Walk the 2km woodland loop
An easy, well-signposted loop through mature ash, oak and sycamore on the old Ballysaggartmore Demesne. Allow 30–45 minutes; the last descent to the car park is steep with exposed roots, so wear grippy shoes after rain.
Ballysaggartmore Towers
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About
A Gothic gateway of towers, battlements and an ornamental bridge, built in the 1830s to impress — for a mansion that was never built. It now frames a free 2km woodland loop just outside Lismore.
Things to Do
See the Gothic gate towers
Two castellated, heavily battlemented towers with pointed Gothic archways, built as a status-symbol entrance to an 8,000-acre estate. Look for the slots and hinges where the original locally forged iron gates, costing around £150, once hung.
Find the bridge and the ruined lodges
The trail continues past roofless gate lodges that once housed the gatekeepers, then reaches an ornamented stone bridge carrying the old avenue over a ravine with a stream below. It photographs best from the bank beneath it, a short detour off the main path.
Unpick the folly's story
Landlord Arthur Kiely-Ussher built the gateway to rival his relatives' castles, but the money ran out before the house was begun; he is remembered mainly for evicting tenants during the Great Famine. The modest house the family settled for was burned in the Civil War and later cleared away.
Picnic in the woods
Wooden benches are dotted along the walk and picnic tables sit by the towers, with information boards at the car park. There is no café or shop, so bring your own food and drink — or eat in Lismore afterwards.
Combine it with Lismore
The towers are about 2.5 km from Lismore town, an easy add-on to Lismore Castle Gardens: 7 acres of terraces inside 17th-century walls, thought to be the oldest continuously cultivated gardens in Ireland.
Plan Your Visit
- Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk, year-round; no booking required.
- Admission: Free — there is no admission charge
- Parking: Small free car park at the trailhead, off the R666 and signed at the entrance. It rarely fills, but weekends are the exception.
- Food: Nothing on site — no café, shop or drinks. The nearest pubs, cafés and shops are in Lismore, about 2.5 km away.
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