WHAT’S ON
We have vibrant and diverse events planned in the year ahead for all of our visitors including seasonal family events, cultural and garden events. Keep an eye on our social media and our website for further updates.
June
June 11th – Guided Wildlife Walk – Book Here
Explore the wildlife on the Johnstown Estate with with our two wildlife experts. Johnstown provides a home for a diverse range of species from swifts to bats and otters to pine marten. This walk will be an eye opener for those interested in Irish Wildlife.
June 11th – Guided Bee Walk – Book Here
Join us on Saturday 11 June to celebrate the wonderful world of bees. The guided walk and talk will be led by Property Curator Matt Wheeler and wildlife expert Harm Deenen. You will learn all about the Johnstown apiary and the wild honeybees that inhabit the Estate as well as more unusual types of bee which are also important for pollination.
June 11th – Jazz at Johnstown with Melanie O’Reilly – Book Here
Join award-winning jazz vocalist Melanie O’Reilly and her multi-talented trio of Scott Flanigan- piano, Adrian Jackson – bass and Kevin Lawlor – drums, for a Summer Jazz at Johnstown special on Saturday evening, June 11. Expect a bouquet of sultry swingin’ jazz celebrating the legendary Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Nina Simone, Mel Torme, Jon Hendricks among others. Inspired by the smoky swinging style of these iconic jazz vocalists, Mel’s riveting performances have garnered her four-star reviews and standing ovations throughout the world. Mel and her trio are utterly unique, contemporary and brilliantly exciting. The first Jazz at Johnstown concert this summer. Unmissable!
June 12th – Guided Walking Tour – Book Here
Step back in time and enjoy a historical guided tour of Johnstown Castle Estate. Explore the grounds and gardens and learn more about the romantic 19th century architectural features that occupy the landscape, as well as the wildlife and trees that call Johnstown their home. Learn about the garden designs of the past and the conservation efforts of the present, which include biodiversity schemes, bat conservation, and bee-keeping.
June 15th – Walking with Giants. Guided Tree Walk – Book Here
Join Head Gardener Ciarán Fitzgerald on a guided tour of Johnstown Castle’s arboretum, where he will talk about some of the more unusual trees in our collection.
June 23rd – Go Native. A celebration of native trees and local food. Book Here
Join Foraging and Folklore Guide Lorraine from Gallivanting.ie on a very special Guided Walk that takes you back in time to see how our ancestors viewed our Native Trees. From ancient Brehon Laws to 19th-century Pig Farming, you will never see trees in the same light again! Find out why a woman with an Elder planted at her backdoor might have been accused of witchcraft or the original reason we brought Holly into the house midwinter, why was the Oak called the Nobelist of all trees and why was the Yew was considered sacred to the Druids?
Along the way, there is old fairy folklore, magical healing herbs and much more to discover!
With much to muse over, your walk will finish with a light picnic supper introducing you to the best in local, artisan food producers, in a wonderful courtyard picnic. Wexford has a vibrant community of food producers and this is a great opportunity to learn about what’s on offer in our County by tasting it for yourself.
This is a walk like no other!
June 30th – Guided Bat Walk (Currently Fully Booked)
As the sun begins to set over Johnstown Castle and the visitors leave, many animals are settling down for the night. In the attic of the Irish Agricultural museum and by the lakes others are just coming to life! Did you know the museum attic is home to a large roost of pipistrelle bats? One of the largest in the country, in fact! This Summer we are delighted to welcome you for some very special after hours Bat walks. Come and join us for an evening bat talk and walk with bat conservationist Harm Deenen. Learn about the various bats which live on the Johnstown Estate and why Johnstown Castle is such a special place for them. Get to try out a bat detector and find out how we use it to identify a bat by its call
July
July 13th – A Garden Through Time – Guided Garden Walk – Book Here
Join Head Gardener Ciarán Fitzgerald on a guided tour of Johnstown castle’s grounds, where he will talk about the history of the gardens as well as the future plans for the estate including the plans for the walled garden and rewilding.
July 21st – Go Native. A celebration of native trees and local food. Book Here
Join Foraging and Folklore Guide Lorraine from Gallivanting.ie on a very special Guided Walk that takes you back in time to see how our ancestors viewed our Native Trees. From ancient Brehon Laws to 19th-century Pig Farming, you will never see trees in the same light again! Find out why a woman with an Elder planted at her backdoor might have been accused of witchcraft or the original reason we brought Holly into the house midwinter, why was the Oak called the Nobelist of all trees and why was the Yew was considered sacred to the Druids?
Along the way, there is old fairy folklore, magical healing herbs and much more to discover!
With much to muse over, your walk will finish with a light picnic supper introducing you to the best in local, artisan food producers, in a wonderful courtyard picnic. Wexford has a vibrant community of food producers and this is a great opportunity to learn about what’s on offer in our County by tasting it for yourself.
This is a walk like no other!
July 28th – Guided Bat Walk (Currently Fully Booked)
As the sun begins to set over Johnstown Castle and the visitors leave, many animals are settling down for the night. In the attic of the Irish Agricultural museum and by the lakes others are just coming to life! Did you know the museum attic is home to a large roost of pipistrelle bats? One of the largest in the country, in fact! This Summer we are delighted to welcome you for some very special after hours Bat walks. Come and join us for an evening bat talk and walk with bat conservationist Harm Deenen. Learn about the various bats which live on the Johnstown Estate and why Johnstown Castle is such a special place for them. Get to try out a bat detector and find out how we use it to identify a bat by its call
August
August 17th – Walking with Giants. Guided Tree Walk – Book Here
Join Head Gardener Ciarán Fitzgerald on a guided tour of Johnstown Castle’s arboretum, where he will talk about some of the more unusual trees in our collection.
August 18th – Go Native. A celebration of native trees and local food. Book Here
Join Foraging and Folklore Guide Lorraine from Gallivanting.ie on a very special Guided Walk that takes you back in time to see how our ancestors viewed our Native Trees. From ancient Brehon Laws to 19th-century Pig Farming, you will never see trees in the same light again! Find out why a woman with an Elder planted at her backdoor might have been accused of witchcraft or the original reason we brought Holly into the house midwinter, why was the Oak called the Nobelist of all trees and why was the Yew was considered sacred to the Druids?
Along the way, there is old fairy folklore, magical healing herbs and much more to discover!
With much to muse over, your walk will finish with a light picnic supper introducing you to the best in local, artisan food producers, in a wonderful courtyard picnic. Wexford has a vibrant community of food producers and this is a great opportunity to learn about what’s on offer in our County by tasting it for yourself.
This is a walk like no other!
August 25th – Guided Bat Walk (Currently Fully Booked)
As the sun begins to set over Johnstown Castle and the visitors leave, many animals are settling down for the night. In the attic of the Irish Agricultural museum and by the lakes others are just coming to life! Did you know the museum attic is home to a large roost of pipistrelle bats? One of the largest in the country, in fact! This Summer we are delighted to welcome you for some very special after hours Bat walks. Come and join us for an evening bat talk and walk with bat conservationist Harm Deenen. Learn about the various bats which live on the Johnstown Estate and why Johnstown Castle is such a special place for them. Get to try out a bat detector and find out how we use it to identify a bat by its call
September
September 14th – A Garden Through Time – Guided Garden Walk – Book Here
Join Head Gardener Ciarán Fitzgerald on a guided tour of Johnstown castle’s grounds, where he will talk about the history of the gardens as well as the future plans for the estate including the plans for the walled garden and rewilding.
September 22 – Go Native. A celebration of native trees and local food. Book Here
Join Foraging and Folklore Guide Lorraine from Gallivanting.ie on a very special Guided Walk that takes you back in time to see how our ancestors viewed our Native Trees. From ancient Brehon Laws to 19th-century Pig Farming, you will never see trees in the same light again! Find out why a woman with an Elder planted at her backdoor might have been accused of witchcraft or the original reason we brought Holly into the house midwinter, why was the Oak called the Nobelist of all trees and why was the Yew was considered sacred to the Druids?
Along the way, there is old fairy folklore, magical healing herbs and much more to discover!
With much to muse over, your walk will finish with a light picnic supper introducing you to the best in local, artisan food producers, in a wonderful courtyard picnic. Wexford has a vibrant community of food producers and this is a great opportunity to learn about what’s on offer in our County by tasting it for yourself.
This is a walk like no other!
Current Exhibitions in The Irish Agricultural Museum.
Exhibition: Iron Men, Wexford’s lockout 1911 – 1912
We are pleased to announce a, stirring new exhibition currently taking place in the Irish Agricultural Museum here at Johnstown Castle.
Exhibition: Pioneering Wexford Women
The Irish Agricultural Museum will house an exhibition dedicated to the Wexford women selected to leave workhouses during the Great Irish Famine and make the long and arduous journey to begin new lives in South Africa.
Matt Wheeler, Museum Curator, said, “This exhibition is particularly ideal for schools and families as the young girls were only teenagers and their story is a unique way to address the story of the Great Famine and their courage to escape their terrible circumstances to forge a new life half way around the world.”
Exhibition is included in admission price. For more information please click here
Exhibition: Toy Story – Miniature Motors by Matchbox, Corgi & Dinky
An exciting exhibition of over 600 model ca
rs. The collection is complemented by a fascinating collection of vintage motoring memorabilia, garage pumps and equipment from the Museum’s extensive collection of transport-related artefacts, long disappeared from forecourts, and other objects from a time when a car journey was still an adventure.
Open Daily in the Irish Agricultural Museum. Included in general admission price. Click for more information