When we visited Donegal last summer, Mairead, my cousin’s wife, took us and one of her daughters to visit the Mac Manus Estate. It was magical. There’s a pathway through the estate grounds that’s about a half mile per lap that has assorted wood carvings throughout. All carvings were done by Gintas Poderys of Gintas Carving.
The Estate was left to Coillte, who describe themselves as “Ireland’s semi-state forestry company, is responsible for managing 440,000 hectares of primarily forested lands.”
Here’s how they describe the estate:
“The Mac Manus Estate is located just 2.5km from Donegal town centre, originally part of lands granted to John Murray by James I. The property and lands underwent various ownership changes before Padraig Mac Manus transformed it in the early 20th century. With the help of local workers, he extended the house, developed a walled garden, planted a large orchard, and engaged in extensive tree planting.
In the 1980s, the estate was passed to Coillte with the wish that the public would have access and enjoyment of the grounds. In recent years, Coillte has supported the local community and collaborated with the Friends of Rossylongan Forest group to enhance the recreation offering at this site, improving walking trails, installing wooden sculptures and picnic areas.”
Enjoy this slideshow of things to see at the estate.
Leave a Reply