Doneraile Court and Wildlife Park is one of the well kept historical estates that you can see and visit in Ireland. This North Cork beauty is worth the 1 hour and 10 minutes drive if you are living or visiting from Cobh.
One can make a day off out of this 166 hectare of pretty landscape. There are established trails starting from the car park and it has different distances for your liking. There are tons of trees, lakes and wildlife that truly make this a peaceful and satisfying nature walk.
There is no admission fee for the park but if you want to explore Doneraile Court and learn more about its history, there is a nominal entrance fee at the door.
Opening hours are different for Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter. Spring/Summer, the park is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Autumn/Winter, it is from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The same time is true for Bank Holidays. Times may be subject to change sometimes so do check website to be sure.
Formerly owned by the St Leger family, it was built by Arthur St Leger way back in the 1720s. It had gone through extensive improvements in the 19th century and was officially sold to the Land Commission in 1969.
Fast forward today, the house and the estate is under the management and stewardship of the Office of Public Works.
Besides the house, you can also find a coffee shop and a big children’s playground inside the park. There are a few benches around too and picnic tables if you want to bring snacks.
The park offers many wonderful experience to be made here: exploring the gardens, watching the wildlife, especially the herd of deer, letting kids roam in the play area, meeting for tea and more.
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