Tullynally Castle & Gardens — Attraction in County Westmeath

Tullynally Castle is a country house (also known as Pakenham Hall Castle) situated some 2 km from Castlepollard on the Coole village road in County Westmeath, Ireland. The gothic style building has over 120 rooms and has been home to the Pakenham family (now the Earls of Longford) for over 350 years. The house is surrounded by twelve acres of park land and gardens, including woodland gardens and walled gardens laid out in the early 19th century with a limestone grotto and ornamental lakes. In the 21st century a Chinese garden with a pagoda and a Tibetan garden of waterfalls and streams have been added. The site entrance from the public road is situated 1.5 km outside Castlepollard on the Granard road 20 km from Mullingar, 80 km from Dublin via the N4 or N3 roads. The grounds are open to the public from April to September. In 1665 Henry Pakenham, a captain in the Parliamentary Dragoons, was granted land in lieu of pay arrears that included Tullynally. His grandson Thomas was made first Baron Longford in 1756. Thomas's grandson, another Thomas and 3rd Baron Longford, also inherited the superior title of 2nd Earl of Longford in 1794 from his grandmother, the Countess of Longford. The 2nd Earl remodelled the 17th-century house in the Gothic Revival style in the early 1800s, adding towers and a moat. It was by then larger than any other castellated house in Ireland. Since then, the house has passed down through successive generations of Pakenhams to the present earl, Thomas Pakenham, 8th Earl of Longford, and is the largest house in private hands in Ireland. The British Army general, Sir Edward Pakenham, GCB, was born and brought up in the house. His elder sister, Kitty, was married to Arthur Wellesley in 1806, who was subsequently created Duke...

A Special Visit to a Truly Special Place Once again, I had the pleasure of visiting Tullynally Castle a truly lovely place that holds personal meaning as it also happens to be the ancestral homestead of my wife’s family, long before the Pakenham family took residence. Back in 2020, while researching the area for a film project, I had the pleasure of meeting Thomas Pakenham himself. Since then, I’ve returned many times, often bringing students from Spain, Italy, and France on guided tours through the gardens, woodlands, and the castle’s rich historical grounds. Today’s visit was something extra special. I returned with my wife, and after spending over three peaceful hours forest bathing in the ancient woodlands, we found ourselves completely recharged. The tranquility of the trees, the birdsong, and the timeless atmosphere truly offer something rare and healing. We rounded off the visit with a quiet moment in the cozy coffee shop, which was as welcoming and charming as ever with warm smiles, good coffee, and the scent of trees still lingering in our breath. Every visit to Tullynally is a reminder of the beauty of Irish heritage, history, and nature at its finest. Whether you're a history lover, a nature seeker, or simply in need of peace, this place never disappoints. Highly...

Visited with my family and some friends. We toured the grounds and didn't do the castle interior tour but the gardens and surrounding walks are absolutely gorgeous. The gardens have something different and unusual at every turn with gnomes and nymphs popping up at unexpected times in the foliage (not real ones of course!).

The gardens are unique in that they must receive a lot of attention but manage to have a relaxed feel. They are formal but with a lovely casualness which is comfortable. There are lots of benches dotted around, sometimes in covered wooden gazebos, sometimes in a high spot overlooking a particularly beautiful part of the grounds.

There is a high 'mound' at some distance from the house which you can climb (a convenient path has been corkscrewed around it for walking), climbing to the top of which you are rewarded withe a stunning view back to the castle.

I would recommend this to any family who wants to spend half a day getting some exercise and fresh air while walking in some of the lovliest grounds I have visited. There is a tea room to visit which looks lovely although we were too late to partake after our walk and it had closed. The castle itself is magnificent and next time we visit we'll take in an organised tour.

€6 Adults, €16 for a family, €3...