ANTRIM LEITRIM ARMAGH LIMERICK CLARE LONGFORD CORK MAYO DONEGAL MEATH DOWN OFFALY DUBLIN ROSCOMMON FERMANAGH SLIGO GALWAY TIPPERARY KERRY WATERFORD KILDARE WESTMEATH KILKENNY WICKLOW

Carrickfergus Castle:
Well preserved 12th century Norman castle sitting on a crag overlooking the harbour. Was in continuous use up to 1928. A museum tells the castle’s history. Life size figures of soldiers are scattered around the ramparts. The castle has an interesting history. It was controlled by Edward Bruce in 1315, the army of James II in the 17^th century until 1688 when it was taken by General Schomberg for William of Orange. William actually stayed in the castle before the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690.

Open April–September, Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm. From October to March closes at 4pm. Tel: (048 93 366455)

The Argory (Dungannon):
A National Trust 19^th century neo classical house and gardens in a Jane Austen like setting. The house dates from 1824. The house is unchanged since the turn of the century, has no electricity and contains interesting furniture of the period. The house is set in 130 hectares of wooded countryside overlooking the River Blackwater. It has two formal gardens; a charming rose garden with dwarf bush roses in box-edged beds and another larger garden known as the Pleasure Ground with a terrace overlooking the river.

Open 2?pm daily, except Tuesdays, June–August. April-May and September: Saturday, Sunday, Bank Holidays and Easter. Tel: (048 87 784753).

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park:
A medieval 15^th century castle built by the McNamaras but held by the O’Briens until the 17^th century. Completely restored in the 1950s by Lord Gort. It contains furnishings and tapestries, which capture the mood and style of the times. Medieval type banquets are held twice nightly (17.30 and 20.45). In the same grounds is the Bunratty Folk Park, which recreates rural life in Ireland at the turn of the century. Farmhouses, town houses, a village street complete with pub, post office and shops have been reconstructed or built to show life during this period. Can get very crowded in high season but is well worth a visit.

Open daily all year round 9.30am-17.30pm. From June to August the Folk Park remains open until 19.00 (Tel: 061 360788)

 

 

Knappogue Castle (near Quin):
A 15^th century castle built by the McNamaras in 1467 and apart from a short spell of ten years during the Cromwellian campaigns it remained in their hands until 1815. The castle is currently owned by Texans.

Medieval style banquets accompanied by music, singing and story telling are held twice nightly from May to October (17.30 and 20.45) (Tel: 061 360788)

Bantry Houseand gardens:
This 18^th century house is in a magnificent location overlooking Bantry Bay. It has been the home of the White family (formerly Earls of Bantry) since 1739. The house has an interesting mix of art and furnishings from all over Europe including wonderful French and Flemish tapestries. There is an air of decayed and faded elegance about the place. The gardens are beautifully maintained and feature an Italian Garden inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence, an English rose garden and the "Staircase to the sky" which leads to terraces offering a great view across the bay.

Open daily late March to late October: 9am?pm. (Tel: 027 50047). In the grounds is the 1796 French Armada Centre which records the story of the ill fated attempted French landing in 1796 including artefacts rescued from the French frigate ‘La Surveillante? Open April-September, 10am-6pm. (Tel: 021 451796)

Blarney Castle:
Ruins of a 15^th century tower house built on solid limestone by Dermot McCarthy. Famous throughout the world for the legendary ‘Blarney Stone? Those who kiss the stone are conferred with the gift of eloquence or the ability to talk ‘blarney? which is the ability to use language to charm and manipulate without ever giving a definite ‘yes?or ‘no?answer. The stone is set into the wall below the castle’s battlements. In order to kiss the stone visitors are suspended backwards over the parapet while being held by the legs. Can become very crowded in high season. The grounds are rarely too crowded and are ideal for a picnic.

Open Monday to Saturday all year round except 24/25 December. Open from 9am-7pm, 5pm in winter. Sundays 9.30am-5.30, 5pm in winter. Tel: 021 4385252

Donegal Castle (Donegal Town):
The original castle overlooking the River Eske was rebuilt in 1505 by Red Hugh O’Donnell. It became the O’Donnell stronghold. It is thought that it may have been burned down by Hugh Roe O’Donnell to prevent it from falling into the hands of the English in the 16rh century. In 1607 it was granted to an Englishman, Sir Basil Brook, who rebuilt if in Jacobean style around 1623. It is now completely restored and worthy of a visit.

Open June to October 9.30am-6.30pm. (Tel: 073 22405)

Glenveagh Castle and Glenveagh national Park:
A 19^th century castle surrounded by the Glenveagh Gardens. This castle was built by John George Adair in 1870 along the lines of Balmoral. Adair was notorious for evicting 244 of his tenants in 1861. The tenants were forced to emigrate or ended up in the workhouse. In 1929 the estate was bought by Arthur Kingsley Porter, a Harvard professor, who disappeared mysteriously on Inishbofin Island in 1933. The last individual owner was Henry McIlhenny who transformed the castle into a comfortable gentleman’s home in 1937. A very interesting guided tour takes in a tartan-draped music room, a guest room for female visitors and a drawing room with a 300 year old Adams fireplace. The National Park is a preserved wilderness, containing 10,000 hectares of mountain, moorland, lakes and woods and is home to a large herd of red deer. Suitable for walking, hill walking and picnicing.

Guided nature walks are held weekly in July and August. Open Easter to October daily 10am-18.30pm. (Tel: 074 37090)

Castle Ward (West of Strangford):
National Trust estate with 18^th century house in classical and gothic styles. Built in 1860s by Lord and Lady Bangor whose tastes differed greatly hence the wildly differing architectural styles. The most interesting room is Lady Bangor’s boudoir, which is based on Henry VIII’s chapel in Westminster Abbey. The farmyard has a fortified tower house, a sawmill and a working cornmill. The Strangford Lough Wildlife Centre is also in the farmyard and offers information on conservation work on the lough by means of audio-visual presentations, leaflets and exhibitions. In the extensive estate are landscaped gardens and walking trails.

Grounds: open daily dawn to dusk all year round. House: May-August: Friday-Wednesday 1pm-6pm. April, September October: Saturday, Sunday & public holidays 1pm-6pm. (Tel: 048 44 881204).

Dublin Castle and State Apartments (Dame Street):
Only the Record Tower and parts of the foundations remain of this 13^th century castle which was the seat of British power in Ireland for over seven hundred years. The present buildings are 18^th century Georgian buildings designed by Sir William Robinson. The State Apartments are situated in the Upper Yard and served as the residence of British Viceroys in Ireland. The State Apartments are currently used for official state occasions,

such as the inauguration of the President or functions when there are visiting EU dignitaries. The guided tour tells of the history of Dublin Castle and takes in the Battle-Axe Landing, the State Drawing Room, the Wedgewood Room, St. Patrick’s Hall and the Undercroft, which contains remnants of an earlier Viking fort and the 13^th century Powder Tower and city wall.

Guided Tours are held, provided there is no official state function on. Monday to Friday 10am-5pm Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 2-5pm. (Tel: 01 6777129)

Malahide Castle and Demesne (Near Malahide village):
This castle was home to the Talbot family from 1174 to 1976 apart from a short period during Cromwell’s campaigns. It is set in 100 hectares (250 acres) of grounds. The oldest part of the castle is a 12th century tower house but there were other additions over the centuries. The decorative carvings in the Oak Room and the oak beamed Great Hall are the highlights of the guided tour , which includes stories of the resident ghost called Puck and the fourteen members of the Talbot family who went off to fight in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 and never returned. Of interest too is the history of the Boswell papers, which were found in a chest in the castle some years ago.

Open April-October: 10am-5.30pm Monday –Friday. Saturday and Sunday: 11am-5.30. November-March: 10am-1pm and 2-5pm. (Tel: 01 8462184)

The Talbot Botanic Gardens were the creation of Lord Milo Talbot who collected rare and exotic plants and trees during his travels around the world. A comprehensive leaflet enables visitors to do a self-guided tour of the gardens.

A guided tour takes place every Wednesday afternoon from May to September at 2pm. Open May-September 1pm-5pm

Number Twenty-nine (Lower Fitzwilliam Street):
A beautifully restored Georgian middle-class home dating from the late 18^th century and furnished according to the taste of that period. Number twenty-nine consists of a basement and four floors. The guided tour gives details of the owners of Number 29 and tells of the way of life of the middle classes, in Dublin at the height of the Age of Elegance.

Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 2pm-5pm. Closed Mondays and two weeks before Christmas. Tel: 7026165.

Castle Coole (Southeast of Enniskillen):
A National Trust house. This was the family home of the Earls of Belmore. The 1st Earl of Belmore, who had the mansion built, became bankrupt and died in debt in 1802. His son had the task of decorating and furnishing it. It’s neo-classical in style and was designed by James Wyatt. Of interest are the fake doors, hollowed columns and keyhole covers on doors that have no keyholes, all designed for the purpose of symmetry.

Open: daily Easter-September except Thursdays, 1-6pm. (Tel: 048 66322690).

Florence Court (Southwest of Enniskillen):
A Palladian mansion named after the wife of John Cole who first built a house on the site early in the 18^th century. Acquired by the National Trust in the 1950s, it was rebuilt after a fire in 1955. The Rococo plasterwork, said to be the work of Dublin stuccodore, Robert West , was painstakingly recreated from photographs. Family pictures and historic items owned by the 6^th Earl of Enniskillen have been returned to Florence Court and are on display in the house. The are enjoyable walks and nature trails in the grounds around the house.

Open May-August daily except Tuesday 1pm-6pm. April, May & September Saturday, Sunday & public holidays 1pm-6pm. Grounds open daily dawn to dusk. (Tel: 048 66 348249)

Kylemore Abbey (East of Letterfrack):
The Abbey is presently an exclusive boarding school and convent of Benedictine nuns. Originally built in 1868 in neo-gothic style, by Mr. Mitchell Henry as a gift for his wife Margaret Vaughan. Mrs. Henry contacted a fever while travelling in Egypt in 1874. The tiny gothic church, which is a miniature copy of Norwich Cathedral, was built in her memory. Mr. Henry died in 1902 aged 76. During the First World War, the Benedictine nuns were forced to flee from their convent in Ypres, Belgium. They came to Kylemore Abbey in 1920. In the grounds of the Abbey there is a craft shop, coffee shop and restaurant. Much of the produce comes from the Abbey’s own farm. The visit to the Abbey consists of a short audio-visual presentation and a self-guiding leaflet, which explains the various items on display in the house. The setting, at the base of Duchruach Mountain on the north shore of Lough Pollacappel is second to none.

Open April-October: 9.30am-6pm. November-March: 10am-4pm. (Tel: 095 41385/41146)

Dunguaire Castle (North of Kinvara):
Named after the 7^th century King Guaire of Connaught whose court was renowned as a haunt of balladeers and bards. The present castle was built by the Hynes Clan in 1520. In the 17^th century the castle passed to Richard Martyn, Mayor of Galway. A subsequent owner was Oliver St. John Gogarty. Many Irish literary greats such as W.B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, and J.M. Synge were no strangers to Dunguaire. Restoration work, started by Oliver St. John Gogarty, was completed by Christobel Lady Ampthill when she acquired it in 1952. The castle is owned and managed by Shannon Heritage and Banquets.

Medieval Banquets are held twice nightly at 17.45 and 20.45. (Tel: 061 360788)

 

Muckross House & Gardens (South of Killarney):
An Elizabethan style mansion built in 1843 for Henry Arthur Herbert the MP for Kerry. The Herberts nearly became bankrupt when they gave the mansion a complete makeover for the visit of Queen Victoria in 1861. In 1899 the mansion and estate of 11,000 acres (5,000 hectares) was purchased by Lord Ardilaun of the Guinness Brewing family. He rented it out to people who wanted to hunt and fish. In 1911 it was bought as a wedding gift for the daughter of Mr. William Bowers Bourn, an American. His daughter Maud married Arthur Rose Vincent. Three years after Maud Vincent’s untimely death in 1929, her husband and parents presented Mucross House and Estate to the nation. Guided tours are excellent. A visit includes the gardens, which are magnificent in June when the rhododendrons are in bloom.

Open all year except for ten days around Christmas time. November-February: 9am-5.30pm. March-June: 9am-6pm. July and August: 9am-7pm. (Tel: 064 31440)

Castletown House (Celbridge):
Built in the 18^th century for William Connolly, Speaker of the Irish Parliament. A Palladian-style mansion, it was designed by the Italian architect Alessandro Galilei. The house remained in the hands of the family until 1965. It was then taken over by the Irish Georgian Society. It now belongs to the state. The interiors are magnificent. Highlights of any visit are the Long Gallery painted in the Pompeian manner and hung with Venetian chandeliers, an 18^th century Print Room and the Rococo stuccowork by the Francini brothers on the staircase.

Open April-September 10am-6pm Monday-Friday. 11am-6pm Saturday. 2-6pm Sunday & public holidays. October 10am-5pm Monday-Friday. 2-5pm Sunday. November-March: 2-5pm Sundays.arch 2-5pm Sundays.

Kilkenny Castle:
Former home of the Butlers, Earls of Ormonde. Built in the 13^th century, it overlooks the River Nore and was occupied up to 1935. A descendant of the Butlers, the Marquess of Ormonde, offered the castle to the nation in 1967 for the huge sum of ?0. The guided tour includes an audio-visual film on life in Kilkenny through the ages. Highlights include the Long Gallery built to house the Butler art collection, the Library, the Chinese bedroom and the wood-panelled dining room.

Open daily June-September 10am-7pm. October-March: 10.30am-12.45pm and 2-5pm Tuesday-Saturday. Sundays: 1 1am-12.45pm and 2-5pm. April-May: 10am-5pm daily. (Tel: 056 21450)

Parke’s Castle (North of Dromahair):
A 17^th century fortified manor house. It has been restored using Irish oak and traditional craftsmanship. Situated on the banks of Lough Gill, it was built originally by Captain Robert Parke, an English settler who later became MP for Leitrim. The house is protected by a large enclosure or bawn, which includes a gatehouse and two turrets and reveal the fear and insecurity felt by unwelcome English landlords. A 20-minute video ‘Stone by Stone?gives a general introduction to the castle and the antiquities to be seen in the area. Boat trips showing sights associated with the poet W.B. Yeats leave from outside the castle walls.

Open: Easter-May: 10am-17pm Tuesdays to Sundays. June-September: daily 9.30am-18.30pm. October: daily 10am-5pm. (Tel: 071 64149)

King John’s Castle (Nicolas Street):
A solid 13^th century castle built by King John on the banks of the River Shannon. The castle features an imaginative interpretative centre, which includes a dramatic audio-visual film recounts Limerick’s turbulent history. The story of the castle is told in dramatic style on two floors of the centre. There is a reconstructed medieval courtyard with demonstrations of trades and traditions in the 16^th century. Of particular note is the Mint where a fresh King John coin will be specially minted for any visitor. Excavated pre-Norman houses, fortifications and siege mines are also on show. Excellent visit.

Open daily, mid-April-October: 9.30am-17.30pm. November-mid-April: Sundays 12pm-16pm. (Tel: 061 411201)

Carrigglas Manor (Ballinalee/Granard Road):
A romantic Tudor Gothic house built in 1837. It was designed by Daniel Robertson for Thomas Lefroy, who became Lord chief Justice of Ireland 1852-66. The Lefroys were a family of Huguenot descent. The inside has a great Victorian atmosphere. The stableblock was designed by James Gandon in 1790 and is the only surviving example of his agricultural work. Inside there is a costume and lace museum, tea room and gift shop.

Open: First Sunday in June-First Sunday in September daily 2pm-6pm. (Tel: 043 45165)

Westport House: (Off Louisborough Road).
This house is the seat of the Earls of Altamont who were Tudor settlers named Browne. The first Lord Altamont, John Browne, designed the town to complement the house, which was designed by Richard Castle and completed by James Wyatt in 1778.

This is a beautiful stately home with a sweeping marble staircase, antique Waterford chandeliers and 18^th century Chinese wallpaper. However, it is also a highly commercialised enterprise with; a children’s zoo, a miniature railway, boating lake and amusement arcade. A good place to take fractious children otherwise stay away.

Open: Late June-late August, Monday-Saturday 10.30am-6pm, 2pm-6pm on Sundays, early June and the rest of August open: 2pm-6pm. (Tel: 098 25711)

Ashford Castle: (Cong):
Stands on the site of an Anglo-Norman castle owned by the de Burgos. Rebuilt in Gothic Revival style in 1870 by Lord Ardilaun of the Guinness family. It is now a luxury hotel, which is off limits to all but guests. It costs a whopping ? merely to enter to view the exterior. It can, however be seen by taking a Corrib cruise from Lisloughrey Pier.

Sailings daily 10am, 11am, 245pm and 5pm. (Tel: 092 46029)

Trim Castle:
This Norman castle, on the banks of the River Boyne, featured in the film Braveheart. It is one of the largest medieval castles in Ireland. Founded in the 12t^h century by Hugh de Lacy, the present structure dates from the beginning of the 13^th century. Henry of Lancaster who became Henry IV, was imprisoned by his cousin Richard II in the Dublin Gate. It has undergone extensive renovations over the past few years. Excavations in the 70s uncovered the remains of ten headless men. These are thought to be the remains of criminals or would-be criminals who were beheaded in the 15th century on the orders of Edward IV, who ordered that anyone who had robbed or ‘who was going to rob?would be beheaded and have their heads displayed on spikes, as a warning to other thieves.

Open: April-September daily. (Tel: 046 36017)

Birr Castle & Demesne:
Birr Castle is not open to the public as it has been home to the Parsons family, Earls of Rosse since 1620. The demesne has a giant telescope constructed at the castle by the Third Earl of Rosse. A scientific exhibition centre explains the evolution of Astronomy and the problems the Third Earl had to overcome when building the Telescope. The exhibition also shows the work and inventions of subsequent Earls of Rosse and their wives; studies of the temperature of the moon, photography, engineering inventions etc. The gardens consist of 50 hectares set around a large artificial lake. They feature rare trees and plants propagated from seeds that were collected all over the world by three generations of the Parsons family. The grounds are famous for the high box hedges, which are listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Particularly striking are the magnolias and maples.

Open daily all year round except 25 December 9am-6pm. Demonstration of the Telescope is available at intervals throughout the day on request. (Tel: 092 20336/22154)

Strokestown Park House:
A Palladian mansion built in the 18^th century for Thomas Mahon MP, designed by Richard Castle. The house was in the family’s hands until 1979 and still retains the all the hallmarks of a lived in comfortable big house. A very interesting guided tour gives an idea of what life was like for the Anglo-Irish gentry in the 18^th century. The tour includes a glimpse behind some of the family photographs, a schoolroom, a child’s bedroom complete with toys.

In the old stable yard is the Famine Museum, which uses the Strokestown archives to tell the story of tenants and landlords during the potato famine of the 1840s. The landlord of Strokestown Estate, Major Denis Mahon, was assassinated when he attempted to evict 8,000 of his starving tenants. Some of the exhibition stands are inclined to be a bit wordy but otherwise worth a visit. There are two walled gardens, a pleasure garden and a kitchen garden. The pleasure garden features the longest herbaceous border in Ireland.

Open: Easter-end of October daily 11am-1730pm. Tours can be pre-booked outside of the open season. (Tel: 078 33013)

Lissadell House: (13 kms north of Sligo on the Sligo/Bundoran Road):
A fine example of late Georgian architecture. Its grandeur has now somewhat faded but this mansion is noted more for its occupants than for its architecture. Home to the Gore-Booths since the time of Elizabeth I and still their home. Eva and Constance Gore-Booth were immortalised in the poetry of W.B. Yeats in the poem "In Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con Markievicz". Eva was a noted suffragette and Constance was a revolutionary who participated in the 1916 uprising. She became the first woman elected to the House of Commons at Westminster.

Open: June-mid September, except Sundays) 10.30-12.20, 2-4.30pm (Tel: 071 63150)

Thoor Ballylee: (Gort, just off the N18):
The Summer home of W.B. Yeats from 1922 and for much of the 1920s. It is a tower house. Nearby is Coole Park the home of Lady Gregory who was a co-founder of the Abbey Theatre with Yeats. The poetry collection ‘The Tower?includes several poems inspired by Thoor Ballylee: "Meditations in Time of Civil War", "Leda and the Swan" etc. An audiovisual film includes readings from Yeats’s poetry.

Open May-September daily 10am-6pm. (091 631436)

Cahir Castle:
Once a stronghold of the Powerful Butler family, the castle retains much of its original defensive structure. It dates from the 13^th century and is a popular setting for films notably ‘Excalibur? The castle sits on a rocky island in the River Suir. The defensive structure makes for a very interesting account of the different methods of protection used over the centuries. Very sparsely furnished. A short film gives details of other historic sites in the area.

Open daily all year round. April-mid-June/mid-September-mid-October 10am-5.30pm; mid-June-mid-September 9am-7pm; 10am-4pm the rest of the year. (Tel: 052 41453)

Rock of Cashel:
An impressive limestone outcrop that rises majestically above the Tipperary plain. It was the seat of the Munster kings from the 4^th to the 12^th century. It was handed over to the church in 1101 and was a religious centre until besieged by the Cromwellian army in 1647. Brian Bor?was crowned king of Munster here. Huge stone walls encircle the site which contains, a 28 metre round tower, the ruins of a cathedral, a 12^th century Hiberno-Romanesque chapel and the Hall of the Vicars?Choral built in the 15^th century for the choristers. A small museum contains the original St. Patrick’s Cross, rare silverware and some stone carvings. The Rock can become very crowded at high season. Looks very impressive from the Dublin Road at night when it is floodlit.

Open: mid-June-mid-September 9am-730pm daily, mid-September-mid-March, 9.30am-4.30pm, mid-March-mid-June, 9.30am-5.30pm. (Tel: 062 61437)

Swiss Cottage: (Ardfinnan Road, Cahir):
This typical example of a ‘cottage orn? was built as a fishing and hunting lodge for Lord Cahir by John Nash, the famous Regency architect in 1812. Following the fashion of the time Lord and Lady Cahir played at being peasants in this rustic folly. Fashion of the time decreed that such a cottage should blend in totally with the natural surroundings and look as if it had been formed from the earth. Symmetry was out so therefore nothing matches. The windows are all different sizes and designs. Designers went to great lengths to ensure a natural look. The cottage can only been seen with a guide. Tours are excellent.

Open: May-September daily 10am-6pm. Closes on Monday at other times of the year and 1-2pm. Closes at 5pm in April and in late March/October to November at 4.30pm. (Tel: 052 41144)

 

Lismore Castle:
Overlooking the town of Lismore above the River Blackwater. It was built in 1185 and became the residence of the local Bishop in 1200. In 1589 the Bishop’s Palace was leased to Sir Walter Raleigh. In 1602 Richard Boyle, Earl of Cork, bought Sir Walter Raleigh’s estates and resided in the castle. He had seven sons and seven daughters. His most famous son was Robert Boyle the father of modern Chemistry (Boyle’s Law) who was born at Lismore in 1626.

To-day, the castle is owned by the Duke of Devonshire (Andrew Cavendish). His uncle, Lord Charles Cavendish, was married to Adele Astaire and lived here with his wife from 1932 to 1944. Fred Astaire was a frequent visitor to Lismore. The castle is not open to the public but the gardens are. The Lower Garden known as the Pleasure Grounds is best seen in March and April. It contains camelias, rhododendrons and magnolias. The Upper Garden is a Jacobean garden, which has survived in its original form.

Open: May-September daily pm only. (Tel: 058 54424)

Belvedere House: (just off the Kilbeggan Road from Mullingar):
A Palladian villa which overlooks Lough Ennel. It was built in 1740 by Richard Castle. Lord Belfield, the 1^st Earl of Belvedere, accused his young wife of having an affair with his younger brother and imprisoned her in the house for 31 years. She always protested her innocence. He also fell out with another brother, George, and had the Jealous Wall built in order to block out the view of George’s house. The house has recently been restored. The gardens lead down to Lough Ennel by way of terraces framed by urns and yew trees. There is a charming walled garden also.

Open: May-October daily 12pm-4.30pm Monday to Friday and 12pm-6pm Saturdays and Sundays. (Tel: 044 40861).

Tullynally Castle and Gardens: (1.5kms outside Castelpollard)
The castle is owned by the Pakenhams, Earls of Longford since the 17^th century. The style is Gothic revival. Most interesting items in the castle are the 19^th century gadgets, some fine furniture a Victorian kitchen and laundries. The grounds encompass two ornamental lakes, a fernery walk and grotto, a Chinese garden and a woodland walk around the demesne. There is also a walled garden with extensive flower borders and an avenue of Irish yews.

Castle is open: 15 June-30 July 2pm-6pm. Gardens open: May-September daily 2pm-6pm. (Tel: 044 61159).

Avondale House: (Rathdrum):
The ‘Uncrowned King of Ireland? Charles Stewart Parnell was born here in 1846. His life is told in a 20-minute audio-visual presentation. The house was designed by James Wyatt in the late 1700s. Those interested in Parnell and his fight for Home Rule would enjoy a visit to Avondale. The state, which owns Avondale, runs a forestry school here but visitors are welcome to explore the Avondale Forest Park and nature trails.

Open: May-September 10am-6pm. Open the rest of the year from 11am-5pm. (Tel: 0404 46111)

Powerscourt House and Gardens: (Enniskerry):
Powerscourt Castle and lands were granted to Richard Wingfield in 1603, 1^st Earl of Powerscourt. Powerscourt House was designed by Richard Castle, who also designed Russborough House. In 1961 the Slazenger family purchased the Estate. The gardens were opened to the public. The night before the house was due to open to the public a fire completely gutted the inside.

Since 1996 the house has been re-roofed and a series of small boutiques and a restaurant have been opened on the ground floor. A short audio-visual presentation tells the history of the house and shows it in its former glory. The gardens are very impressive, nestling at the foot of the Sugar Loaf Mountain. Of note is the pets?Cemetery, the Japanese Gardens, the Triton Lake and the walled garden.

Open: daily 9.30am-5.30pm, in winter 10.30am-dusk.

Russborough House: (Blessington):
A Palladian mansion designed by Richard Castle. Stucco work by the Francini brothers is impressive, especially in the music room, saloon and library. Originally the home of Joseph Leeson, Earl of Milltown, Russborough , was bought in 1952 by Sir Alfred Beit as a home for the Beit Collection of paintings. Beit inherited his wealth and the art collection from his uncle, who was co-founder with Cecil Rhodes of De Beers diamond mines.

The Beit Collection contains masterpieces by Goya, Velasquez, Vermeer, and Rubens among others. Part of the collection was presented to the National Gallery of Ireland in 1986 and the other part remains in Russborough. In 1974 and again in 1986 some of the paintings were stolen. Those stolen in 1974 have been recovered. The guided tours are excellent.

Open: June-August 10.30am-5.30pm. In May and September, it closes at 2.30pm except on Sundays. In April and October, it’s open Sundays and bank holidays only. Tel: 045 865239)