Castletown House

About the museum

Castletown House was built around 1722 for William Conolly, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, and is presented as Ireland's first and finest Palladian mansion. It stands beside the River Liffey. Later generations of the Conolly family changed the house and estate; Lady Louisa Conolly took charge of the landscape in 1759 and is remembered for her work there.

Most of the contents were sold at auction in 1965 and 1966, and the empty house suffered vandalism. In 1967 Desmond Guinness bought it, and the Irish Georgian Society made it a flagship restoration project and opened it to the public. The Castletown Foundation owned the house from 1979 until 1994, when the Office of Public Works took it over on behalf of the State. The OPW carried out a long conservation programme, and the house reopened in 1999.

Visitors see the house on a guided tour. The collection includes paintings, furniture, family portraits, three Murano glass chandeliers and the 18th-century print room. Much of it belongs to the Castletown Foundation and is on long-term loan. The surrounding parkland, with its follies and waterways, is open free all year. The museum was accredited under the Museum Standards Programme for Ireland in 2012.

Highlights

• Guided tour of Ireland's first large Palladian house
• Long Gallery and decorative plasterwork
• 18th-century print room
• Three Murano glass chandeliers
• Red Drawing Room with 19th-century silk wall hangings
• Free parkland along the River Liffey

Permanent exhibition

• Castletown collection – Paintings, furniture and decorative arts connected with the house since the 1700s are shown in the rooms visited on the guided tour.

Operated by

Office of Public Works (OPW)

Admission & discounts

Parkland visits are free. The OPW Heritage Card gives free entry to fee-paying OPW heritage sites. Prices are those published on heritageireland.ie.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The ground-floor rooms are fully accessible. The house has a lift, but it is not a fire lift, so the other floors are not suitable for people with restricted mobility. Accessible toilets and designated parking are on the west side of the house, near the Courtyard Café. The parkland paths to the River Liffey are wheelchair accessible, with one steep incline and some uneven sections.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

Buggies are not allowed in the house rooms; staff store them at the information desk. Programmes for schools include living history tours and a nature trail in the grounds.

Getting there & parking

Castletown is about 20 km from Dublin city centre and about 28 km from Dublin Airport. From the M4 take exit 6, keep left and follow Barnhall Road to the entrance on the right.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Wi-Fi

Courtyard Café. Free Wi-Fi is offered throughout the complex.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties: not available
• Corporate events

Venues and catering are available for corporate hire but not to private individuals. Enquiries go through castletown@opw.ie or the Heritage Ireland website.

Plan your visit