A group of members from the West Wicklow Historical Society gathered at Duckett’s Grove in County Carlow on Saturday 26 August 2023 for the last of this summer’s outings. The Georgian house at Duckett’s Grove was built in 1745 and castellated in gothic revival style in 1830. Although the house was destroyed by fire in 1933 the ruins continue to maintain an imposing presence in the surrounding landscape. We visited the beautiful gardens now brought back to something close to their original splendour and our guide, Danny McDaid provided a lively and colourful interpretation of the various events that impacted on the Duckett home during its long history. It is hard not to be impressed by the sheer scale of the grandiose ruins which include turrets, fantasy towers, ornamented niches, gargoyles, oriels and many other architectural features. We were blessed with beautiful blue skies and after the tour some of us lingered to enjoy lunch at the on-site café.
A visit to Duckett’s Grove
