Huntington Castle
Huntington Castle, also known as Clonegal Castle, is a remarkable seventeenth-century manor house and castle situated in the quiet village of Clonegal in County Carlow, near the borders of Counties Wexford and Wicklow. It is one of Ireland's most atmospheric and genuinely lived-in historic houses, having remained in the continuous ownership of the same family — the Durdin-Robertsons — for generations. The castle is notable not only for its architectural and historical significance but also for housing the Fellowship of Isis, a worldwide spiritual organisation founded here in 1976, which lends the property a layer of mystical identity that sets it apart from almost any other heritage site in Ireland. The combination of a working historic house, wild romantic gardens, and an active esoteric spiritual community makes Huntington Castle genuinely singular among Irish visitor attractions.
The castle was originally built in 1625 by the Esmonde family on the site of a Franciscan monastery, parts of which are incorporated into the existing structure. The building passed through several hands over the centuries before arriving in the possession of the Robertson family, ancestors of the current occupants. The grounds contain a yew avenue that is believed to be over four hundred years old, one of the oldest of its kind in Ireland, and this ancient living canopy contributes enormously to the sense of timelessness that pervades the estate. The Slaney River runs along the edge of the property, adding both beauty and a gentle, constant sound to the landscape. Over its nearly four centuries of existence, the castle has witnessed the turbulence of Irish history including the 1641 rebellion and the Cromwellian campaigns, and various parts of the structure reflect repairs and additions made in response to those upheavals.
Perhaps the most unusual chapter in the castle's modern history is the establishment of the Fellowship of Isis by Olivia Robertson, her brother Derry Robertson, and his wife Pamela in the 1970s. The fellowship, dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis and to a broader goddess-centred spirituality, now has members across the world and uses a temple established in the castle's basement — built upon the foundations of the old monastery — as its spiritual heart. This temple, with its goddess statues, altars, and candlelit atmosphere, is open for visitors to explore and is one of the most genuinely surprising and moving spaces in any Irish historic house. Olivia Robertson, who lived at the castle until her death in 2013 at the age of ninety-five, became something of a legend in alternative spiritual circles internationally, and the fellowship she co-founded continues to operate from the castle to this day.
In person, the castle presents a wonderfully unmanicured, deeply romantic character. Unlike many Irish heritage properties that have been polished into glossy visitor attractions, Huntington retains an endearing lived-in quality, with family portraits, ancestral furniture, and the accumulated objects of centuries arranged in rooms that feel genuinely inhabited rather than staged. The stone exterior is draped in mature climbing plants, and the surrounding gardens have a delightfully overgrown wildness to them, with winding paths leading through dense shrubbery, past the ancient yews, and along stretches of the river. In quieter moments, the predominant sounds are birdsong, the movement of water, and the rustling of wind through very old trees — a sensory atmosphere quite unlike the manicured quietness of many heritage sites.
The surrounding landscape is characteristic of the Barrow Valley borderlands, with gently rolling hills, fertile farmland, and the wooded river corridors that make this part of the country quietly beautiful rather than dramatically scenic. The village of Clonegal itself is tiny and picturesque, one of the tidiest and most charming small villages in Carlow, with a strong tradition in the Scarecrow Festival that draws visitors each summer. The Wicklow Mountains are visible to the north, and the broader area encompasses the valley of the Derry River as it approaches its confluence with the Slaney. The region is part of the South Leinster Way walking route, and the walking and cycling opportunities in the surrounding countryside are excellent.
For visitors planning a trip, Huntington Castle is open to the public during the summer months, typically from June through August, with guided tours of the house and grounds available on specific days. It is advisable to check current opening arrangements directly with the castle before travelling, as opening hours can vary and the property is still a private family home. The nearest sizeable town is Bunclody in County Wexford, just a few kilometres to the south, where basic amenities are available. Reaching the castle by car is straightforward via the R746 and local roads into Clonegal; public transport options to the village itself are limited. The gardens and yew walk are the highlight for many visitors, and comfortable footwear is recommended as the grounds can be muddy in wet weather. Spring and early summer are particularly rewarding times to visit, when the gardens are at their most lush and the long Irish evenings lend the estate an especially magical quality.