Avondale House

Guided tours of the historic Avondale House are now available at Beyond the Trees Avondale.

About Avondale House

Samuel Hayes inherited the Avondale estate from his father in 1770 and is centrally important to the story of Avondale because he was so deeply interested in forestry. He planted over 8,000 trees from all over the world in Avondale, which would eventually mature into a magnificent forest, with some of those trees still thriving today. When Charles Stewart Parnell inherited Avondale, and all its debt, he began developing the sawmills, and also added quarrying and mining to his timber interests. Having to manage the financial difficulties of the estate, which was heavily burdened with debt, shaped the way he thought about landowners and tenants in Ireland. He saw that the system needed to change and during his later political career he focused on fighting for land reform and Irish self-government. Charles’ two sisters Fanny and Anna were the most politically active among his siblings. Influenced by the strong personality of their mother, Charles’ political career reached great heights in the 1880s, with an American tour, and becoming leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party. In his personal life he also found a great love with Katharine O’Shea. But with that relationship also came scandal and stress, which ultimately brought about a split in the party, the demise of his popularity, and his untimely death. Forestry School In 1904, while Ireland was still a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Avondale was sold to the government, and the Department of Agriculture set up Ireland’s first forestry school. The Great Tree Experiment began in Avondale in 1905. The idea was to see which trees would grow well in Ireland and would then be used to plant the new forests of Ireland. Generations of Irish foresters trained at Avondale and the experimental plots they planted still inform how we manage and care for trees today.

Take a step back in time, where our local guides will share intriguing stories of the history of Avondale estate during the guided tour of the historic Avondale House.

Visitors can either pre-book tickets online or alternatively purchase tickets at the visitor centre on the day, subject to availability. For online bookings please visit www.beyondthetreesavondale.com

Tickets to visit Avondale House cost €15 per adult, €12 per child and family tickets are available.

The guided tour is suitable for children age 8 upwards.

Entry to the Seed Café, Walled Garden and Coillte Pavilion in Avondale is free of charge.

Car parking at Avondale Forest Park is charged at €5.