day trips from dublin

Dublin Day Tours

The Powerscourt Estate is located in the picturesque village of Enniskerry, just 45 minute drive outside of the capital.

The name of the village comes from Irish or Gaelic Ath na Scerie; ath is a ford or place in a river where the water level can be crossed on foot and sceire is a Norse derivative word meaning rocky or jagged.

So the village of Enniskerry means the rocky ford, the Glencullen river flows through town.

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The area’s rich history dates back to the Norman invasion when a knight named La Poer built the first castle here. The Normans, who hailed from northern France, conquered the eastern province of Leinster in 1169 under King Dermot MacMurrough’s invitation.

The English King Henry II granted land in Ireland to Norman knights, provided they could “keep them”. This strategic stone castle, known as a tower house, controlled the landscape and the Glencullen River. Over time, the La Poer family assimilated into Irish culture and became the Powers, giving rise to the name “Powerscourt.”

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In the 1600s, the Powers family sold the estate to the Wingfield family. Richard Wingfield, the first Viscount Powerscourt, commissioned renowned German architect Richard Cassels to transform the estate into a grand mansion.

Cassels is also famous for designing iconic Dublin landmarks such as the Printing House at Trinity College, the Rotunda Hospital, and Leinster House.

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The Powerscourt mansion took Cassels ten years to complete, from 1731 to 1741. It was considered the finest mansion in Ireland.

When King George IV visited Ireland in 1821, he chose to stay at Powerscourt, where he was hosted by the Viscount.

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In the 1840s, during Ireland’s devastating Potato Famine, the 8th Viscount Powerscourt, Mervyn Wingfield, toured Europe. Inspired by Italy’s grand palaces and piazzas, he commissioned English sculptors to create replicas of classical statues, including the Laocoön and Triton Fountain.

He also developed the Japanese Gardens and a Pet Cemetery on the estate, a project that took 20 years to complete.

The estate remained in the Wingfield family until the 1960s, when it was sold to the Slazenger family, renowned for manufacturing sports equipment.

Interestingly, Mervyn Wingfield sold the property to Wendy Slazenger, whom he later married, marking a unique chapter in the estate’s history.

A fire in 1974 led to extensive renovations, transforming Powerscourt House into a retail and visitor center. It has since become a popular filming location for movies, including the adaptation of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Nearby Powerscourt Waterfall, once part of the estate, is now a separate attraction. Standing at 121 meters (450 feet), it is Ireland’s highest waterfall. The iconic fight scene between King Arthur and Sir Lancelot from the movie Excalibur was filmed here.

I have worked in Trinity College, the Vatican, Rome City, Glasnevin Cemetery and the General Post Office in Dublin and I work for Rick Steves in Dublin and throughout Ireland.

This half day excursion to Powerscourt House and Gardens costs €450 in total for two people and includes private transport in a Mercedes S Class, collection at your hotel, entrance tickets, the tour itself and return to your hotel at the end of the tour. Each additional person costs €100.

It provides a relaxed walk, majestic views, history, sculpture, gardens, lakes, clothes and artisan food shopping with a coffee and wine opportunity.

If you would like to book this day trip from Dublin, please fill out this form and it will email me your request.

If I do not respond within 24 hours, please email me directly on dara@daramccarthy.com

If Powerscourt isn’t your thing, you can check out my Dublin Walking Tour, or my Dublin Pub Crawl, my sojourn to my home suburb or my day trips from Dublin to Glendalough Tour.