A Visit To Duckett’s Grove

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We recently visited Duckett’s Grove in Co. Carlow. We went for a quick walk, and ended up spending the afternoon there; it was just fantastic (and this was even without the cafe being open, about which, by the way, I’ve heard only great things. I plan on a return visit very soon to check out these rumours…)

Duckett’s Grove, is the ruins of a large sprawling castle, built in the 18th, 19th and 20th century, formally the home of the Duckett family. The castle itself, although ruined, can be accessed through the courtyard craft shop for a nominal fee of one or two euro, and is an extraordinary glimpse into a bygone era (the only negative was that there were no tours or signs to say what the rooms were. Thankfully, though, I had my resident historian (Fergal) who figured out where everything would have been)  Many of the details are still intact, or partially intact: stucco work, beautiful lead-paned windows, and the exterior of the house is decorated the whole way around with gargoyles, each one completely different.

After our tour of the house, we wandered around the beautiful walled gardens which are being restored to former glory (If visiting with children, you need to be prepared to hold onto them within the house, but the gardens are safe and great for running around)
Then we finished up in the Craft Shop, which, wow, is an absolute must for anyone wishing to buy actual Irish handcrafts, all from the local area. Pauline Cullen, who manages and curates the craft shop, is, herself, a craftwoman and passionate about local history, art and crafts.
It is one of those rare shops where you would be spoiled for choice and value. I’ve several things picked out for my Christmas shop, which I am going to combine with a long visit to the cafe where I will try out all the delicacies on offer 😉
Check out Duckett’s Grove on Facebook, and should you be in the area, I cannot recommend it highly enough to visit!