PLANS TO REOPEN Castletown House in Celbridge, Co Kildare next month are now in doubt, despite commitments in recent weeks from the Office of Public Works (OPW) to return staff and extend public access to the site.

The 18th-century mansion and surrounding estate previously attracted up to a million visitors annually, but has been the focus of an ongoing dispute between local residents and the OPW for almost two years.

The dispute is in relation to the limited access to the estate following the closure of the M4 entrance and car park in September 2023 by private landowners, effectively shutting down public access to the park by car.

The controversy has kept the house closed and sparked protests over how the site is managed, with concerns about traffic, heritage preservation, and the loss of public amenities.

Minister of State for the OPW Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran had announced on 2 April that OPW staff were back on-site and that Castletown House would open to visitors in “mid to late May”.

He also said opening hours for the wider estate would be extended from 7am to 8pm and public facilities, including toilets and bins, would be reinstated.

At the time, the minister said Lime Avenue – a narrow pedestrian promenade from Celbridge town – would only be used for essential contractors under strict safety protocols.

Lime Avenue in Castletown House. Andrew Walsh / The Journal Andrew Walsh / The Journal / The Journal

However, in a statement on 16 April, Moran admitted that essential vehicles had not been able to enter the estate due to continued protests at Lime Avenue, and that this had delayed the planned reopening.

“It has not been possible to extend the opening hours of Castletown House and Estate, as planned, because we have not been able to complete the level of maintenance needed to support longer opening hours,” he said.

He reiterated that escorted access for service vehicles had been planned at a maximum speed of 10km/h, but that it was “not feasible” to walk vehicles up and down the avenue.

In response to queries this week, the OPW told The Journal it would not be commenting further, but said “the matter has been, and is receiving the full attention of the Office and the Minister.”

The ongoing protest stems from a broader dispute about access to Castletown House that began in early 2023, after private developers Kilross Properties purchased the 235-acre area of land to the north-east of the historic house.

This parcel included the main entrance and car park previously used by the OPW.

Protesters say that after the OPW began work on a new car park beside the manor and proposed vehicular access via Lime Avenue, it risked damaging a key public green space and endangering pedestrian safety.

A sign erected by Castletown House gate protectors. Andrew Walsh / The Journal Andrew Walsh / The Journal / The Journal

Suzanne Clifford, a local resident and spokesperson for the Castletown Gate Protectors, said the OPW’s approach had ignored viable alternatives, such as purchasing the land before the private developers, or using another entrance, the Batty Langley gate, which the OPW have access through.

“They could have used [Batty Langley gate], and the House and grounds could have stayed open,” she said.

“Instead, they just want to allow free traffic up the very narrow Lime Avenue.”

The Batty Langley entrance would seem to provide a viable alternative for heavy vehicles used by the OPW to enter the estate, but Minister Moran and OPW representatives have not yet clarified why it is not used. 

Clifford told The Journal that the OPW was trying to normalise vehicle use on Lime Avenue, which had long been reserved for pedestrians and was unsuitable for modern traffic.

“This whole thing has been forced, and we’re still right back to day one,” Clifford said.

Sustained protests at the gate have been undertaken by Celbridge locals for over 18 months.

OPW staff have returned to the site in recent weeks, with limited access now secured via Batty Langley Lane for some vehicles.

However, the lack of heavier service vehicles leaves key preparation works unfinished and the estate’s full reopening date unclear.