Westport House

Westport House was built from 1730 for the Browne family, later Marquesses of Sligo, to designs by Richard Cassels with later work by James Wyatt, on the site of a sixteenth-century O'Malley castle - the original dungeons survive under the house and are shown. The family descends directly from Grace O'Malley, the sea captain who controlled this coast in Elizabeth's reign, and the connection is genuine rather than promotional. The second Marquess was among the landlords who supported emancipation and later abolition; the family's Jamaican estates and their compensation on abolition are part of the house's history and are addressed in the interpretation. The Brownes sold in 2017 to the Hughes family, local hoteliers. Around the house is a large adventure and activity park with pirate-themed rides, a log flume and zip lines, which coexists with the Georgian interiors more comfortably than it sounds.

What you actually see

• The dungeons - the O'Malley castle basements beneath the Georgian house.
• The Cassels and Wyatt interiors - plasterwork, staircase and state rooms.
• The O'Malley descent - the family line from the sixteenth-century sea captain.
• The activity park - rides, flume and zip lines in the grounds.

When to go

April to October; the house has seasonal opening while the grounds and activities run longer. Two attractions in one, so allow half a day if doing both.

Honest expectations

House and adventure park are separate tickets and the combination is expensive for a family. House opening is seasonal and by set times. The park is loud and busy, which affects the atmosphere near the house.

Nearby

Westport town and the quay are close; Croagh Patrick and Clew Bay are west.