We were staying at Leenaun in Connamara recently for a school reunion of my husband’s class from over four decades ago! I hadn’t been there for many years, and it was wonderful to see how unspoilt it is; still with its beautiful golden and purple landscape at this time of year. Best of all, from my point of view, was the story of Kylemore Abbey’s restoration of an abandoned garden from decades ago.
Two versions of an Irish ghost story
One of the best things about living in Ireland is how eager people are, often complete strangers, to tell stories. I was lucky enough to be picked to work on a film set at Ardgillan Castle in North County Dublin earlier this summer and, in the quieter moments between shooting, we discussed the history of this beautiful demesne, now restored and run by Fingal County Council. The castellated house with walled garden and parkland has sweeping views of the ocean and is open to the public. As with most castles and grand old houses in Ireland, the stories inevitably involve a ghost.