Visit Fota House to experience the opulence of its gorgeous interiors and learn about the lives once lived in this Regency mansion, above and below stairs!
Fota House boasts more than 70 rooms, and each elegant space features fascinating details that reveal extraordinary skill and craftsmanship, as well as clues as to how Ireland’s richest families once lived.
Take a tour of the mansion to appreciate the atmosphere within its superb neoclassical interiors, discover the grand decor of the principal rooms, and gain insights into the workings of this historic East Cork mansion.
Take a Guided Tour of Fota House
- Relish the atmosphere in Fota House’s grandest rooms and servants’ quarters, as our guides share tales about the Smith-Barry family and their staff.
- Enjoy collections of art and objects displayed in the settings they were designed to adorn.
- Visit Fota’s sensitively refurbished nursery where children’s toys and original furniture recreate scenes from a privileged Victorian childhood.
Did You Know?
Our painting collection is considered to be one of the finest collections of landscape painting outside the National Gallery of Ireland and includes works by William Ashford PRHA, Robert Carver, Jonathan Fisher, and Thomas Roberts.
Fota House’s Servants’ Wing
Discover Fota House’s vast servants’ wing, and learn what life was like for the cooks, butlers, footmen, and maids who worked for the Smith-Barry family.
- Relish the atmosphere in Fota House’s grandest rooms and servants’ quarters, as our guides share tales about the Smith-Barry family and their staff.
- Enjoy collections of art and objects displayed in the settings they were designed to adorn.
- Visit Fota’s sensitively refurbished nursery where children’s toys and original furniture recreate scenes from a privileged Victorian childhood.
The History of Fota House
Until the 1820s, Fota was home to a two-storey hunting lodge, used as a base for fishing, shooting, and exploring Cork Harbour. The entire estate was owned by the descendants of Philip de Barry, who had been granted ownership of Fota Island after his participation in the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 1160s and ’70s.
When Fota House became the Smith-Barry’s permanent home in the 1820s, it was remodelled to fit their ambitions and communicate their power. Designs were prepared by the renowned Irish architects Sir Richard Morrison and his son William Vitruvius Morrison for an opulent mansion, fitting John Smith-Barry’s ambition to entertain and assert his importance in Irish society.
The complex role Fota House played in local lives is explored in fascinating detail through our tours and events led by Fota House’s dedicated staff and volunteers. Be sure to wander through the arboretum and gardens, after you have explored the mansion, to experience the beauty of their planting and learn more about the unique natural environment of Fota Island.
Did You Know?
You can visit the fascinating award-winning Victorian Working Garden which has been brought back to life and includes a beautiful orchard, pit houses, and working glasshouses. It once supplied the house with fruit and vegetables, and it is now buzzing with activity once again, with volunteers propagating and growing produce and plants to support the property.
Restoration and Care
Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens is managed and cared for by the Irish Heritage Trust – a non-profit organisation which conserves the house and makes it available for the enjoyment of all.
The Irish Heritage Trust works in close partnership with the Office of Public Works, Fáilte Ireland, and other organisations, as well as corporate partners. The funds we generate from your visit, the coffee you buy at the Bakestone Café, and the event tickets you sign up for, all support the important work of caring for and maintaining Fota House, Arboretum & Gardens.
