Historic Houses of Ireland Autumn School 2026 – Durhamstown Castle

We are delighted to be welcoming the Castlelyons Santa Experience & Christmas Market 2026 to Ballyvolane House on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November. Organised by Castlelyons Community Council, the event promises to be a wonderfully festive weekend for families, with Ballyvolane transformed into a Christmas winter wonderland for the occasion. Visitors can look forward to a magical Santa Experience, along with a Christmas Market featuring festive stalls, seasonal treats and plenty of Christmas atmosphere throughout the grounds. The event is being organised by Castlelyons Community Council, with the support of local volunteers and businesses, and we’re delighted to be hosting it here at Ballyvolane House.

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Join us at Ballyvolane House on Thursday, 20th August 2026 for a special National Heritage Week afternoon exploring the built, natural and cultural heritage of this historic County Cork country house and estate.

In keeping with the 2026 theme, “Heritage at Risk”, this guided experience will look at the challenges involved in caring for a historic house and its surrounding landscape, and consider how buildings, trees, habitats and stories can be protected for future generations.

The tour will be led by Justin Green, owner and custodian of Ballyvolane House, who will share the history of the house, stories associated with the families who have cared for it, and the practical realities of preserving a historic property and estate.

Ballyvolane House is a member of the Historic Houses of Ireland.

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Justin was delighted to join Sinéad Ryan on Newstalk’s The Home Show as part of her series of interviews with historic house owners.

They spoke about the joys and challenges of running a historic house, the work of Historic Houses of Ireland, and the efforts being made by custodians to protect Ireland’s privately owned built heritage for future generations.

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