Mallow, Cork, Ireland
ATTRACTIONS & SITES TO VISIT
Mallow Town Hall
This iconic building is located at the junction of O’Brien Street and Main Street. Historically, the building was a theatre, before being occupied by Mallow Library. The building also housed the former Mallow Town Council and Cork County Council offices. The building was renovated in 2013.
The programme of works included the complete replacement of the roof, the repair/replacement of all windows and the eradication of dry rot in the upper floors of the building. It also incorporated structural repairs and drainage works to the underlying roof structure and masonry repairs to the front and rear façades of the building.
The building currently houses the Tourist Information offices on the ground floor.
In January 2016, it was announced that €1 million had been granted for the redevelopment of the building as an arts and cultural hub under the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund). Cork County Council matched this funding and it is proposed that the Hall will consist of a 150-seat theatre space, front of house facilities including box office and bar area, visual arts exhibition space, youth bank facility/workshop area, 56-seat café, and studio/workshop space.
The Castle stands in Mallow for over 800 years. While now a ruin, it is still visited by tourists & locals interested in the areas heritage & geneology
Frequenters to the Mallow Castle grounds can see the famous white deer usually out sunning themselves in the summertime
The Castle stands in Mallow for over 800 years. While now a ruin, it is still visited by tourists & locals interested in the areas heritage & geneology
Mallow Castle
The 33-acre (13 ha) site is composed gardens and parkland on which three buildings sit: the remains of a 16th-century fortified house, a 19th-century mansion to the north, and the ruins of a 13th-century castle to the east. The fortified house is a long rectangular three-storey building, with two polygonal towers on the north-west and south-west corners. It is early Jacobean in style, featuring high gables, stepped battlements, and mullioned windows. The wings of the house project from the centre of the south and north walls, with the entrance in the north wing. The design of the house was to provide a field of fire around it entirely. The 19th-century baronial mansion has parts which date to the 1690s and is situated near the older ruined Mallow Castle. As a refurbished building it features 8 reception rooms, which include a music room, a billiard room and a library, as well as 12 bedrooms.
The castle and the grounds have been in the possession of Cork County Council since 2011. The buildings location, in the urban area of Mallow town, presents unique opportunities to develop the Castle grounds of approx 30 acres as an amenity for the town and its environs.
The Spa House
The Spa House was constructed in 1828 over the spring well which having a mean temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit was one of reasons why Mallow became a favoured holiday location in Ireland during the period 1730 to 1810.
The Spa house was design by George Pain and the request of Mr. Charles Jephson it took the shape of a Tudor Style House. The house contained a pumproom, an apartment for medical consultation, a reading room and baths.
The house eventually became the headquarters of the Rakes of Mallow. It was home to the Energy Agency Office of Cork County Council, which served as a place to advise the general public on energy conservation and renewable resources.
Located at the end of the Main Street in Mallow, The Clock house is a prominent feature in the town.
Located at the end of the Main Street in Mallow, The Clock house is a prominent feature in the town.
The Clock House
The Clock House was built c. 1855, by Sir Denham Orlando Jephson. He was an amateur architect who is said to have designed this house after he had returned from an alpine holiday. The Clock was brought from the tower of the Old Mallow Castle. The bell was cast at Millerd St., Cork. The Clock House is a fine example of a half-timbered Tudor construction. The bell tower became dangerous and was removed c. 1970.
The Clock House was originally a licensed premises. The first tenant was Mr. Michael Nunan. It was most recently occupied by Colman Dalton, a firm of Accountants and Tax Consultants. The upper floor sometimes houseed Art Exhibitions. In front of the Clock House once stood a water-trough over which was the statue of "The Little Man". This was presented to the town by the Right Honourable Judge Johnson.
Judge Johnson was M.P. for Mallow in 1880 and in gratitude to the town's people he presented the town with a water-trough complete with the Little Man and overhead gaslight. This was a distinguished landmark for many years, but it was unable to survive the hazards of modern traffic. The Little Man now resides in the Spa Park. "At the Clock House there he stood on guard, A friend to one and all. He never spoke, nor said a word nor issued forth a call."
Restoration of the Clock House began in September 1996 with the bell tower being returned to its lofty eminence. Renovation of the entire building was undertaken. Now the Clock House is currently undergoing another renovation and when complete should see the Clock House restored to its former glory as a focal point for the town.
The Blackwater Valley
Mallow is a great place to visit, and an excellent base to explore the beautiful Blackwater Valley. There is so much here for all ages and all interests. Rich in culture and heritage the valley has many historic buildings, stately homes and wonderful gardens.
Mallow town itself has so much to offer, with its Old and New Castles, the beautiful Spa House, its fine choice of accommodation and restaurants, and its active social scene. Walking, fishing, golfing, horse racing and trail riding are but a few of the pursuits that are available to our visitors. As Mallow is so central, all the major attractions of Ireland's south west are only a short drive away.
For more information, please browse our website or visit Discover Ireland here
Doneraile Wildlife Park
The Park comprises approximately 166 hectares and is an outstanding example of an 18th century landscaped park in the 'Capability Brown' style. Mature groves of deciduous trees, several restored water features and a number of deer herds can be viewed along the many pathways within the Park. The pathways are generally accessible for people with special needs.
Doneraile Court, the former residence of the St. Leger family, is situated within the Park. It will be opened to the public in the future, following completion of necessary restoration and safety works.
Annes Grove Gardens
Currently under renovation during 2017 and 'temporarily closed to the public'. To be advised of re-opening date later in the year.
Annes Grove Gardens are famous privately owned gardens open to the public during the summertime. Annes Grove demesne, known in the 18th century as Ballyhimock, was originally an estate of the Grove family. In the late 18th century it became the property of the Hon. Arthur Grove Annesley, as a consequence of the marriage of his uncle, the first Earl Annesley, to Mary Grove. His descendants have lived here ever since.
The gardens at Annes Grove, created by the late Richard Grove Annesley in the first half of the twentieth century, are a supreme expression of gardening in the Robinsonian manner - the interplanting of native and exotic species into a natural setting with a minimum of formality. For the specialist, the collection of rhododendrons is of particular interest: it includes specimens which were originally raised by Mr. Annesley from seed collected by the late Frank Kingdon-Ward in Tibet and Nepal.