Wonderlights at Fota House
2024-11-24 - 2025-01-04
The Magic of Winter theme will transform Fota House and Gardens into a mesmerising winter wonderland, filled with large illuminated sculptures of arctic animals, meadows of glowing winter flowers, and an enchanting frozen forest. One of the highlights of this experience, will be the stunning projection mapping onto Fota House, where visitors will witness the building come to life with scenes of a grand Christmas celebration. From snow-covered gardens to festive interiors, immersing audiences in the magic of the season.
Be prepared to marvel at the magic in the beautiful Gardens and surroundings of Fota House, running from Nov 16th.
To book head to: https://www.wonderlights.ie/fota-house

Valentines Chocolate Workshop
2025-02-14 16:30 - 18:30 (Europe/Dublin)
📅 Feb 14 | 4:30–6:30 PM | Fota House, Cork – Limited Spaces Available Book Now!
This Valentine’s Day, share a sweet and unforgettable experience hosted by Home Chocolat. Make your own gourmet chocolates in a hands-on workshop and take home your personalized chocolate creations—a perfect gift for someone special (or yourself!).
✨ Learn how chocolate is made & craft your own treats
🎁 Take home handmade, personalized chocolates
👩‍❤️‍👨 A fun, interactive experience to enjoy together
💰 €50 per person | €80 per couple (Save €20!)
Bookings: https://forms.gle/sN7XvTfCrnoz7h4E9

Valentine's Watercolour Workshop
2025-02-15 11:00 - 14:00
📅 Feb 15| 11:00AM–2:30 PM | Fota House, Cork – Limited Spaces Available Book Now!
Join Sarah Rohu Illustration at Fota House and Gardens for a Valentine’s Day watercolour workshop! 💗
Expect lots of pink and red for this one!! Tea, coffee and delicious homemade scones served in the cafe included. All materials provided just bring yourself! ♥️💕
💶€65 per person
To book EMAIL info@sarahrohuillustration.ie

Improvers’ Scythe Course
2025-03-29 10:00 - 16:00
🌿🌾 Improve Your Scything Skills at Fota House! 🌾🌿
Join us on Saturday, 29th March from 10am-4pm for an Improvers’ Scythe Course in the stunning Fota House Victorian Working Garden! This course is perfect for anyone who’s completed a Beginners’ Scythe Course and wants to deepen their knowledge and skills.
What we will cover:-
🔹 Advice on common scything challenges you have encountered
🔹 Hands-on practice with different blades & scythe setups
🔹 Exploration of hafting angles, lift & lay of the blade
🔹 Blade care & sharpening techniques
🔹 A peening practice session
🔹 Plus, some valuable ease-of-movement tips from Ian Revins of Santosha Yoga Cork!
Instructor: Susanne Raven of Aphrodite’s Gardens
Cost: €95
Max participants: 6 (small group for more focused attention)
Lunch: Provided 🍽️
Note: Participants must bring their own scythe and the course is focusing on the Austrian scythe only. (No sales of scythes or accessories on the day.)
Limited spots available – book now

Botanical Sketching & Watercolour Painting Workshop
2025-04-12 10:30 - 14:00
🌿 What’s Included:
• Walk in the gardens
• Botanical sketching & watercolor painting session
• Tea, coffee, and scones included
💶 Cost: €65 per person
To book your place email info@sarahrohuillustration.ie

Fota Plant Fair - April 13th
2025-04-13 11:00 - 16:00
📅 Apr 13 | 11:00AM–4:00 PM
Our annual plant fair is a haven for plant lovers with numerous specialist nurseries from all over the country attending providing visitors with the opportunity to purchase unusual and special plants at competitive prices.
Our volunteer team from the Victorian Working Gardens will also be in attendance selling plants that are grown on site here. There will also be a vibrant selection of local artists and artisans as well as food stalls.
Entry Fee – €5.00 per adult payable on the day

Vanbrugh & Friends String Quintet Recital - April 13th
2025-04-13 15:00 - 16:30
The Vanbrugh & Friends present a programme of jewels from the string quintet repertoire in the beautiful Drawing Room at Fota House. Keith Pascoe, Simon Aspell and Christopher Marwood are joined by violinist Marja Gaynor and violist Ed Creedon to play a selection of movements from quintets by Boccherini, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Dvořák.
The Vanbrugh has evolved from the work of the Vanbrugh Quartet which was based in Cork as RTE’s Resident Quartet from 1986 to 2013 and as Artists-in-Residence at University College, Cork from 1990 until the retirement of violinist Gregory Ellis in 2017. Over three decades the quartet gave close to three thousand concerts, presenting the chamber music repertoire to audiences throughout Ireland, Europe, the Americas, and the Far East. Commercial recordings include more than thirty CDs of repertoire ranging from the complete Beethoven quartets to many contemporary Irish works. In 2016 the group was presented with the National Concert Hall’s Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of their contribution to music in Ireland. Keith Pascoe, Simon Aspell, and Christopher Marwood continue to perform together as the nucleus of the Vanbrugh and are joined by guest artists for performances of a wide range of chamber music repertoire.

Easter Egg Trail at Fota House
2025-04-19 11:00 - 2025-04-21 16:00 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
Easter is almost here, and we’re excited to announce that tickets for the Fota House Easter Egg Trail are officially on sale!

Join us for a fun-filled adventure trail through the stunning Arboretum & Gardens at Fota House, where you’ll search for clues, collect eggs to claim your Easter treat, and meet some interesting characters along the way….
Plus, the Easter Bunny will be making a special appearance – you won’t want to miss it!

Dates: April 19th to 21st 11:00am to 4:00pm
https://bookings.fotahouse.com

Mór Artists Collective
2025-06-09 11:00 - 2025-06-22 15:00 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
Mór Artists Collective is delighted to announce “Beneath the Layers”, an exhibition in partnership with Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens.
Members have been invited to respond to one of Ireland’s most unique and notably rich historical resources — the Fota House Wallpaper Collection. The project offers a rare opportunity for our member artists to view and respond to an extraordinary collection of 17th to 19th Century wallpaper samples.
“Beneath the Layers” will open at Fota House from June 9 to June 22, 2025 from 11am to 3pm daily. A public reception will take place on Thursday, June 12 at 6pm and provides an opportunity to meet the artists involved.
Mór Artists Collective is an artists-led membership organisation for artists living and working professionally in the visual, performing, and literary arts in rural East Cork and West Waterford.
Mór Artists Collective is facilitated by Greywood Arts, and supported by Cork County Council and Waterford County & City Arts offices.
Visit morartistscollective.com for mór information about what they do.

A Practical Introduction to Scything Course
2025-06-14 10:30 - 16:30 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
Fota House, Arboretum and Gardens are delighted to run a scythe course at Fota House. Please book online via Fota House or call us on 0214815543.
Price: €85 per person
Max Person: 12
The course will be run by Christopher Hayes and Fergus O’ Regan with the help of Ian Graham who runs Fota’s working orchard garden and has re-introduced scythe mowing in Fota. All three are enthusiastic advocates for the scythe as a modern, efficient and environmentally relevant tool.
Fota House has begun to take a greater interest in the management of its grassland areas, with the focus being to protect and promote biodiversity. The intention is to create sustainable managed wildlife areas in parts of the estate. A move to less disruptive methods are being explored. As an alternative to fossil fuel powered machinery scythes are convivial with nature and ourselves. Working with a scythe isn’t the hard, back breaking work many imagine. Children, men and women of all ages and a very wide range of abilities use scythes and learning to mow isn’t difficult. Scything is fun! Imagine a summer weekend without the noise and air pollution of lawnmower and strimmer engines!
The hands on one-day course will cover scythe adjustment, safe blade handling and mowing, fundamental mowing technique and sharpening methods and will also touch on grass and meadow management and some of the history and culture of scythes.
Our instructors will give personalised on the spot advice as you use your new skills on a variety of grass in the garden. They can also point you in the right direction regarding your own future use of the tool.
Our aim is to give you the skills and confidence to consider a scythe as a realistic option in your farm, garden or community.
There will be tea and coffee on arrival (10am), and a light lunch around midday. The course will start at 10.30am sharp. Please note there is a 10-15 minute walk from the car park to the Victorian Working Garden.
This course is suitable for adults of all ages (18+) and perfect for absolute beginners but also those with experience that would like to improve or refresh their skills.
Ideally participants would use their own scythes as this allows for help with personalised set up and tuning however your scythe should be in working condition.
Chris Hayes will have a selection of scythes and accessories for sale on the day and it may be possible for us to supply a scythe to use for the course but please request in advance for either.
Please get in touch if you have any questions about your (or your scythe’s) abilities to do this course.
Our Instructors:
Chris Hayes started scything when he worked as a forester. He needed a comfortable tool that would help him control grass growing around young trees in young woodlands. He has been teaching for eleven years and loves spreading the good news about this wonderful tool. He teaches and sells high quality scythe equipment (scythe.ie) appropriate to Ireland.
Fergus O’Regan is one of our team of volunteers. He started managing some of his home garden for wildlife around 15 years ago. As a beekeeper he started to use a scythe for managing vegetation around beehives. After trying to teach himself how to use an old scythe (and not doing very well at that) he became a student of Chris’s and is now enjoying the enormous potential of hand mowing.
Please book online via Fota House or call us on 0214815543.

Botanical Sketching & Watercolour Painting Workshop with Sarah Rohu
2025-06-28 10:30 - 14:00

Flower Arranging Workshop - Create your own beautiful bouquet
2025-08-08 10:00 - 13:00
Friday, August 8th – 10:00am to 1:00pm
Join us for a hands-on, 3-hour flower arranging workshop where you’ll design and create your own stunning floral arrangement using sustainable techniques. Taking place in the surrounds of Fota’s stunning Victorian Working Garden, you will use flowers grown on site. Whether you’re a beginner or have some experience, this workshop offers something for everyone!
During the session, we’ll explore the fundamental principles of flower arranging, including balance, proportion, and texture, to help you craft visually pleasing bouquets. You’ll also learn about effective colour combinations to make your arrangement pop and harmonize perfectly with any space.
To help your floral creations stay fresh and vibrant longer, we’ll share expert tips and techniques on how to extend the life of your bouquet.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll take home your unique floral masterpiece, along with the skills and confidence to create beautiful arrangements on your own.
Everyone goes home with a bouquet. Bouquets also for sale.
Chemical-free flowers and foliage grown in the gardens.
Experienced instructor.
Tea/Coffee included.
Beautiful setting of the Victorian Working Gardens

CÓISIR an tSAMHRAIDH 2025
2025-08-21 19:30 - 22:15 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
An evening of music featuring Irish artists:
Mick O Brien (uileann pipes)
buaiteor Gradam Ceoil TG4 2023
plus AOIFE NÍ BHRIAIN (fiddle)
Deirdre agus Aoife Granville
CEOLTÓIRÍ AGUS AMHRÁNAÍ
ó Dhaingean uí Chúis
Tickets: €20
For bookings call: 086 2618034

Cuidiú End of Summer Picnic
2025-08-23 08:00 - 17:00

The Pop Up Movie Club presents Outdoor Cinema at Fota House
2025-08-29 21:00 - 2025-08-31 22:30
Get ready for am evening of laughs and iconic movie moments as the Pop Up Movie Club return to Fota House this August with a line up that’s all about fun, friendship and feel good vibes.
The line up:

August 29th – Bridesmaids
August 30th – Mamma Mia
August 31st Mean Girls

Refreshments will be available to purchase on the night. Remember this in an outdoor prefomance so bring a chair or blanket.

A Celebration of Dining Tradition at Fota House
2025-09-20 18:30 - 20:30
Join us for an elegant evening in support of heritage, tradition and restoration at Fota House on Saturday, September 20th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. This is a benefit evening in support of completing the presentation of our beautiful formal dining room.
Tickets – €55 (includes free entry to a fantastic fundraiser draw)
Your evening includes:

Processo on arrival
Exclusive access to the ground floor of the museum
Delicious canapes and wine served throughout the evening
A curatorial talk on the historic dining collection

The Magic of Santa at Fota House
2025-11-22 - 2025-12-22 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
🎄 Experience the Magic of Christmas at Fota House November 22nd to December 22nd 2025 ! 🎄

Join Santa & Mrs. Claus at the enchanting Fota House as they prepare for the most magical night of the year. The Elves are bustling with excitement but, as always, they could use a little help from you to get everything ready in time. Bring your festive cheer and a sprinkle of magic to help the Elves impress Santa and earn the honor of accompanying him on his Christmas Eve journey around the world!
What to Expect:

Interactive Fun: Immerse yourself in a traditional Christmas experience as you explore beautifully decorated rooms, each with its own festive storyline.
Meet Santa: Enjoy a special family visit with Santa himself, where he’ll invite children to his North Pole library where they will receive two age-appropriate books as a gift.

Ticket Prices:

Infants (0-23 months) with Gift: €0.00
Children (2-13) with Gift: €28.00
Teenagers (14+) with Gift: €28.00
Teenagers (14+) without Gift: €17.50
Adults: €17.50

Make this Christmas unforgettable for your family at Fota House and Book Now at: https://bookings.fotahouse.com/Event/SANTA! 🎅✨

Mother's Day Workshop
2026-03-15 10:30 - 13:30
Celebrate Mother’s Day with a Creative Workshop at Fota House & Gardens, Cork
Looking for a meaningful Mother’s Day experience?. This intimate, nurturing creative gathering at Fota House combines a calming tea ritual, and a chance to create a personalized, handmade gift she’ll treasure forever.
Tea Ritual: Begin with a soothing tea ceremony that invites you to the space in a meaningful way and encourages mindfulness and presence. Taste several varieties of tea, explore tea culture, and enjoy a moment of calm and connection in the stunning surroundings of Fota House.
Creative Gift Making: Express your love through creativity! Using a variety of materials, colors, and textures, you will design and make a one-of-a-kind gift box or card. All materials are provided and you do not need to have any prior experience. Bring along a small personal gift that would have special meaning to your loved one to enhance the experience, though this is optional.
Delicious Treats: Homemade cakes and chocolates will be served alongside the teas, completing your sensory and creative experience.
Perfect for: Mother and daughter bonding, meaningful gifts, and unique Mother’s Day activities in Cork.
Booking Information: For bookings or more details, please contact Jeni on 087 9143783.
Special Offer: “Mum Time” offer available for all mums!

Sarah Rohu Spring Watercolor Workshop
2026-03-22 11:00 - 14:00 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
Join Sarah Rohu for a Spring Watercolour Workshop at Fota House
Experience the joy of painting at Fota House with local artist Sarah Rohu in this relaxing spring watercolour workshop. Perfect for beginners, you’ll create miniature watercolour paintings ideal for greeting cards, complete with hand-inscribed Irish blessings.
All materials are provided, so you can simply immerse yourself in the calming process of painting. During the workshop, enjoy tea, coffee, and scones in the beautiful Fota House café, giving you the chance to mingle with fellow artists and soak in the serene atmosphere of this historic heritage site.
Whether you’re looking to explore a new creative hobby or enjoy a peaceful artistic retreat, this watercolour painting workshop at Fota House is the perfect way to unwind and embrace your creativity this spring.

Vanburgh & Friends
2026-03-29 15:00 - 16:30 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
Vanbrugh & Friends made a welcome return back to Fota House for a special afternoon recital on Sunday, March 29th at 3pm. Set within the elegant surroundings of one of Ireland’s finest historic homes, this live classical music performance promises an unforgettable chamber music experience in Cork.
This highly anticipated recital will showcase three outstanding masterpieces from the string quintet repertoire, performed by the acclaimed ensemble:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – String Quintet in E-flat major, K.614

Johannes Brahms – String Quintet in F major, Op.88

Felix Mendelssohn – String Quintet in B-flat major, Op.87

From Mozart’s refined elegance to Brahms’ rich romantic textures and Mendelssohn’s lyrical brilliance, this carefully curated programme offers a beautifully balanced afternoon of chamber music for string quintet.
Join us at Fota House for an afternoon of live music in a stunning heritage setting.

Easter at Fota House
2026-04-03 10:00 - 2026-04-06 16:00
Come and join us for an egg-citing adventure at Fota House’s annual Easter Egg Trail! Hop into the magic of spring and follow the trail through our stunning Gardens, where you’ll meet many characters while hunting for hidden clues.
At the end of the trail, claim your Easter Egg and don’t forget to keep an eye out for the Easter Bunny, who will be spreading joy.
Please note: This event is geared towards children aged 3-10 years but younger children than 3 can also participate. Adults are free of charge.
The trail is a self-guided experience that takes approximately 45 minutes. Suitable footwear and weather-appropriate clothing are suggested. While adults are welcome, our actor characters will focus on entertaining the kids.Easter Eggs will be given to ticket holders at the end of the trail!

Fota Plant Fair
2026-04-19 11:00 - 16:00
Celebrate the season at the annual Spring Plant Fair at Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens — a true highlight of the spring gardening calendar in Cork.
This vibrant outdoor event brings together a carefully curated selection of specialist nurseries and expert growers from across Ireland. Discover an exceptional range of plants, from colourful spring-flowering favourites and hardy perennials to shrubs, trees, alpines and rare varieties — perfect for refreshing and revitalising your garden for the season ahead.
Alongside the plants, visitors can browse garden accessories and artisan stalls, enjoy food vendors on site, and seek practical advice from knowledgeable exhibitors throughout the day.
Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just beginning to grow your own, the Spring Plant Fair offers inspiration, expertise and a wonderful atmosphere to welcome the new gardening year.

Creative Circle with Mindful Tea Day
2026-06-07 11:00 - 13:00 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
Join us for another Mindful Tea Creative Circle workshop at Fota House. A relaxed and welcoming gathering designed to nurture creativity and wellbeing through slow rituals and hands-on making.
During the session, you will enjoy a curated tea experience while creating your own handmade bookmarks using simple creative materials and mindful prompts. No artistic experience needed — just a willingness to slow down and enjoy the process.
What to expect:

Guided mindful tea moment
Calm creative atmosphere at the Library, Fota House & Gardens
Bookmark making session
Gentle conversation & connection
All materials provided

Perfect for anyone seeking a softer Sunday centred around creativity, mindfulness, and intentional rest.

Cork Shakespearean Company presents Shakespeare in the Gardens
2026-06-11 17:00 - 2026-06-12 20:00 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
Cork Shakespearean Company presents Shakespeare in the Gardens

Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th July 2026

This summer, Cork Shakespearean Company — one of Ireland’s oldest and most beloved theatre companies — brings Shakespeare to life at Fota Arboretum.
Shakespeare in the Gardens is an intimate promenade theatre experience set entirely within the grounds of Fota House & Gardens. Audiences of 25 people at a time move together through the arboretum, discovering six Shakespeare scenes performed in six remarkable natural locations — from the ancient moss-covered rock garden to the enchanted pine cones and the breath taking gravel approach to the Orangerie.
There is no stage. No set. No amplification. The gardens themselves are the production design.
Featuring scenes from Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Measure for Measure and The Merry Wives of Windsor, the programme offers something for everyone — dark, funny, romantic, magical and alive in the open air.

The full experience lasts approximately 110 minutes.

What to Expect

Move through the gardens as a group of 25 people, guided by volunteers

Discover a Shakespeare scene in each of six extraordinary natural locations

No seats, no stage, no set – just Shakespeare and the landscape

An experience that lasts approximately 110 minutes from start to finish

Suitable for all ages and all levels of Shakespeare experience

Date: Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th July 2026
Performance times: 5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm and 6:30pm both evenings
Ticket price: €25 per person
Capacity: Strictly limited to 25 people per group

Early booking strongly advised.

Please wear appropriate footwear and be mindful of the grounds. The event takes place on natural outdoor terrain.

Shakespeare in the Gardens is produced by Cork Shakespearean Company (The Loft), founded 1924, in association with Fota House & Gardens.

The CRITICAL Car Show
2026-06-28 11:00 - 17:00 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
The Critical Car Show takes place on Sunday 28th June from 11am to 5pm with entry by donation.
The event will feature special vehicle displays, family friendly activities and raffles with great prizes!
On the day you will also have the chance to meet local emergency services and CRITICAL volunteers, and learn vital CPR and lifesaving skills.
All proceeds will go directly towards supporting CRITICAL’s lifesaving work. For more information on the charity and their work visit https://criticalcharity.ie

A Day of Garden Sketching at Fota House with Camilla Fanning
2026-07-04 10:30 - 16:00 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
Discover the joy of sketching in one of Ireland’s most inspiring settings with a relaxed and creative day at Fota House & Gardens. Surrounded by sweeping garden views, historic grounds, and the beautiful arboretum, this workshop invites you to slow down, look closely, and fill your sketchbook with ideas, observations and creative experiments.
Whether you are an experienced artist, a designer, or simply curious about drawing, this fun and welcoming workshop will introduce practical ways to use a sketchbook as a tool for seeing, thinking, and developing ideas. Through guided exercises, demonstrations and outdoor sketching sessions, you’ll learn how to quickly capture atmosphere, movement, colour, and visual impressions directly from the scenery around you.
Led by artist Camilla Fanning (MFA NCAD, member of Graphic Studio Dublin and Cork Printmakers) the workshop combines practical sketching techniques with a relaxed and enjoyable day immersed in nature and creativity.
What to Expect

Introduction to sketchbook practice and creative observation
Tutor-led demonstrations and guided drawing exercises
Learn “shorthand” sketching techniques for capturing quick impressions
Explore the gardens and arboretum through outdoor sketching sessions
Time for independent sketching and experimentation
Relaxed Show & Tell discussion back in the studio
Ideas for developing sketchbook work into future creative projects

The day also includes morning coffee and lunch, giving participants time to relax, chat, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Fota House & Gardens.
Participants should bring their own sketching materials (a suggested materials list will be provided in advance). Suitable outdoor clothing and comfortable walking shoes are recommended, as we will spend time sketching outdoors throughout the gardens and grounds.
Perfect for anyone looking to develop their creativity, enjoy drawing outdoors and spend a memorable day sketching in a truly inspiring setting.
Date & Time
Date Sat 4th July 2026
Time 10:30am – 4:00pm
Ticket Price €130

Booking: For more information and to book email cjfanning[at]cjfanning.com

Shakespeare in the Gardens
2026-07-11 17:00 - 18:30 | Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens
This summer, Cork Shakespearean Company one of Ireland’s oldest and most beloved theatre companies brings Shakespeare to life at Fota Arboretum.
Shakespeare in the Gardens is an intimate promenade theatre experience set entirely within the grounds of Fota House & Gardens.
Audiences of 25 people at a time move together through the arboretum, discovering six Shakespeare scenes performed in six remarkable spaces from the Victorian Fernery to the breathtaking approach to the Orangerie.
There is no stage. No set. No amplification. The gardens themselves are the production design.
Featuring scenes from Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Measure for Measure and The Merry Wives of Windsor, the programme offers something for everyone dark, funny, romantic, magical and alive in the open air.
The full experience lasts approximately 110 minutes.
What to Expect
Move through the gardens as a group of 25 people, guided by volunteers
Discover a Shakespeare scene in each of six extraordinary natural locations
No seats, no stage, no set – just Shakespeare and the landscape
An experience that lasts approximately 90 minutes from start to finish
Suitable for all ages and all levels of Shakespeare experience
