Overview
Curraghmore has been in the same family since 1170, which is the sort of continuity that changes how a place feels: this is a lived-in private seat, not a heritage set-piece, and it opens to the public for only about half the year. The estate near Portlaw in County Waterford is the ancestral home of the Marquess of Waterford, and its 2,500 acres of formal gardens, woodland and grazing make it the most extensive private house and gardens in Ireland. A long famine-relief wall rings much of it, reached through four wrought-iron gates.
If you have to choose, book the house tour. The gardens are handsome, but the guided walk through the neo-classical interiors – and the Shell House folly – is what people remember. Just plan around the calendar: Curraghmore opens Friday to Sunday and bank holidays from May to September, and that’s it.
History and architecture
The de la Poer Beresford family has held Curraghmore since 1170, when the land passed to Sir Roger le Puher. It began as a twelfth-century tower house, grew a court-side mansion around 1700, and gained a forecourt and stables for a hundred horses in the 1750s and 1760s. The imposing front you see today was remodelled in the late nineteenth century by Samuel Usher Roberts, grandson of the Waterford architect John Roberts.
Inside, the rooms carry plasterwork by James Wyatt and paintings by Peter Paul Rubens, Thomas Gainsborough and Sir Thomas Lawrence, alongside grisaille panels by Peter de Gree and a pearl necklace said to have belonged to Mary, Queen of Scots. The current 9th Marquess, Henry Nicholas de la Poer Beresford, took the title in 2015 and has kept the estate running by opening it for guided tours and cultural events.
Gardens and grounds
Successive Ladies Waterford shaped the planting here over generations, laying out terraces and arboretums. The grounds break into a few marked routes:
- The arboretum and Sitka spruce: Planted in the 1830s, the estate’s Sitka spruce is reckoned one of the tallest trees in Ireland and dominates the arboretum.
- Shell House: Built in 1754 by Catherine, Countess of Tyrone, this small grotto is lined inside with thousands of shells – the single most striking thing on the estate, and reason enough to take the tour.
- King John’s Bridge: Built for King John’s arrival in 1205, this stone-arched crossing of the River Clodagh is Ireland’s oldest surviving bridge, and frames the southern drive.
- Woodland and river walks: The Farm Hill Walk, River Walk and Pleasure Garden Trail are well-marked and suitable for most abilities, threading through old oak woodland and along the river.
What to see and do
Guided house tours run by prior appointment at 11:00 and 14:00 on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from May through September, and cost €22 for adults, free for under-12s. They cover the architecture and the provenance of the art. The gardens are open for self-guided visits during the same hours at €8 (children under 12 free). Note that only separate house and garden tickets are confirmed – there’s no set combined price, so ask at booking if you want both.
The on-site tea rooms open Friday to Sunday, 10am–4pm, and the gift shop stocks estate merchandise and the limited-edition Curraghmore Triple Cask whiskey. Time a visit to the August Bank Holiday weekend and part of the demesne becomes the All Together Now music festival, held here each year since 2018.
Practical information
Opening hours (May–September)
- Gardens and grounds: Friday–Sunday and bank holidays, 10:00–16:00
- Guided house tours: 11:00 and 14:00 (Fri–Sun and bank holidays)
- Tea rooms: Friday–Sunday, 10:00–16:00
Admission
- House tour: €22 (adult), free for under-12s
- Garden entry: €8 (adult), free for under-12s
Location and access
- Address: Curraghmore Estate, Portlaw, Co. Waterford, X91 X598. Use the Eircode – it points sat-navs to the correct entrance.
- By car: From Waterford city it’s about a 20-minute drive to Portlaw; the main gates are signed off the estate road. Use the Eircode to reach the correct entrance.
- Public transport: The Bus 609 Suirway Commuter runs from Waterford City bus depot to Queen Street in Portlaw, a short walk from the estate entrance.
- Accessibility: For mobility needs, email alan@curraghmorehouse.ie ahead of your visit – the estate can sometimes make arrangements.
Nearby attractions
Portlaw itself, a purpose-built Quaker mill village, sits right at the gates. Waterford city is about 20 minutes east, with the Waterford Greenway and Mount Congreve’s gardens close by. Push further southwest and you reach the Copper Coast’s cliffs and coves. Book the house tour ahead – slots go quickly on peak summer weekends.