Page 97 - The Drivers Guide 2019

The Driver's Guide
the Yew Walk, the Oak Avenue, the Fossil Lawn and fabulous displays of thousands of flowering bulbs.
CASTLETIMON OGHAM STONE
JN 18 (R751) TOWARDS WICKLOW
10 min from exit
in Russborough’s 18th century walled garden is being restored by volunteers managed by the RHSI. See www.rhsi.ie for opening times and about volunteering. The Kitchen Garden Cafe is available for snacks and light lunches and a souvenir shop is also on site. Disabled access , toilets & free parking.
www.russborough.ie
WEXFORD
BALLYMORE HISTORIC FEATURES
JN 23 (R741 AND 742) 15 min from exit
Ballymore Historic Features celebrates and emphasises the past in a refreshing and unique way. Features include the museum of local and family history spanning over 300 years, a dairy and farming display, 1798 memorabilia room and the Phoebe Donovan art gallery.
The surrounding grounds are home to the ruins
of a Norman castle dating back to the
14th century, Ballymore Church and graveyard, and a former 1798 rebel camp site.
FERNS CASTLE
ENTERING FERNS (R745)
2 min from exit
Built in the 13th century, originally, Ferns Castle formed a square with large corner towers. Today, only half of the castle now remains. This beautiful medieval village was once the capital of the powerful Kings of Leinster and reminders of those days still dominate the village landscape. There is a lot to choose from in the village: a 12th century Augustinian Abbey, the remains of a 13th century cathedral, a small nave and
chancel church, a Norman castle, and high crosses which stand in the cathedral grounds.
ENNISCORTHY CASTLE
ENTERING ENNISCORTHY (R702)
2 min from exit
Enniscorthy Castle was built in the 13th century and remains an important part of Irish history today. The castle is home to a new visitor experience that showcases the history of the town and its imposing castle. It focuses on the development of the castle and town from its earliest Anglo-Norman origins.
Ogham served as an alphabet for one of the ancient Celtic languages, used from 500 AD. Castletimon Ogham Stone is a magnificent example, situated on the side of the road, 11km south of Wicklow town, near Brittas Bay.
MARITIME MUSEUM ARKLOW
JN 20 (R772) TOWARDS ARKLOW
5 min from exit
The Arklow Maritime Museum showcases the wealth of maritime heritage Arklow has to offer. Exhibits, archives, photos, maps and sketches tell the tales, folklore and history of Arklow’s maritime past.
RUSSBOROUGH HOUSE
RUSSELSTOWN, BLESSINGTON, COUNTY WICKLOW
Built between 1741-1750, Russborough House is regarded as one of Ireland’s most beautiful houses, with magnificent views of the Blessington Lakes and Wicklow Mountains .
The house, owned by the Beit family, has been open to the Public since 1978 and is beautifully maintained and its lavishly furnished interior contains fine furniture, tapestries, carpets, porcelain, silver and much of the Beit collection of paintings. It also has beautiful ceilings, plaster work and a fine mahogany staircase.
There is also an extensive self guided exhibition which includes interactive touch screens, audio listening handsets, cinema projections and films in the original cinema. .
A parkland walk with magnificent views of the house takes about half an hour. In addition a 20,000 sq. feet head high Beech hedge Maze is very popular with children and adults alike, as is the nearby Fairy Garden.
A number of craft workshops are open at various times including a blacksmith with working forge and a weaver with working looms. The Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland’s garden
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