Glenveagh Castle and Gardens

Our plan today was to cycle up and around the Rosguil Peninsular. It rained on and off during the early hours but undeterred we put on our cycling clothes. There was another burst of rain and we waited until that passed then started to get out the tandem. The heavens opened again and we decided it wasn’t to be, so we had coffee and changed our plans and set off to visit Glenveagh in the motorhome. We had lunch there on arrival then went to purchase our ticket for the shuttle bus and guided tour of the castle only to learn that the castle is not open as undergoing renovation!!! However the very helpful member of staff said the bus was running and the gardens were open and we could watch a film about the property, which we did. The castle was built by John Adair who visited the area and thought it perfect for a summer home when he and his wife weren’t in America. He became very unpopular when he forcibly evicted tenant farmers off of his land in the difficult winter of 1861. He died shortly after building the castle and his wife Adelina continued to live there and was much more amenable to the local people as well as a renowned hostess for the rich and famous. Belgium refugees lived at the castle during WW1, then the IRA briefly occupied it in 1922. Kingsley Porter, a Harvard professor owned it but mysteriously disappeared. Henry Mcllhenny then became the owner and finally it passed to Irish Government in 1975. All the owners over the years developed and improved the gardens and they are now one of the best gardens in Ireland.

We took the bus to the castle and enjoyed walking around the formal gardens then climbed up to the view point over the castle and Lough. The sun was out and it was pleasantly warm so we had tea and cake in the cafe courtyard. We finished off our tour of the gardens just as the rain started again so we ran to the bus shelter and returned to the motorhome.Read more