Tullynally Castle has been home to the Pakenham family, Earls of Longford, since the 17th century. It is still lived in the family home of Thomas and Valerie Pakenham. The interiors, part Georgian, and part Gothic revival have a fine collection of furniture and pictures. The guided tours also take in the splendid Victorian kitchens and laundries, complete with all their equipment.

The gardens, like the castle, are on a magnificent scale, taking in nearly 12 hectares. Terraced lawns around the castle overlook superb 18th-century parkland. The adjoining woodland gardens and walled gardens date largely from the early 19th century and encompass a grotto of eroded limestone from nearby Lough Derravaragh and two ornamental lakes. The present owners have added a Chinese garden, complete with a pagoda and a Tibetan garden of waterfalls and streams; and a local sculptor has made fantastic woodcarvings in existing roots and trees. The walled gardens have extensive flower borders and an avenue of magnificent 200-year-old Irish yews.

For children, there is also an Adventure Trail leading to the lower lake, and for those who wish to take the gardens more slowly, there is an assortment of delightful, ornamental summer houses and seats, each offering a different view.

Opening Times

Tullynally Castle Gardens and tearooms are open 11 am -5 pm, Thursday to Sunday from April to September.

As the castle itself is still a private family home, it is not open to casual visitors. Guided tours of the main rooms can usually be arranged for groups of 20 or more.

There are also regular guided tours at 3 pm on Sundays of the splendid Victorian kitchens and laundries giving fascinating details of Life Below Stairs in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Tickets are available in the tearoom.