Visiting Howth Castle

While Howth Castle remains a family home, we enjoy showing the house and its contents to those who have an interest in Historic Houses. We do not however open for individuals or for groups that have not made an appointment. We allow public access on our Charity Open Days during the summer. These are posted on this website under events and advertised locally.

Educational groups, recognised bodies or groups and associations with a special interest in seeing the castle and its contents are given guided tours if at all possible. All must make appointments well in advance. A charge will be made to cover our costs and that of providing any refreshments. Tours are tailored to the requirements of the group. Cookery Courses or demonstrations at the Kitchen in the Castle Cookery School in the old castle kitchen can be attended as part of a tour by prior arrangement. Organisers of such groups should contact us by email in the first place.

A house like Howth needs to be used. The main rooms are built for entertaining rather than daily living and as a family we do not entertain enough to make full use of them. We, therefore make them available on a selective basis for receptions, corporate meetings, book launches, concerts and the like during the year. If you wish to use the house for some such event, please contact us initially by email stating what you are looking to do. This is, however, a private house with some impressive and grand rooms furnished with valuable antiques not a conference centre or a hotel and we are anxious to preserve it as such. It is only suitable for quite a limited range of events, as we are anxious that it should only be used in ways that do not detract from its special character, in respect of which reasonable facilities for viewing are allowed to
members of the public or to recognised bodies or to associations of persons