Plunkett House lies some 80 km northwest of Dublin and is set among the beautiful hills of north Co Meath. It has been in the same family since the 17th century and has had a very interesting history. The remains of the church of Saint Oliver Plunkett can be seen at the the nearby gardens. The house is beautifully furnished and has open fires and two TV rooms with wide screen TVs. The house has been decorated with great artistic flair and an emphasis on comfort and relaxation for all guests. A private tennis court, 200 acres of parkland and gardens surround the house. Nearby, the amazing megalithic tombs are internationally renowned and are largely undisturbed. They are believed to form a solar calendar even older than Stonehenge. #### Features The property sleeps up to 17 and is made up of the 4 double room, 4 twin rooms and 1 single room. Main House - Library/Living Room: solid fuel stove with a stock of firewood and a flat screen TV - Drawing Room: fine formal room with comfortable couches, a piano, solid fuel stove with stock of firewood, double doors opening onto the front patio and a large dining table and chairs perfect for large group meals - Kitchen: domestic sized kitchen complete with large AGA stove, electric cooker, crockery, utensils and fridge - Sun Room: fine room with flagged floor and glazed roof. Large double doors to garden and carpark - Hall with pantry and guest WC. - Office. - Living Room. - Utility/Boot Room. - Five bathrooms with bathtub/shower rooms - Four double bedrooms - Four twin rooms - Single room Exterior - Tennis Court with rackets - Sun Patio at front of house - Cafe on estate with historical grounds & gardens Outside the house sits within 200 acres of parkland and grounds. There is a lake and a tennis court for your use. Generations of the family have been creating the gardens since 1660. The result is a stunning garden comprising water, trees, vistas and archaeology rather than flowerbeds. A host of enchanting features are displayed in a setting steeped in atmosphere and history. Within the gardens stand a mediaeval moote and St. Oliver Plunketts family church and Tower House. The surviving 17th century features include a magnificent yew walk, foundations of a longhouse and a walled garden from which a canal and a parterre have been relocated in replica. The yew walk trees are exceptional, of remarkable form and girth. Other trees are mound-planted, leaving the root system exposed as an extension of the impressive contorted trunks. In the 19th century these earlier elements were enveloped in a comprehensive development of parkland, watergardens, specimen trees, follies, rockeries, woodwalks and magnificent vistas. The central area of approximately six acres now includes a lime avenue, extensive lawns and terraces, magnificent herbaceous border and physic border. Dont miss the grotesque rockery and grotto, the Rootery, Hellfire garden, watermill, fountain, and symbolic statues and sculptures. The main gardens are open to the public from 10am-5pm but there are private outdoor areas exclusive to guests next to the house. #### Location The house is situated in the middle of the beautiful rolling drumlins of north County Meath next to the prehistoric passage graves of international renown. The area around is one of the unknown delights on the doorstep of Dublin. The surrounding landscape is atmospheric and serene, with rolling parklands, forests and ring forts. The property is 3 miles from the thriving market town of Oldcastle and is within easy reach of the Kells, Navan and Cavan towns. Dublin City and International Airport is approximately 50 miles away and the new M3 motorway, when completed, will offer even swifter journey times to the city. In a landscape of inspiring beauty and intriguing history, the cairns form the largest complex of passage graves in Ireland. The Cairns are megalithic structures originally built about 4000 BC as burial chambers. The cairns are in two groups. Carnbane West is about 15 cairns, including Cairn L which is roofed and contains superb symbolic carvings in good condition. This group is some 2 km walk from the car park on gently sloping ground. Carnbane East includes Cairn T, also roofed and with excellent engravings, and is a shorter but steeper walk. Also within the estate is an adventure course that can be hired. It includes: - Adult and junior obstacle courses with zip wire and climbing wall - Mind games and brain teasers - Raft building on the lake - Archery - Camp craft and bush survival overnight Guests can experience exhilaration and excitement. The estate can provide a tailor made package to suit individual and group needs. This service is ideal for corporate days, sports clubs, schools, youth groups, hen and stag parties and family fun. - FULL DAY: €50 PER ADULT, HALF DAY: €30 PER ADULT - FULL DAY: €40 PER CHILD (UNDER 12), HALF DAY: €25 PER CHILD - OVERNIGHT FOR CAMP CRAFT & BUSH SURVIVAL: €50 A HEAD