Places to visit: Gardens

Airfield House

Airfield Estate

Country Estates, Dublin A to Z, For Kids, Gardens, Tours

In 1893, a successful Dublin solicitor named Trevor Overend purchased an 18th century farmhouse in Dundrum, Co. Dublin. The property was eventually inherited by his two daughters, Letitia and Naomi Overend. They lived there all their lives and prior to their death they set up the Airfield Trust, so that the estate would be kept intact for educational and recreational purposes.

The Overend ladies were well known for their prize-winning Jersey herd, named after characters from Gilbert & Sullivan operettas. They were regular prize winners at the RDS Spring Show. Their life and times can be appreciated via the Airfield House exhibition. The lasting effects of their fundraising and charity work for St John’s Ambulance brigade and Children’s Sunshine Home can be seen through an impressive collection of photographs, diaries and press clippings. They were also ladies who knew how to enjoy themselves, as evidenced by the memorabilia they gathered from their travels. Both sisters were also very interested in gardening.

The Airfield farm (20 acres), gardens, restaurant and heritage experience offer visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy and learn about food, farming, gardening, history and heritage in a natural and relaxed environment.

The farm at Airfield is a fine working example of environmentally sustainable agriculture in Ireland. Visitors are encouraged to explore and experience farm life up close. This is a working farm with a milking Jersey herd, as well as Jacob sheep, Oxford sandy black pigs, Saneen goats, Rhode Island red hens, chickens and donkeys.

The Jersey herd is milked once a day as part of Airfield’s commitment to sustainable farming. Visitors can watch the herd being milked, understand the pasteurisation process and taste the fresh, creamy milk used across the estate.

Throughout the year specialised events like lambing, calving and shearing highlight what is typically going on in farms around the country. Airfield is a working farm with a milking Jersey herd, as well as sheep, pigs, chickens and donkeys. The farm has 50 laying hens including Rhode Island Red Hybrids and fancy fowl such as Legbars and Arucanas.

The gardens in Airfield are just over six acres in size and composed of diverse spaces ranging from an ornamental walled garden, shade gardens and glasshouse spaces, to an extensive organic certified fruit, vegetable and edible flower garden. You can also visit a greenhouse garden, an orchard border, a sunken garden and a potting shed order.

The temperate climate of south Dublin accommodates a large variety of plants to be grown on site which provides year-round interest to any visitor. The gardens are managed organically which helps contribute to a vibrant biodiverse green space.

The display garage for vintage cars is a fine setting for Letitia’s 1927 Rolls Royce, Naomi’s Austin Tickford and Lily’s Peugeot Quadrilette.

Opening Hours:
General opening hours all year round are Wednesday to Sunday, 9.30am – 4.30pm, however opening days and hours vary monthly.
Not all features of the estate are open during general opening hours, and some or all may be closed for private functions. Please check here for detailed opening hours.

When open, there are daily activities including Egg Collection (10am), Jersey Herd Milking (10:30am) and Heritage Tours (12 & 2pm).
Special evening events and workshops may also be available for booking.
The Farmers Market is open Fri & Sat, 9am – 2.30pm.

Contact & Pricing:
airfield.ie
hello@airfield.ie
Tel: 01 969 6666
Overend Ave, Dundrum, Dublin 14.
Adults €12; concessions

Áras an Uachtaráin

Áras an Uachtaráin

Country Estates, Dublin A to Z, Gardens, Historical, Tours

Now the Residence of the President of Ireland, Áras an Uachtaráin, started as a modest brick house for the Phoenix Park Chief Ranger in 1751. It was subsequently acquired as an “occasional residence” for the Lords Lieutenants and gradually evolved to a large mansion. After Ireland gained independence, it was occupied by three Governors General between 1922 and 1937, prior to the first president Dr Douglas Hyde taking up residence there.

19th century architects Francis Johnston, Jacob Owen and Decimus Burton, and more recently, Raymond McGrath, as well as stuccodores Michael Stapleton and Bartholomew Cramillion, contributed to its gradual expansion, gardens and interiors. The Irish architect James Hoban may have used the garden front portico of Áras an Uachtaráin as the model for the façade of the White House.

Opening Hours:
Guided tours take place almost every Saturday all year round.
Tickets are free of charge, issued on a first-come-first-served basis, from the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre from 9.30am. Advanced or group booking is not possible. Visitors are advised to arrive early to avoid disappointment.

Guided tours of the House are offered on Saturdays at the following times:
Jan – Dec: 10am, 11.15am, 12.30pm, 1.45pm and 3pm
Guided tours of the Gardens only run from June until October.
Closed 24-26 December.

*Contact the Visitor Centre first to confirm that tours are taking place, as access can be restricted at times due to official State engagements.
Visitors must bring photographic identification on the day of the visit.

Contact & Pricing:
president.ie
phoenixparkvisitorcentre@opw.ie
Tel: 01 677 0095
Phoenix Park, Dublin 8
Admission free

Ardgillan Castle

Ardgillan Castle

Castles, Country Estates, Dublin A to Z, Gardens, Tours

Ardgillan is a large 18th Century country manor house (1738) built in extensive grounds overlooking the Irish Sea. The demesne features a walled garden and a rose garden. Within the house, the ground floor rooms and the kitchens are open to visitors (guided tour only).

Ardgillan Park is unique among Dublin’s regional parks for the magnificent views it enjoys of the coastline. A panorama, taking in Rockabill Lighthouse, Colt Church, Shenick and Lambay Islands may be seen, including Sliabh Foy, the highest of the Cooley Mountains, and the Mourne Mountains can be seen sweeping down to the sea.

Ardgillan Castle is open all year round. Access to the castle is by guided tour only. Tours are available on demand. The team of tour guides is experienced, with a great knowledge and understanding of the castle and its family occupants, The Taylors.

The Ardgillan Castle tour is approximately one hour long. Many periods of social history are brought to life with the focus firmly on the family who once lived in the castle. Visitors get the chance to explore the castle and enjoy the same atmosphere that the Taylors experienced from 1738, when the castle was built right up to 1962, when it was eventually sold.

The park area is the property of Fingal County Council and was opened to the public as a regional park in 1985. What was an arable farm was transformed  into a public park. Five miles of footpaths were provided throughout the demesne, some by opening old avenues, while others were newly constructed. They now provide a system of varied and interesting woodland, walks and vantage points from which to enjoy breath-taking views of the sea, the coastline and surrounding countryside. A sign-posted cycle route through the park means that cyclists can share the miles of walking paths with pedestrians.

Opening Hours:
Ardgillan Castle is open all year round, but times vary by month.
Tours are currently self-guided only.
Please contact in advance for groups of over 10 people.
Admission to all the gardens is free.
For current opening times of the park, gardens and house, check here.

Contact & Pricing:
ardgillancastle.ie
eventardgillan@fingal.ie
Tel: 01 849 2212
Adults €5; concessions

Blessington Street Basin

Blessington Street Basin

Dublin A to Z, Gardens

A picturesque walled park with a landscaped walk around a large lake and plenty of places to sit. Built in the early 19th century to provide a clean water supply to the north of the city. From the 1860’s on, the Basin’s water was used to supply distilleries in Bow Street (Jamesons) and John’s Lane (Powers) until 1976. Completely refurbished in 1993/94 and now a quiet city haven, providing a “secret garden” for local residents and visitors alike. Bird sanctuary on the central island.

Birdwatching Dublin is a fan of Blessington St Basin. Their website notes: “This is a hidden gem … There is an island in the middle of the pond and beautiful plants and trees throughout. Therefore it attracts a variety of waterfowl as well as typical parkland birds and gulls.” See some fine wildlife photos here.

Opening Hours:
Open every day from 10am; closing time varies in line with nightfall.

Contact & Pricing:
dublincity.ie
Blessington Street Basin, Dublin 7
Tel: 01 222 5278
Free admission

Bull Island and Dollymount Strand

Dublin A to Z, Gardens, Historical

Bull Island, or more properly North Bull Island, is an island located in Dublin Bay, about 5 km long and 800 m wide, lying roughly parallel to the shore off Clontarf, Raheny, Kilbarrack, and facing Sutton. The island, with a sandy beach known as Dollymount Strand running its entire length, is a relatively recent result of human intervention in the bay.

In times past, Dublin Bay had a long-running problem with silting, notably at the mouth of the River Liffey. After years of primitive dredging, an attempt to maintain a clear channel more effectively got under way when in 1715 construction of the Great South Wall began. In 1761, work on a stone pier commenced, working from the Poolbeg Lighthouse back to shore.

It was during this period that the building of a North Bull Wall was also proposed. When it was seen that the South Wall did not solve the silting problem, the authorities responsible for Dublin Port commissioned studies on the matter. Captain William Bligh, of “Bounty” fame, surveyed Dublin Bay for the Ballast Board in 1801, highlighting the potential of the North Bull sandbank.

A wooden bridge, the first Bull Bridge, was erected in 1819 to facilitate the construction of a stone wall. Started in 1820, the Bull Wall was completed in 1825.

Over the succeeding 48 years, the natural tidal effects created by the walls deepened the entry to the Liffey from 1.8 m to 4.8 m. Much of the silt now scoured from the river course was deposited on the North Bull, and a true island began to emerge, with people venturing out to the growing beach. The volume of visitors was increased when horse tram services to Clontarf began in 1873, and when a full tram line to Howth opened 1900, with stops in the Clontarf / Dollymount area.

In 1889, the Royal Dublin Golf Club, then located at Sutton, received permission to lay out a golf course at the city end of the island, and construct a clubhouse.

The island is connected to the mainland by the Bull Bridge, today a one-lane wooden road bridge (with weight and height restrictions) at the southern (Clontarf/ Dollymount) end, and by a broad causeway at Raheny.

Most of North Bull Island is the property of Dublin City Council, the exception being North Bull Wall, the breakwater beyond it, and the wooden bridge to it, which are owned by the Dublin Port Company (and closed for a day each year to ensure that no right of way is created), and the Royal Dublin Golf Club links. The bulk of the island makes up the largest park owned by the city.

North Bull Island has the most designations of any site in the Republic of Ireland and its importance for nature conservation has been recognised since 1914. It was the first National Bird Sanctuary (1931). Since 1981 it has been designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, the only biosphere reserve in the world located entirely in a capital city.

In 1988, it became a National Nature Reserve. It is of European Union importance, being a Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive and a Special Area of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive. It is also a National Special Amenity Area since 1995, one of 3 in the Republic of Ireland. This recognises both its outstanding beauty and nature conservation values.

Bird species on the island include pale-bellied brent geese, Eurasian curlews, Eurasian oystercatchers, grey plovers, northern shovellers, little egrets, reed buntings and little terns. There are six terrestrial mammal species on the island: brown rats, red foxes, field mice, Irish hares, hedgehogs and European rabbits. Common seals and grey seals are also found in the surrounding waters and can regularly be seen on the sand at low tide at the tip of the island near Howth.

The Island is a breeding site. It is also home to many species of plants including the bee orchid, pyramidal orchid, Marsh Helleborine, Bee orchid and common spotted orchids. There is an Interpretative Centre at the end of the causeway on the right hand side which has displays and information on the flora and fauna of the island.

Dollymount Strand, the 5 km beach on the island, is a popular walking and recreational area. Many people learned to drive on the firm flat sandy foreshore at low tide. Parking areas allow access for those who wish to sit in their cars and look out to sea watching the ships and ferries. The island has two golf courses, the more famous belonging to the Royal Dublin Golf Club, and the newer to St. Anne’s Golf Club.

This information has been adapted from the excellent Wikipedia article cited below.

wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_Island

Drimnagh Castle

Drimnagh Castle

Castles, Dublin A to Z, Gardens, Historical

This feudal stronghold is the only remaining castle in Ireland surrounded by a flooded moat. You can visit the restored great hall, the battlement tower, the stable, the coach house, and the formal 17th Century  gardens.

Opening Hours:
Weekdays only.
Mon – Thurs: 9am – 4pm, last tour at 3pm
Fri: 9am – 1pm, last tour at 12pm
Tours on the hour every hour, starting at 10am.

Access to the castle and grounds is by guided tour only.
Pre-booking by phone is required; pay on arrival.

Contact & Pricing:
drimnaghcastle.org
drimnaghcastle@eircom.net
Tel: 01 450 2530.
Long Mile Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12.
Adults €9; concessions. Cash only.

Helen Dillon's Garden

Dublin Garden Trail

Dublin A to Z, Gardens

The picture above is of the much loved and much missed Helen Dillon’s Garden, closed permanently at the end of September 2016.

You may be interested in a number of not so well known Dublin area gardens which are described in detail on www.dublingardens.com.

The Dublin Garden Trail consists of Ireland’s most distinguished private gardens in the greater Dublin area – some of them world famous and others secret gems – whose discovery has been the highlight of many a Garden Tour.

The owners of these private gardens, most of which are not open to the public, would like to welcome groups to share their enthusiasm for and knowledge of their plants and designs at a time when they can see them at their best.

Ardán (www.dublingardengroup.com)
Corke Lodge (www.dublingardengroup.com)
Dower House (www.dublingardengroup.com)
June Blake’s Garden (www.dublingardengroup.com)
Knockrose (www.dublingardengroup.com)
Mornington Garden (www.dublingardengroup.com)
Trudder Grange Garden (www.dublingardengroup.com)
Tyrrelstown House (www.dublingardengroup.com)

Two members of the Dublin Garden Trail who have separate entries within the Dublin Places To Visit website are Hunting Brook Gardens and Mount Usher Gardens.

Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo

Dublin A to Z, Entertainment, Exhibitions, For Kids, Gardens

Ireland’s most popular family attraction (over one million visitors a year). Opened in 1831, Dublin Zoo is one of the world’s oldest and most popular zoos. It has been transformed in recent decades into a 28 hectare park of gardens, lakes and natural habitats for over 400 animals. Many are rare species and their survival in the wild is under threat; many of the zoo’s animals are part of international breeding programmes for endangered species. The African Plains area is spectacular, a facsimile of the grassy savanna and open plains of the natural wild. See giraffe and zebras wander while the hunting dogs prowl. Look out too for the rhino, the ostrich and the chimpanzees.

Kids rate this venue a 5-star experience.

Opening Hours:
Open daily from 9.30am – 6pm
African Plains closes at 5.30pm, last admission is 5.00pm.
Save up to 15% by pre-booking your ticket.

Contact & Pricing:
dublinzoo.ie
info@dublinzoo.ie
Tel: 01 474 8900
Phoenix Park, Dublin 8
Adults from €19; concessions

Farmleigh House

Farmleigh House

Country Estates, Dublin A to Z, Gardens, Historical, Tours

Farmleigh is an estate of 78 acres located in Dublin’s Phoenix Park. Owned by the State, it provides accommodation for visiting dignitaries & guests of the nation, hosts high level Government meetings, and is also available to be enjoyed by the public.

Farmleigh remains a unique representation of its heyday, the Edwardian period, when wealthy industrialists had replaced landowners as the builders of large mansions in Ireland. Their tastes were eclectic, mixing a variety of architectural styles and decors.

Edward Cecil Guinness, first Earl of Iveagh, the great-grandson of Arthur Guinness, built Farmleigh around a smaller Georgian house in the 1880’s. Many of the artworks and furnishings he collected for Farmleigh remain in the house on loan from the Guinness family to the State. The Benjamin Iveagh collection of rare books, bindings and manuscripts is held  in the Library.

The extensive pleasure grounds are a wonderful collection of Victorian and Edwardian ornamental features with walled and sunken gardens, scenic lakeside walks and a range of plants that provide both visual and horticultural interest throughout the seasons. The Estate also boasts a working farm with a herd of Kerry Black cows.

Opening Hours:
The grounds and estate are open 7 days a week, from 10am – 6pm, last entry 5pm. Access to Farmleigh House is by guided tour, and includes selected rooms on the ground floor.
Guided tours are available on a first come, first serve basis from 10.00 am to 5.30 pm, last entry is 4.30pm.

Please note that, as Farmleigh is a working Government building, the House may close at short notice.

Contact & Pricing:
farmleigh.ie
farmleighguides@opw.ie
Tel: 01 815 5914
Phoenix Park, Dublin 15.
Adults €8; concessions.
Free admission on the first Wednesday of each month.

Glasnevin Cemetery

Glasnevin Museum and Cemetery

Dublin A to Z, Gardens, Genealogy, Historical, Museums, Tours

Wittily dubbed “Croak Park” by local wags, over 1.5 million people are buried here. Visit the graves of famous people and hear about Irish history on a guided tour. Trace your roots in the Genealogy Area (all the records are available online at www.glasnevintrust.ie/genealogy).

The highly popular Irish History tour gives an insight into Victorian and later times. Visit the final resting place of men and women who have helped shape Ireland’s past and present, such as Daniel O’Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell, Michael Collins, Maud Gonne and Roger Casement. Explore the high walls and watchtowers surrounding Glasnevin and learn about the colourful history of Dublin’s grave robbers.

A particularly dramatic attraction is the once-a-day re-enactment of famous speeches (e.g. Patrick Pearse delivering the graveside oration at Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa’s funeral or James Larkin’s famous speech made at the front gates of Mountjoy Prison). These take place at 2.30 pm every day.

Padraig Pearse’s 1915 oration [“The Fools, the Fools, the Fools! – they have left us our Fenian dead – And while Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace”] roused Irish republican feeling and was a significant element in the lead-up to the Easter Rising of 1916.

Museum attractions include the City of the Dead (an exhibition covering the burial practices and meticulous record-keeping regarding the 1,500,000 people buried in Glasnevin); the Religion Wall (illustrating different beliefs about the after-life); the Milestone Gallery (which houses a succession of special exhibitions on key historical figures, starting with Glasnevin’s founder, Daniel O’Connell); and the Timeline (a 10- metre long digitally interactive table containing details of the lives and relationships of hundreds of the most famous people buried here).

You can now climb the O’Connell Tower – Ireland’s tallest round tower – for the first time in over 45 years. As you pass through the ornate crypt of Daniel O’Connell, you begin the journey to the top of the monument built in his honour. After a comprehensive restoration programme, the staircase in the tower is now accessible, complete with an exhibition about the legendary figure himself and the fascinating history of the tower. Once at the top, you will enjoy 360 degree panoramic views of the sprawling grounds of the cemetery, the city of Dublin, Wicklow and the Irish Sea (see www.dctrust.ie AND www.dctrust.ie).

An article in the Irish Times weekend magazine in November 2021 contained a number of surprising facts about Glasnevin Cemetery.

There are more people buried in Glasnevin Cemetery (1,500,000) than there are currently alive in Dublin. 800,000 of these people are buried in “poor ground” or unpurchased graves.

Glasnevin Cemetery was founded by Daniel O’Connell in 1832. As noted in the book “Dead Interesting: Stories from the Graveyards of Dublin” (by Shane MacThomáis), the guiding principle behind the establishment of the cemetery was that those with no money at the end of their days would be able to find a place to be buried (whether from workhouses, tenements, Magdalene laundries or industrial schools). A plot for those who cannot afford a burial still exists today.

One more anecdote – when the famous political leader, Charles Stewart Parnell, was buried, his coffin left City Hall at midday. But his burial had to take place under moonlight such was the extraordinary number of mourners who turned out to pay their respects.

https://www.irishtimes.com/

When planning a visit to the Cemetery, remember that you can now access the Botanic Gardens via the cemetery. A gate access to the “Botanics” from within the cemetery has been re-opened. The gate is located along the wall at the far side of Glasnevin Cemetery (the Prospect Square entrance).

Opening Hours:
Open 10am – 5pm, 7 days a week.
A variety of tours and exhibitions are available, which may change seasonally.
The signature attraction is the Irish History Tour, with optional addition of the O’Connell Tower Climb. This tour is subject to availability, but usually starts at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Booking is recommended.
Women in History Tour available on the last Sunday of the month at 1.00 pm.
Self-Guided and audio tours also available.

Trace your roots in the Genealogy Area (all the records are available online at dctrust.ie/genealogy/home).

There is limited car parking space on the main road opposite the cemetery. However, a convenient but hard to find car park is available within the housing estate opposite the cemetery (a fee is payable as you leave this car park).

Contact & Pricing:
dctrust.ie/experience-glasnevin.html
info@dctrust.ie
Tel: 01 882 6550
Finglas Road, Dublin 11
Tickets start at €9 for Adults; concessions