Knockabbey Castle & Gardens

Yew Tree
Copyright John Kennedy

Knockabbey Castle and Gardens are located near Ardee. The 30 acres of land they occupy are filled with wildflower meadows, herbaceous borders, and a number of magnificent trees, one the largest tulip tree in Ireland amongst them as well as ancient Yew Trees. A Victorian flower garden, a rock garden and restored glasshouse are also featured in the grounds. However, the central feature of the gardens is one of Ireland’s greatest examples of 11th century water gardens. These water gardens were the central focus of restoration work in the year 2000 when a new addition to their environment, “Millennium Lake”, was created in view of the main house.  

Knockabbey Estate was purchased by Cyril O’Brien in 1998. The grounds were in a bad state of disrepair, but with support from the Great Gardens of Ireland Restoration Fund, horticultural experts, stonemasons, tree surgeons and other experts, the historic gardens at Knockabbey are now well underway to being fully restored.


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