Lough Sillan House

Set against a gentle hill at the end of a long driveway, Lough Sillan House is nestled within eight acres of mature gardens sloping to the north-east shores of the eponymous lake in County Cavan. It is a glebe-house built in 1819 by Reverend Frederick Fitzpatrick with the aid of a gift of £100 and a loan of £900 from the Board of First Fruits. The latter also laid out extensive pleasure gardens and grounds. The Rev. Fitzpatrick's flair and the loveliness of the lake were celebrated in a later poem of 1891: ‘Its tidy mansion and gay demesne; where summer tourists and pleasure parties at leisure they do row and sail, On fair Lough Sillan and round the islands, the grandest place in Old Grannuail’. 

Lough Sillan’s gardens were brilliantly rejuvenated in the early 2000s by garden designer and botanist Daphne Shackleton to incorporate many mature trees planted at the time of its building. Meandering paths now wind through diverse plantings of rare and unusual trees and shrubs, showcasing ornamental groves, a vibrant bog garden, and stunning lakeside views. Three cottages have also been rescued and meticulously renovated by the current owners, David and Sabina Brennan, who acquired Lough Sillan House in 2021.