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Enniscoe House
Castlehill
Ballina
Co. Mayo
Ireland
T: +353 96 31112
F: +353 96 31773

NEWS, EVENTS & COURSES

ENNISCOE HOUSE

Enniscoe House Is a member of Ireland’s Blue Book and of the Great Fishing Houses of Ireland. The self catering houses are listed in Hidden Ireland’s Special Holiday Houses Guide. You will also find us listed  in all the leading holiday guide books and  on web sites such as www.ihh.ie and www.discoverireland.ie

We will open as usual on 1st April. With the Easter weekend on 7th and 8th April we are hoping for fine weather, and that the spring garden will still be looking good. As usual we plan to stay open to the end of October 2012 and  from 1st November to 15th December we will be happy to accommodate small groups (four or more) at weekends
We will be open again over New Year and into early January 2013 for group bookings. The self catering apartments are open all year

Johnny Dyra

We lost an old and valued friend last autumn. Johnny was born, and grew up, on the Enniscoe estate. His father was the cattle man and his uncle was the head gardener. He worked on the farm and in the woodlands all his life, he was 79 when he died and he had not considered that retirement was an option. We called him “Mr Enniscoe”, he knew every corner of the place, every ditch and drain, and the history of everything. His sense of humour was dry and fools were not suffered, though he might excuse one or two on the basis that they were not from Enniscoe and could not be expected to know better. He was a good and loyal friend and we all miss him. There was an interview recorded with him two years ago and it is available through the web site www.irishlifeandlore.com  well worth listening to for the view from the ground!

ENNISCOE GARDENS
The ornamental garden in its present layout dates back to the late 19th century. It has been restored with the support of FAS, Meitheal Mayo, and The Great Gardens of Ireland Restoration Programme. It was officially declared open by Dr James McDaid, T.D. then Minister for Tourism, Sport, and Recreation, in October 1999. It is hard to believe that is over twelve years ago.

We have just received the exciting news that we are receiving a grant from Failte Ireland to carry out some replanting and repairs! This is very good news indeed as some parts of the garden are looking quite tired and the last two winters of hard frosts have caused many gaps to appear. We plan to repair parts of the old wall and alcove behind the rockery and to create a new avenue of Irish junipers on each side of the central path. We also plan to replant parts of the rockery.

Work in the organic vegetable garden continues to go well, and the new poly tunnel was put to good use again. This tunnel has been set up as a teaching area with good access for wheelchair users. And the supply of fruits and vegetables to the house kept going right to the end of our season. At present the potatoes and onions are being planted, the vegetable and herb seeds are set and new fruit cages have been built for the soft fruits.

A course in organic vegetable growing has just started and the trainer is the very experienced and professional grower, Dermot Carey. This is a hands-on practical course, meeting on the first Saturday of every month right through until September. If you would like to join in, even for one or two days, telephone Noelle on 085 1459297

Access to the gardens and pleasure grounds is available to Enniscoe guests at any time without charge. There is a separate entrance for day visitors through the Heritage Centre.

ENNISCOE WOODLANDS and Lakeside Walks
Work on opening up more paths continues through the woodlands in the Native Woodland Programme. Crossmolina Community Council is working with us on up- grading the paths and small bridges and has put up the directional signs. The walk starts from the Mayo North Heritage Centre car park and there is now a large sign board with a detailed map of the walk at the entrance. We have brought in a kiln and are now making charcoal, a great way of clearing up timber and branches lying in the undergrowth. We have Enniscoe charcoal for sale for those summer barbeques! It is now possible to walk a circuit of the estate from the Heritage Centre to the lake, through woodlands and old paths and back the Heritage Centre, a good place to stop for coffee on the garden terrace.

Throughout the woodlands there are new planting of Scots Pine, Douglas Fir, Oaks and some Ash. The battle is now on to protect them from the hares! The hare population seems to have significantly increased which indicates that for some reason the numbers of foxes are down. There are a number of Fallow Deer in the area, and we occasionally see them near the lake, but so far they have not done any serious damage.

Last September Joe Gowran, the forester, organized a chain saw training course. This was very successful and another one is planned for September this year. Dj did the course and greatly enjoyed it. Great too of getting some work done in the woods!

Cloonamoyne Fishery
We are very pleased to announce that the fishery has been taken over by Ian Wise, who lives locally and who has many years experience not only of Lough Conn but of all the fishing in this area. Ian is looking after all fishing arrangements for guests to Enniscoe House, and also for guests coming in by the day. You may find Ian on the lake shore, sometimes  accompanied by his dogs, or contact him at ianwise1cloonamoynefishery@gmail.com or visit his web site at www.cloonamoynefishery.com

The Mayo North Heritage Centre
Mayo North Heritage Centre is situated in one of the old farm yards behind the main house and walled garden. The centre runs a small museum, tea room, and shop, and is open from 1st April to 31st October. The family history unit is part of the national network of genealogy centres set up by the Irish Family History Foundation. This centre covers the northern half of county Mayo and is open all year round. To contact it directly see our links page. Four years ago an exciting new project was started as we have gone into partnership with Mayo County Library to get many of the records we hold onto a “pay per view” web site. This web site can be accessed at www.maycoco.ie (the library section) You will find the web site for the Heritage Centre at www.heritageatenniscoe.com

Mayo North Old Engine and Tractor Club
The club held another great Heritage day last July, though sadly numbers were down on account of the truly torrential rain storms for most of the day. This year the weather has to be good as they are hosting the national    This is now an annual event and takes place around the Heritage Centre, yards, garden, and the fields around the house. There are standing engines and tractors of course, but also vintage cars, motor cycles, a steam engine and an old fashioned thrashing machine (thrashing oats specially grown here) craft demonstrations and much more. Each year the Tractor Club add another “Large Attraction”, in 2006 it was The Thatched Cottage (fully furnished, with donkey and turf stack outside!) In 2007 it was The Old Post Office and Shop. For 2008 it really was a big one as the club had been given the old Bog Train from the local power station (which has been closed down).  The train has been restored, two carriages built, and tracks laid down. It runs successfully all day at the show and for some other special occasions during the year. It will be out again this July. See their web site at http://www.mayovintage.org/

Blacksmithing and Gardening Courses
There will be courses running from April onwards. For further information contact Carol Williams at the Heritage Centre.
Telephone 00 353 96 31809  
Email: northmayo@gmail.com

Our resident blacksmith, Colin Highfield, received a mention in an Irish Times article recently on blacksmithing, with a very good photograph showing him hard at work. Last spring he made new railings for the small bridge at the side of the house, which look very classical and an amazing improvement on the old rusty and broken ones they replaced.

And finally: It is one hundred years since the sinking of the Titanic in April 1912.  On board were 14 people from the parish of Addergoole, just a few miles from Enniscoe.  The centenary commemorations will be taking place from 8th to 15th April in this area. See the link to www.mayo-titanic.com for all the details about the events taking place.

We look forward to seeing some of you back at Enniscoe in 2012, and to welcoming many new visitors. See our special offers and join us for the Easter Egg hunt through the Enniscoe woods.

Our yellow Labrador, Frodo, (son of Strider, sadly no longer with us) is ready and waiting to escort you on walks if you would like his company. Frodo now has a companion, a golden Labrador called Connie. She is not related to him, but comes from a good line of working dogs. She now considers herself fully grown up and very much part of the establishment.

Susan and Dj

Courses

Organic Vegetable Growing: First Saturday every month until September 2012 Contact Noelle on 085 1459297 or email noelle_gough@hotmail.com

Blacksmithing: Contact Carol on 096 31809 or email northmayo@gmail.com

Fly fishing tuition: Contact Ian on 087 7697193 or email ianwise1cloonamoynefishery@gmail.com

Chain saw training course: Contact Susan on 096 31112 or mail@enniscoe.com Date and details to be confirmed for September 2012.