Béal Na Mbuillí

Béal Na Mbuillí particularly appeals to travellers who want to discover cultural history in its many forms: in a manor house, museum collections, gardens and along a long walking and cycling route. Strokestown Park and the National Famine Museum provide a historical focus, while the National Famine Way extends it across the region. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday home, it is therefore worth first considering whether the house, museum and garden or the route itself should shape your stay.

House and museum: history from different perspectives

The Georgian Palladian mansion at Strokestown Park is an immersive historical document that offers insights into very different Irish ways of life. A one-hour guided tour introduces the house, its residents and their dramatic stories. A special feature of the house is the gallery kitchen, considered the last of its kind in Ireland.

The National Famine Museum presents the parallel lives of the aristocratic landowners of Strokestown Park and their tenants during the Great Irish Famine. It also focuses on original documents from the Strokestown Park Famine Archive: these sources allow visitors to hear the voices of the famine, originating from people connected with the Strokestown Park estate. The archive includes one of the world’s most significant document collections on the Great Irish Famine; selected documents can be viewed in the museum.

Interpretation combines imaginative displays with audio, audiovisual and touchscreen elements. A family activity guide complements the exhibits. Audio guides are available in English, Irish, French, Spanish, German and Mandarin. Visitors who want to explore the history can choose between a guided tour, independent exploration with an audio guide and a close look at original documents.

Gardens, woodland and a distinctive avenue

Strokestown Park includes six acres of walled gardens and extensive, mature woodland. The gardens feature one of Ireland’s longest herbaceous borders, a lush fernery and a Victorian rose garden. The variety of garden areas also makes a visit appealing to travellers who want to spend time outdoors as well as explore the historic house.

The historic gardens and woodland host family-friendly events throughout the year, as well as talks, tours and art installations relating to the design and history of the gardens. The broad avenue leading directly to the gates of Strokestown House adds to the historic landscape: it was once the widest main street in Europe; today it is still the second widest in Ireland.

The National Famine Way as a trip in its own right

The National Famine Way is a 165 km marked walking and cycling route. It starts at the commemorative glass wall at Strokestown Park House and the National Famine Museum, follows the Royal Canal and connects Strokestown Park with Rowan Gillespie’s Famine Memorial at Custom House Quay in Dublin. The route commemorates the forced 1847 emigrant march associated with Strokestown.

Clear signage, a map produced by Ordnance Survey Ireland, digital interpretation and a passport or guide help visitors find their way along the route. Its length of 165 km makes clear that this is an extensive walking and cycling route, not just a short stroll. Those planning a trip focused on the famine can centre their visit on the museum exhibitions and the route’s historical context; those primarily interested in the house and gardens can make different choices. This distinction can help you find the right holiday apartment or holiday home for your itinerary without confusing the two very different visitor experiences.

Other places: Ballaghaderreen, Knockvicar, Boyle, Lisacul, Elphin, Arigna, Ballinlough and Cootehall.

For the wider travel overview: County Roscommon.