Shannon Heritage has confirmed that one of Ireland’s best kept secret, Newbridge House and Farm located in Donabate, is now part of its management portfolio.
A new era for the stately home, Ireland’s only intact Georgian mansion and estate, has been launched with the opening of a new immersive ‘House and Farm’ experience.
Now under the management of Shannon Group’s tourism attraction and experience company Shannon Heritage, in partnership with Fingal County Council, it is expected to become a firm favourite for local and international tourists alike.
Launching just in time for Easter, Newbridge House and Farm is the latest attraction to join the Shannon Heritage portfolio of eight day visitor attractions and four evening entertainment experiences. Among these are some of Ireland’s most famous attractions including Bunratty Castle & Folk Park, GPO Witness History, Malahide Castle & Gardens and King John’s Castle.
Open all year round, visitors to Newbridge House and Farm can enjoy a new immersive experience with the introduction of state of the art interpretation across the estate, bringing its unique upstairs-downstairs living story to life. Not to mention the 30 acre on-site traditional working farm with a vast array of distinctive animals for all ages to enjoy.
The enhancement of the attractions won’t stop there as Shannon Heritage, Ireland’s largest commercial operator of tourist attractions, has future development plans having successfully just been approved for funding from Fáilte Ireland to transform the visitor interpretation areas in the basement of the Newbridge House.
The house dates back to 1747 when it was built for the then-Archbishop of Dublin, Charles Cobbe. Visitors to the house can learn about its illustrious history as a tour guide takes them on a journey through three centuries of Irish history. The Red Drawing Room is one of the most well preserved historic rooms in the country, where little has changed since 1828 and the wallpaper and curtains have been hanging since the 1820s.
A must see feature of the house is the Museum of Curiosities. Created in 1790 it is a one of the few remaining family museums in Ireland and the UK filled to the brim with antiquities and oddities. Among these are Captain Cook memorabilia, fossils, taxidermy, exotic shells and a collection of 19th century Indian souvenirs collected by the family. Chinese influences are also present and the room provides a unique insight into the Georgian mind.
The house has also been the filming location for movies including The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and the Oscar award-winning Barry Lyndon.
Meanwhile the hugely popular farm in the grounds of the house is one of the few examples of a traditional working farm in Ireland. A major aim of the farm is to preserve traditional breeds that are otherwise declining in numbers across the country.
Speaking about Newbridge House and Farm, Shannon Group’s Niall O’Callaghan, Managing Director of Shannon Heritage, said; “We are delighted to be launching the new ‘House and Farm Experience’ at Newbridge House to officially mark what is going to be an exciting time for this historic house.
“Shannon Heritage has a proud history of managing and safe-guarding some of Ireland’s best attractions, whilst bringing their stories to life through unforgettable experiences. We genuinely believe this is going to be star attraction on the itineraries for North County Dublin and look forward to welcoming visitors from all over Ireland, and the world.
“We look forward to continuing our very successful partnership with Fingal County Council and growing visitor numbers to Newbridge House and Farm. I’d also like to thank Ryan Tubridy and his team for joining us today. It’s great to be able to showcase Newbridge House and all it has to offer to such a wide audience,” he concluded.
Visit www.newbridgehouseandfarm.com for more information.