About this experience

FRIDAY, 22ND SEPTEMBER 

FREE OF CHARGE

PLACE: KILLRUDDERY GARDENS 

EVENT DESCRIPTION:

To celebrate Culture Night 2023, Anthony and Fionnuala Brabazon, Lord and Lady Ardee are delighted to invite you to Killruddery to experience the 17th century heritage gardens of this privately owned Wicklow estate.

Come and enjoy dusk in the formal gardens of Killruddery between 18.00 and 20.00, with access through our Garden Entrance Shop. Pre-booking not required.

ABOUT OUR GARDENS:

Killruddery gardens are among the very few remaining 17th century gardens in Ireland or Britain. They offer stunning vistas, leading the eye into landscape features with the natural background of the Little Sugar Loaf and Bray Head.

The gardens represent a ‘labour of love’ begun by the fourth and sixth Earl of Meath, continued over many generations and actively pursued by the Brabazon family today. The gardens have some twenty acres of grass, long flowering borders, ancient trees and three and a half miles of hedges – all of which must be cut, trimmed and otherwise maintained over the seasons of the year.

Designed in the Baroque style by Hugenot, Bonet (a descendent of great landscape designer, André le Nôtre, who is famous for the gardens of the Palace of Versailles near Paris), he worked within the contours of the landscape and a record dating from 1711 reports that Killruddery was endowed with ‘a Pleasure Garden, Wilderness, Gravel Walks and Bowling Green, all Wall’d about, and well planted with Fruit Trees, with several Canals or Fish-ponds, well stor’d with Carp and Trench...’

The Brabazon family have been living at Killruddery since 1618 and today we are very happy that three generations of our family live here. We have responded to the challenge of preserving the 17th century gardens, with 18th and 19th century additions, together with the house. We strive to ensure that the ingredients which make them so special are protected for our community, visitors and family.

We hope you enjoy stepping back in time during your visit. For more information on our Gardens, visit our website.

ABOUT CULTURE NIGHT: 

Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir is a national moment, celebrating all that makes up the richness and diversity of culture in Ireland today, connecting people to cultural activities locally and nationally, and aims to open up pathways to ongoing engagement.

An annual, all-island public event which takes place each year on the third Friday of September, Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir celebrates culture, creativity and the arts and seeks to actively promote the belief that this rich and varied culture is alive, treasured and nurtured in people’s lives, today and every day.

Special and unique events and workshops are specifically programmed at participating locations, and thanks to the continued support of the Arts Council and local Authorities across the island of Ireland, all activities are made available to the public free of charge. For more information visit www.culturenight.ie 

FAQ: 

• This is free event and there is no need to book in advance


• Please dress for the weather


• Garden Open Season at Killruddery takes place from April to October each year, with our Gardens open Tuesday – Sunday, and on Bank Holidays during this time