met the nicest guide, Evelyn, she has fantastic knowledge and loves her job. We were very lucky to be the only visitors for the afternoon tour, so we had a very personal tour. We were both so impressed with the house, gardens and of course the Shell House. The rooms we visited in the main house are simply breath taking, there is so much to see, from beautiful furniture, portraits, paintings and delph. We would highly recommend a visit. I have already recommended it to family and friends. Also the bluebells on the driveway were spectacular. A wonderful place and we hope to return to spend more time in the gardens.
The Shell House
Hidden in a shrubbery near the main House at Curraghmore, is the most enchanting location, created by Catherine Countess of Tyrone with ‘her proper’ hands in 1754.
Visit the shell house 
The decoration of the folly took her 261 days to complete and the intricate patterns of shells from all over the world still glow with colour above a statue of the Countess by John van Nost.
A Labour of Love
Records show that Lady Catherine herself charged Captains of ships sailing to and from the important Georgian Harbour at Waterford to collect and return shells to her from all over the World. A recent scientific examination of the shells which adorn the walls identified many exotic and rare varieties from far-flung regions of the World’s oceans.
Visit the shell house What Our Visitors Have Said
