrance lobby, is possibly a little later. Lined on its N and S walls with tall mahogany break-front bookcases, each framed by Ionic pilasters and surmounted by a broken pediment, it offers a remarkable example of Irish rococo taste. The fretwork borders and angular lattice carving of the bookcases are oriental in inspiration and must reflect the mid-C18 taste for chinoiserie, made popular by pattern books such as Thomas Chippendale’s Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director (1754). The ceiling has a deep plasterwork cove filled with interlaced garland ropes, a free acanthus border, oval motifs and shells set diagonally in the corners. Free scrolls, flowers and birds occupy the flat area with, in the centre, a rather artless arrangement of Masonic symbols, including three set-squares, three pairs of dividers, clouds and the eye of God.”

an example of Masonic symbols from the wonderful Freemasons Hall interior in Molesworth Street in Dublin, open during Open House Dublin each year.
Freemasons Hall interior in Molesworth Street in Dublin, Open House Dublin 2010.

We saw some of the bedrooms next, which provide accommodation when the house is used as a wedding venue. [10] A wing of the house is also advertised for accommodation on Airbnb. [11]

Next we headed outside, and Lord Bellew took us on a tour of the garden. According to the Britain and Ireland Castles website, Barmeath Castle is set on 300 acres of parkland with 10 acres of gardens, including a lake with island. I found a short video of Lord Bellew discussing the castle on youtube, and he tells how his son made the “temple” on the island, in return for the gift of a car! The temple is very romantic in the distance, and extremely well-made, looking truly ancient.

The Irish Historic Houses website tells us about the gardens:

“The lake and pleasure grounds were designed by the garden designer and polymath, Thomas Wright of Durham (1711-1785), who visited Ireland in 1746 at the invitation of Lord Limerick and designed a series of garden buildings on his estate at Tollymore in County Down. Wright explored ‘the wee county’ extensively and his book “Louthiana“, which describes and illustrates many of its archaeological sites, is among the earliest surveys of its type. His preoccupation with Masonic ‘craft’ indicates that Wright is likely to have been a Freemason, which probably helped to cement his friendship with the Bellew of the day [this would have been John the 4th Baronet]. He may well have influenced the design for the Barmeath library and indeed the mid-eighteenth century house.

Wright’s highly original layout, which is contemporary with the house, is remarkably complete and important, and deserves to be more widely known. It includes a small lake, an archery ground, a maze, a hermitage, a shell house and a rustic bridge, while the four-acre walled garden has recently been restored.”

Thomas Wright also designed the perhaps more famous “Jealous Wall” and other follies at Belvedere, County Westmeath. He may have designed them especially for Robert Rochfort, Lord Belvedere, or else Lord Belvedere used Wright’s Six Original Designs of Grottos (1758) for his follies. The Jealous Wall was purportedly built to shield Rochfort’s view of his brother George’s house, Rochfort House (later called Tudenham Park).

The lake was created to look like a river, and indeed it would have fooled me!

The topiary is unique:

We walked along the lake to the specially created bridge by Thomas Wright. We walked over it, and I marvelled at how it stands still so solid, after two hundred and fifty years!

The view through to the archery ground:

 The current owners have been working to restore the four acre walled garden. Lord Bellew and I discussed gardening as he showed us around.

A cottage in the garden contains beautiful painted walls:

The walls depict scenes of Venice.

The gardens are open to the public as part of the Boyne Valley Gardeners Trail. [12]. More visitors were scheduled to arrive so Lord Bellew saw us to our car and we headed off.

Later, on a visit to the Battle of the Boyne museum, we saw the Bellew regalia pictured on a soldier. I also took a photo of this information panel:

[1] https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/13901817/barmeath-castle-barmeath-co-louth

[2] http://lordbelmontinnorthernireland.blogspot.com/search/label/County%20Louth%20Landowners

[3] http://www.turtlebunbury.com/history/history_family/hist_family_mooredrogheda.html

[4] http://www.ihh.ie/index.cfm/houses/house/name/Barmeath%20Castle

[5] p. 152-154. Casey, Christine and Alistair Rowan. The Buildings of Ireland: North Leinster. Penguin Books, London, 1993.

[6] Mark Bence-Jones. A Guide to Irish Country Houses.(originally published as Burke’s Guide to Country Houses volume 1 Ireland by Burke’s Peerage Ltd. 1978); Revised edition 1988 Constable and Company Ltd, London.

[7] https://www.dia.ie/architects/view/2896/KEANE%2C+JOHN+BENJAMIN#tab_biography

[8] https://www.bellinghamcastle.ie

[9] p. 38. Bence-Jones, Mark. Life in an Irish Country House. Constable and Company Ltd, London, 1996.

[10] https://www.britainirelandcastles.com/Ireland/County-Louth/Barmeath-Castle.html

[11] https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/14447440?source_impression_id=p3_1571074477_5G4k1LLpF4gKSz4n

[12] https://www.garden.ie/gardenstosee/barmeath-castle/

Rokeby Hall, Grangebellew, County Louth

by jenjunebug

Rokeby Hall, Grangebellew, Co Louth

20190907_122458

contact: Jean Young

Tel: 086-8644228

www.rokeby.ie

Opening dates in 2021 but check due to Covid-19 restrictions: May 1-31, Mon-Sat, Aug 14-22, Sept 1-30, Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm

Fee: adult/OAP €7, child/student €5

20190907_122009

Stephen and I visited Rokeby Hall in County Louth on Saturday September 7th, 2019. I texted ahead to alert Jean to our visit. We were lucky to have another beautifully sunny day!

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We entered the gates and drove up the impressive drive, through lovely fields.

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I paused as we approached the house to take a photograph of the observatory, and of the field near the house with the grazing cattle.

20190907_122250

There is an excellent website for Rokeby Hall which I read in advance so knew a little bit of information. [1]

“Rokeby Hall is a country house in the Neoclassical style built for Richard Robinson, Archbishop of Armagh.

Initially designed by Thomas Cooley and built c. 1785 by renowned Irish architect Francis Johnston, Rokeby is an elegant building with beautiful exterior and interior detailing which remains largely unchanged to this day.

The house is a testament to the architects and the skilled craftsmen of the Georgian era and is today considered to be one of the most significant historic country houses remaining in Co. Louth.”

Francis Johnston (1760-1829) is best known for building the General Post Office in Dublin, and is the son of another architect, William Johnston. Francis is from Armagh and first practised his architecture there, and then lived in Drogheda from 1786 before moving to Dublin about 1793. It was the archbishop of Armagh, Richard Robinson, who sent Johnston to Dublin to train under Thomas Cooley, having already worked with Cooley to design buildings.

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Thomas Cooley, who worked first as a carpenter then draughtsman in an architectural office, came from England to Ireland in 1768 when he won a competition to design a new Royal Exchange in Dublin, which is now the City Hall on Dame Street. He built several public buildings in Dublin in the neoclassical style. Together with James Gandon (1743–1823), Cooley was part of a small school of architects influenced by Sir William Chambers (1723–1796). Cooley died in 1784. He worked closely with the Archbishop Richard Robinson and designed many buildings in Armagh, including the Archbishop’s Palace (now the Town Hall) and the library. He also designed the Four Courts in Dublin.

Cooley designed Rokeby Hall, and it fell to Francis Johnston to finish the project after Cooley’s death. Johnston continued to work with Archbishop Robinson, for whom he went on to build the Armagh Observatory and Armagh Courthouse, and other buildings in Armagh (I think that the observatory in Rokeby was built for the current owner, but I’m sure the Archbishop would have been delighted had he known, since he had the one in Armagh built in 1790 [2]!). Jean Young, the owner of Rokeby, recommended that we also visit another house in Louth designed and built by Francis Johnston, Townley Hall.

He designed more buildings, including the beautiful Chapel Royal in Dublin Castle, and he converted Parliament House in College Green in Dublin into the Bank of Ireland. He also designed Charleville Forest Castle in Tullamore, County Offaly, and probably designed a house I hope to visit when I get the chance, that is on Section 482, Turbotstown in County Westmeath. He also helped in the 2nd Earl of Longford to convert Tullynally House into Tullynally Castle [see my blog entry], completing that work in 1803.

Jean greeted us and invited us inside. We paused in the capacious front hall to look at a portrait while she told us about the man responsible for having the house built, Archbishop Richard Robinson. Robinson named the building after his family home in Yorkshire, England, Rokeby Park.

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The columns reminded me of “scagliola” [3] but are actually painted.

The website tells us about Richard Robinson:

“After coming to Ireland as chaplain to the Duke of Dorset in 1751, he eventually rose through the ranks of the church before becoming Archbishop of Armagh in 1765. Prior to Robinson’s appointment, most Archbishops had spent little time in Armagh which in 1759 had been described as ‘an ugly, scattered town’. Primate Robinson is credited with much of Armagh’s transformation to the beautiful Georgian city it is today. His many contributions to the city include the Armagh Robinson Library, the Armagh Observatory, the Gaol, the Armagh Infirmary and the Archbishop’s Palace, Chapel and Palace Stables.

He was created the 1st Baron Rokeby in 1777, choosing the title “Rokeby” as his elder brother Sir Thomas Robinson had by then sold the family estate of Rokeby Park. He purchased land at Marlay in Co. Louth from the Earl of Darby to create a new “Rokeby” estate. On his death, his titles passed to a cousin but he left the Rokeby estate in Louth to the son of his sister Grace. The Reverend John Freind changed his name to his maternal surname “Robinson” and moved from England to Rokeby Hall in 1794.”

Lord Rokeby’s coat of arms on the decorative Neoclassical pediment, which stands on Ionic pilasters.

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I was surprised to hear that an archbishop was made a Baron, but Jean assured me that this was quite common.

Jean has studied the history of her home, completing a Masters degree in Maynooth, so we thoroughly enjoyed our discussion and she was able to explain the history of ownership of the house as well as architectural details. It is the details of the house which are special.

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I also asked why Robinson lived here in Rokeby rather than in Armagh, since he was archbishop of Armagh. Jean explained that archbishops had much work to do in Dublin, including taking their place in Parliament, so it was suitable to live in a premises between Dublin and Armagh. The Irish Aesthete Robert O’Byrne has a delightful entry that tells us more about this Archbishop of Armagh, who, according to O’Byrne, “behaved more like a continental prince-bishop.” He extravagantly travelled in a carriage with six horses, attended by three footmen behind. [4]

In Classic Irish Houses of the Middle Size, Maurice Craig writes (p. 152):

“The north (entrance) front of the house built for Richard Robinson, Archbishop of Armagh, in the years following 1785, probably by Thomas Cooley (1740-84) and certainly with the participation of Francis Johnston (1760-1829). Both in elevation and in plan it is related to Lucan House, and in plan also to Mount Kennedy. James Wyatt, Michael Stapleton, Richard Johnston and even Sir William Chambers are involved in a complex tale which may never be fully unravelled. Rokeby is more remarkable for the beauty of its detail than for its overall impression…”

The most noteable feature of the house, for me, is the round hallway upstairs, and the second one above that in what seems to be the nursery and children’s area – which we saw after a tour of the first floor rooms.

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This is the landing at the top of the staircase. It opens into many bedrooms, a bathroom, another small landing, and one door is purely decorative, to keep symmetry. Note the detailing of the windows, over every second door, which let in light to the hall – all original.

Jean and Jeff had to furnish the house entirely, as unfortunately it was empty when they purchased it and needed repairs. They have done so beautifully.

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These bedrooms contain their original chimneypieces. The Irish Aesthete writes that the upstairs chimneypieces are original to the house but that the downstairs ones are not and were installed later, along with some downstairs doors.

The Youngs have also restored the garden to its former splendour:

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they have done much work, such as planting this formal garden.

Above the round hall at the top of the stairs, is another round hallway, you can see why I found it so surprising and delightful.

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One doesn’t expect such detail in an upper level. The rooms leading off on this level were of various sizes, some quite large.

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The room, although in the attic, contains as much attention to detail as the reception rooms, with curving door and window frames. Outside is the parapet of the house, so the windows have to be set back to allow in maximum light. The Youngs still have work to do to restore the cupola roof. You can see the wear and tear of use on the original stone stairs:

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The Irish Aesthete discusses Rokeby in his blog:

 “The house’s severe limestone façade hides a more inviting interior, of three storeys over basement, since Rokeby contains a particularly generous attic concealed behind the parapet, centred on a circular room lit by glazed dome. A similar circular landing on the first floor provides access to the main bedrooms.

“Descendants of the Robinson family remained in possession, although not necessarily in occupation, of Rokeby until the middle of the last century. Thereafter the property passed through a variety of hands often with unfortunate consequences. When the present owners bought the place in 1995, for example, the library had been stripped of its bookcases and divided in two with one half used as a kitchen. Over the past twenty years, a process of reclamation has taken place, driven by the correct balance of enthusiasm, commitment and ongoing research into the house’s history. Most recently the present owners have impeccably restored Rokeby’s mid-19th century conservatory.” [5]

In the article from the Irish Times which originally inspired me to start visiting houses and to write this blog, “Open season: Grand Irish homes that welcome visitors – and get a tax break,” published Sat, Apr 13, 2019, Mary Leland writes that Jean and Jeff worked on the house for ten years, commuting back and forth to California to working in the software industry, before finally moving over in 2006. The tax break enabled them to restore the Richard Turner conservatory. [6]

 

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The complete restoration of this structure took about two years, 2012-2014. The restored conservatory received 1st prize of the Ellison Award for Meath An Taisce in 2014.  A fascinating full description of the restoration is on the Rokeby Hall website. There’s also discussion of the restoration of the Armorial window and the attics.

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Jean noticed my puzzlement at the crescent dips in the glass at the top of the window, as you can see in the picture above. Her explanation shows just how authentic the restoration work was: in the 1850s, the size of panes of glass was  limited. Therefore glass was laid out in layers. The curved edge ensured that rainwater would move to the middle of the glass before dripping down, thus protecting the window frames.

The archbishop left the house upon his death in 1794 to his sister Grace’s son. Grace Robinson had married the Dean of Canterbury, William Freind. Her son, the Reverend Archdeacon John Friend subsequently changed his surname to Robinson. Reverend John did not stay long in Ireland, however. When his father-in-law, Captain James Spencer of Rathangan House, County Kildare, was killed by rebels during the 1798 rebellion, he fled. Despite no longer living there, Reverend John Robinson was created 1st Baronet of Rokeby Hall in 1819.

The house was subsequently let to tenants, including Viscount Thomas Southwell; Count Jerome de Salis (leased from 29 April 1822 – he had been appointed High Sheriff of Armagh in 1810 – see [7]); and Henry Coddington, Esq (1734-1816). This is the same Henry Coddington whose daughter Elizabeth married Edward Winder (1775-1829), one of my husband Stephen’s ancestors! Henry himself probably did not live in Rokeby, but probably leased the land to farm, as he lived in Oldbridge nearby. The house was left to deteriorate. Robert O’Byrne quotes James Brewer’s The Beauties of Ireland published in 1826, who wrote that the house “is now, we believe, in the hands of a farmer, and the chief apartments are let furnished to casual inmates.”

It was only after the death of John Robinson in 1832 that his son, Richard, returned to Rokeby in 1840. Richard, 2nd Baronet (1787-1847) had married, in 1813, the Lady Eleanor Helena Moore, daughter of Stephen, 2nd Earl Mount Cashell. He died in 1847 and was succeeded by his eldest son Sir John Stephen Robinson. Sir John and his wife were responsible for two significant additions to Rokeby Hall – the Turner conservatory, added in the 1850s, and the armorial window in the main stair hall showing the Robinson family history.

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Sir John, 3rd Baronet (1816-95), JP DL, High Sheriff of County Louth, 1849, married, in 1841, Sarah, only daughter of Anthony Denny, of Barham Wood, Hertfordshire, and granddaughter of Lord Collingwood, Admiral in the Royal Navy who served alongside Lord Nelson in the Napoleonic Wars. Due to his fame, Sarah’s eldest sons took the name Collingwood. [8]

The Rokeby Hall website continues the history of the Rokeby inhabitants:

“Sir John died in 1895 and the estate passed to his son Sir Gerald [William Collingwood] Robinson (4th bart.) who died in 1903. The 5th baronet was Sir John’s younger brother Richard Harcourt Robinson. After his death in 1910 the estate eventually passed to Sir Gerald’s sister Maud who had earlier married Richard Montgomery, the owner of Beaulieu House in Co. Louth. 

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With the Robinsons no longer in residence, the estate was gradually broken up. The house and demesne lands were sold to the Clinton family in 1912. The remaining estate lands were also broken up and sold and the Robinson collection of furniture, art and books were eventually auctioned in 1943. The Clinton family remained at Rokeby until about 1950. Since then the ownership of the house has changed a number of times. The current owners purchased the house in 1995.”

After the tour of the house, Stephen and I went out to explore the gardens.

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[1] www.rokeby.ie

[2] https://armagh.space/heritage/

[3] Wikipedia defines scagliola: Scagliola (from the Italian scaglia, meaning “chips”) is a technique for producing stucco columns, sculptures and other architectural elements that resemble inlays in marble and semi-precious stones. The Scagliola technique came into fashion in 17th-century Tuscany as an effective substitute for costly marble inlays, the pietra dura works created for the Medici family in Florence.

Scagliola is a composite substance made from selenite, glue and natural pigments, imitating marble and other hard stones. The material may be veined with colours and applied to a core, or desired pattern may be carved into a previously prepared scagliola matrix. The pattern’s indentations are then filled with the coloured, plaster-like scagliola composite, and then polished with flax oil for brightness, and wax for protection. The combination of materials and technique provides a complex texture, and richness of colour not available in natural veined marbles.

architectural definitions

[4] https://theirishaesthete.com/2013/02/04/building-on-a-prelates-ambition/

[5] https://theirishaesthete.com/2015/09/21/take-three/

[6] https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/homes-and-property/open-season-grand-irish-homes-that-welcome-visitors-and-get-a-tax-break-1.3855641

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome,_4th_Count_de_Salis-Soglio

Jerome de Salis was born in Italy and inherited the title, Count de Salis, a Count of the Holy Roman Empire. He lived in England from the 1790s. He married three times – had one child by each of his first two wives, then after the first two wives’ deaths, married in 1810, Henrietta (or Harriet) Foster, daughter of Right Reverend William Foster, who was chaplain to the Irish House of Commons (1780–89), and then at different times, Bishop of Cork and Ross; Kilmore; and of Clogher. They had a further nine children.

[8] http://lordbelmontinnorthernireland.blogspot.com/search/label/County%20Louth%20Landowners