If you’re a fan of pirates and tales of swashbuckling adventures, the name Grace O’Malley, AKA Granuaile, will surely ring a bell. The formidable Irish pirate queen carved out a legendary reputation on the high seas, her exploits becoming the stuff of myth and history. So, you can imagine our excitement when we discovered that her ancestral home was in Clew Bay in County Mayo, and that she had significant links to the magnificent Westport House. We were visiting the area and it immediately shot to the very top of our must-see list!
Where is Westport House?
Westport House is located in Westport, County Mayo on the West Coast of Ireland. The house itself was built on the ancestral castles of the pirate queen Grace O’Malley. The estate now has a fantastic adventure park and great accommodation options on site.
Getting to Westport is very straightforward. The train runs directly from Dublin Heuston and takes about 3 hours and 15 minutes. We recommend checking Omio for tickets. It’s great for comparing train and bus options if you’re travelling around Ireland.
If you’re driving the Wild Atlantic Way (which we highly recommend!), the house is well signposted from the N5. We were nearby in Castlebar at the National Museum of Ireland: Country Life and it was very easy to drive from there. If you need to rent a car for your trip west, we usually use Discover Cars to compare prices as rentals in Ireland can get pricey in summer.
The best thing about Westport House is that you don’t actually need a car to visit. It’s a lovely 15-minute stroll from the town centre to the House through the grounds. You can enter via the pedestrian bridge near Hotel Westport or via the Quay entrance. It’s a beautiful walk and sets the scene perfectly.
While the estate has its own Glamping Village and Caravan Park, most visitors stay in the town itself. Places like the Castlecourt or the Westport Plaza are very close by. We’d recommend checking Booking.com for the best rates as Westport fills up very fast in the summer months!
What is Westport House about?
The current Westport House is a Palladian mansion finished in around 1731 and was the family seat of the Marquess of Sligo. The house was built on the site of the O’Malley castle and Maud Bourke, who was the great-great-granddaughter of Grace O’Malley, was one of its first occupants.
You can take a guided tour of the interior of Westport House learning about the history of the house itself featuring tales of kings, queens, pirates and more! If you want to learn more about the town itself, the Walking Tours of Westport are fantastic and highly rated. The wider estate is vast with beautiful woodland and open spaces. There are different types of accommodation and lots of great things to do. As well as the house, there’s also an adventure park and a number of dining options.
What’s in Westport House?
We had a great time exploring Westport House, seeing how the grander half lived back in the old days. There are some interesting stories about the famine and the Browne family who lived in the house throughout the years. The history is really brought to life and you can either take a guided tour or explore on your own. You really get a comprehensive understanding of the cultural and historical significance of the estate. We were fascinated to learn of the family’s links to sugar plantations in the West Indies because we visited the Sunbury Plantation House in Barbados while we were there.
Inside The House
The house contains opulent rooms, antique furniture and period décor that reflects its long history. There are rooms laid out as they had looked during the peak of Westport House. You can visit the bedrooms, the dining rooms, the library, even the wine cellar and servants quarters. We enjoyed looking around and getting to know about how the house operated in the past. If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey or Bridgerton, you’ll love it.
The Pirate Queen Connection
Westport House is actually built on the foundations of one of Grace O’Malley’s 16th-century castles. You can visit the old dungeons in the basement which are essentially the remaining parts of her original stronghold. There’s also a permanent exhibition dedicated to her fascinating life and times. If you want to read up on her before you go, we recommend picking up Granuaile by Anne Chambers. It really brings the history of the dungeons to life!
The Grounds & Gardens
The estate is absolutely massive and we really enjoyed just wandering around. It’s a mix of landscaped gardens and lovely wild woodland trails. It’s the perfect place to clear the cobwebs if the weather is on your side! Make sure you check out the West Gardens. It has a really random collection of things to spot including a Greek sarcophagus, a cannon from the Spanish Armada and even old Famine soup pots. It sounds like a strange mix but it’s really interesting to see!
The Adventure Park
The estate is also home to Westport Adventure, a new adventure park which opened in 2024. It has a zipline, aerial trekking, a climbing wall, Ireland’s biggest net park and lots more. They’ve really put the effort in to move away from the mechanical rides of the pirate amusement park that was there before and it’s a huge improvement in our opinion.
Casual Fun
If you aren’t in the mood for high ropes, there’s plenty of chilled-out options too:
- The Swan Pedalos: These are iconic! You can rent a giant swan pedalo and head out onto the lake. It’s harder work than it looks (your legs will feel it!) but it gives you a unique view of the house.
- The Westport Train: If you don’t fancy the walk, there’s a little road train that runs around the estate. It’s very cute and a great way to get from the house down to the farmyard without tiring your feet out.
- Interactive Gaming Zone: Located in the farmyard, this is a new indoor wall-gaming area. It’s handy if the Irish weather decides to rain on your parade!
Food & Drink
You won’t go hungry here. The estate is home to Gracy’s Pizzeria, Bar & Bistro which has become a real hub for the estate. The food is really top notch. They do proper wood-fired pizzas and have a great outdoor seating area that’s perfect for a sunny day. There’s usually a good buzz here and they serve craft beers too. If you just want something quick, keep an eye out for the Toastie Truck which serves… well, toasties!
Practical Information
- Opening Hours: The house and grounds are generally open daily during summer but hours vary outside that. Check their official calendar before going.
- Tickets: This is a paid attraction. You can buy tickets there but booking online is usually cheaper.
- Parking: There’s paid parking available on-site near the house and the adventure park.
- Accessibility: The grounds are accessible but it’s a historic house so some upper floors and the basement have limited access for wheelchairs.
The Verdict on Westport House
We really enjoyed our visit to Westport House. It was great to not only be able to learn about the history of the house and the estate but to see it as well. It was great learning about the connection that Westport House has to Grace O’Malley and it’s not hard to see how Clew Bay gave rise to one of the world’s most infamous pirates! If you have time, we highly recommend taking a Clew Bay Cruise to see the coast from the Pirate Queen’s perspective.
A visit to Westport House is well worth it, whether it’s history or adventure, there’s something for the whole family.
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