Overview
Tullynally is the largest inhabited castle in Ireland, and it is still somebody’s house – the Pakenhams have lived here since the 1650s, which is why a guided tour takes you through family portraits and the below-stairs kitchens rather than a set of roped-off show rooms. Known locally as Pakenham Hall, it stands on a rise in north County Westmeath above Lough Derravaragh, welcoming visitors from spring to autumn. The draw is really two things: a Gothic-revival mansion of over 120 rooms, and 12 acres of gardens that have been added to for two centuries. It’s about 80 minutes from Dublin, and a good deal quieter than the Midlands’ better-known attractions.
If you can only fit one thing in, make it the walk from the walled garden’s 200-year-old Irish yews down through the grounds to the Chinese pagoda – it takes in the best of the planting, the ornamental lakes and the odd sight of a small herd of llamas along the way.
History and architecture
The Pakenham family have held this land since the 1650s, when Henry Pakenham was granted the estate to settle military arrears, and the square plantation house he built became the core of everything that followed. The great transformation came between 1801 and 1806, when the family turned a plain country house into a Gothic-revival castle. The architects were the leading men of the day – Francis Johnston, followed by James Shiel and Richard Morrison – who added the towers and battlemented fronts that give Tullynally its silhouette. Later in the 19th century the terraced lawns and ornamental lakes were laid out, and from the 1960s Thomas and Valerie Pakenham reworked the grounds, bringing in exotic plantings from the Himalayas, China and Tibet.
The castle sits on the old “Hill of the Swan”, looking across to Lough Derravaragh – the lake of the Children of Lir, where the legend has the king’s children turned into swans.
Gardens and grounds
The 12-acre garden reflects over two centuries of changing taste, and you follow gravel and grass paths through distinct areas:
- Terraced lawns and ornamental lakes – grassy slopes fall away toward two man-made lakes, framed to keep the castle in view.
- Walled garden – historic borders enclosing a 200-year-old avenue of Irish yews, summerhouses, a stone Nandi (the sacred Indian bull) and the resident llamas.
- Woodland walk – a shaded route past a limestone grotto set with local stone carvings, through native trees that turn with the seasons.
- Chinese garden – built around a tiered pagoda, with rare magnolias, lilies and the giant Himalayan lily (Cardiocrinum giganteum), grown from seed Thomas Pakenham collected on his travels.
- Tibetan garden – stepping stones, cascading water and placed boulders that recreate a Himalayan mountain stream, well off the main paths.
Families get their own routes: a Children’s Discovery Trail with fairy houses and hidden wooden carvings, a Tree Trail marking 24 favourite specimens, and a climbing frame near the entrance courtyard.
Castle tours
Guided interior tours run from May to September, usually Thursday to Saturday at 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00, and take about 45 minutes. They cover the Great Hall, Library, Drawing Room and Dining Room before dropping to the Victorian servants’ quarters, kitchens and laundries – the stories and scandals of a family who have been here 370 years, and life below stairs. The narrow historic staircases mean the tour is not suitable for children under ten, and advance booking is strongly recommended, especially at weekends and in the school holidays.
Tearoom and shop
The Stables Tearoom runs alongside the gardens, Thursday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00, with homemade cakes, scones, quiche and the usual hot drinks in a converted stable with indoor seating and a covered terrace over the parkland. The gift shop carries books by the Pakenham family, mugs and souvenirs drawn from the estate.
Visiting information
Opening hours and admission
- Gardens and tearoom: Thursday–Sunday, 09:00–17:00. Closed Monday–Wednesday. Last garden entry 17:00; vacate by 18:00.
- Castle tours: May–September, Thursday–Saturday at 11:00, 12:30 and 14:00. No Sunday tours outside Heritage Week.
- Admission: Garden entry €9 adult, €4 child, €24 family. Castle tours €17 adult, €9 child (10+), garden included.
- Season tickets: €60 (you plus a guest) or €73 (two adults plus two children aged 5–16), for unlimited visits and 50% off guided garden walks.
The honest caveat: the gardens close Monday to Wednesday, and the castle only opens for tours from May to September, so a midweek off-season drive out here gets you a locked gate. Check before you travel.
Getting there and parking
The estate is about 1.5 km from Castlepollard on the Granard road (N91 HV58). From Dublin, take the N4 to the N3, then the N52 to Castlepollard – roughly 80 km. Free parking is available at the entrance, though it fills on summer weekends. Bus Éireann serves Castlepollard, and from the stop it’s a 25- to 30-minute walk or a short taxi to the gates.
Facilities and rules
Toilets are in the courtyard only. Dogs are allowed on leads throughout the grounds, but picnics are not permitted in the gardens, and there are no drones. Photography is welcome outdoors but not inside the castle during tours.
Events and seasonal visits
Summer brings classical concerts, literary talks and garden festivals. During Heritage Week (13–23 August 2026) the castle and gardens open daily, 09:00–17:00, with extra guided walks and performances.
Nearby attractions
- Lough Derravaragh – the lake below the castle, of Children of Lir fame, with fishing and lakeside walks.
- Hill of Uisneach – the ceremonial site traditionally held to be the centre of Ireland, a short drive south.
- Fore Abbey – the ruined Benedictine priory and its “seven wonders”, a few kilometres east near Castlepollard.
- Loughcrew Cairns – Neolithic passage tombs on a hilltop over the Meath border.
- Belvedere House and Jealous Wall – Georgian house and parkland near Mullingar, about 30 km south.
Book the castle tour online before you come: it is the only way inside, the groups are small, and Sunday tours run only during Heritage Week.