Loftus Hall opening for Friday 13th?

snuggles09 · 09-07-2012 09:17PM #1

i saw it on a Facebook update. I'm in my 30s and have never been though it scared the bejesus out of me and i younger when we'd drive past and my father would point it out and tell me a whole story about the devil playing cards and the hole in the roof ( or something like that )

Is the house itself re opening or only the grounds does anyone know? I want to bring my kids to see it..have a bit of a ghost telling session and see what all the fuss was about ( now that I'm older and less likely to wet myself though I might bring pull ups for the kids just in case:D)

bradknowell · 09-07-2012 09:19PM

Not 100% sure but I think the house is openening up for it.
People where always able to get in around the grounds of the place. Hole in the fence and your man leaves ya in as long as you dont act the scrote

south · 09-07-2012 09:21PM

i think its only the grounds that will open for now and the house next year maybe

ziedth · 09-07-2012 09:24PM

I heard the inside was run down very badly a couple of years ago. People in there drinking etc so unless someone did it up a bit I couldn't see How they could open it up. Hopefully they are.

The part where the devil playing poker story "happened" unfortunately was torn down years ago. Still I'd Love to go down for a look.

Just a Plinker · 09-07-2012 09:28PM

I hope this is true, It has been at least 20 years scince I was there, the bar was open at that stage, and I was lucky enough to get a tour, When I asked the chap at the bar he said no but about 15 minutes later a littlle old lady called me out and showed me around ( I assume his mother) The history there is amazing apart from the devil story!! The staircase is made of 52 types of hard wood and is the only one left in the world, As far as I remember she said only 2 were ever built and the other one was burned down it was hand carried up from the beach I think, She also showed me a chair which was 900 years old!!! The ( Devil room:mad:) was locked and she told me no one was ever in there but I think it was a girls school at some point in time and If a couple of hundred girls could not get in there lol, If you hear anymore update your thread please I would love to see it again

Rgds

snuggles09 wrote: »

i saw it on a Facebook update. I'm in my 30s and have never been though it scared the bejesus out of me and i younger when we'd drive past and my father would point it out and tell me a whole story about the devil playing cards and the hole in the roof ( or something like that )

Is the house itself re opening or only the grounds does anyone know? I want to bring my kids to see it..have a bit of a ghost telling session and see what all the fuss was about ( now that I'm older and less likely to wet myself though I might bring pull ups for the kids just in case:D)

south · 09-07-2012 09:34PM

LOFTUS HALL is to open its gates to the public in June.

In what is a major boost for the tourism product already available in the Hook Peninsula, it was revealed at Hook Tourism's AGM last Friday night that the grounds to the renowned Loftus Hall will be open to the public to explore this summer.

Cycle rentals will be available on site to explore the extensive grounds and a coffee shop is also to be opened on the grounds.

The legendary mansion is also to be opened in the coming months. It is understood that the house is to be opened up to the public in stages and currently major works are underway to restore the imposing mansion, which was sold last autumn.

Loftus Hall went back on the market in May 2011, with a 64 per cent price reduction from what was previously sold for and at the time of sale John Radford from Sherry Fitzgerald Radford auctioneers said the premises was sold 'in the region' of the €625,000 guide price.

The mansion was previously sold in October 2008 to a Galway businessman for around €1.7m, but owing to the owner's personal circumstances, it was put back up for sale.

The nine-bay Loftus Hall mansion comprises seven reception rooms, 22 bedrooms and a function room spread across three floors.

The mansion was successfully run as a country hotel by the Devereux family until the late 1980s. It was built by the Marquis of Ely in 1870 on the ruins of Redmond Hall, which was associated with the legend of Loftus Hall, which tells of the appearance of the devil during a card game centuries ago.

Meanwhile, in another major tourist development, it was announced at the AGM that the beautiful Colclough Walled Gardens in Tintern Abbey will open on March 16.

The AGM attracted an excellent turnout of more than 50 members to hear an update from chairman David Neville on developments over the past year and plans to attract more visitors to the Hook Peninsula.

'It is clear to us at Hook Tourism that developing our tourism offering on the Hook Peninsula working as a cohesive unit will pay dividends to all involved,' outlined chairman David Neville at the AGM.

Séamus Doran from WLD also addressed this year's AGM letting the members know about funding opportunities for the tourism sector

http://www.newrossstandard.ie/news/public-to-get-access-to-loftus-hall-this-summer-3041062.html

ziedth · 09-07-2012 09:35PM

I just remembered when I was younger about 20 years I'd say too the family was in the area and we were gonna go in for a drink but my deeply religious mother pitched a fit and demanded we don't set foot on the grounds. She's allot better these days but hard to imagine that such superstition could effect adults as close far back as the 90's

snuggles09 · 09-07-2012 09:40PM

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Loftus-hall/196157623750091

this is the Facebook page if ye want to keep an eye on it..everyone is asking if it's the house or the grounds but no one has replied yet

snuggles09 · 09-07-2012 09:42PM

double post

Popquiz_hotshot · 09-07-2012 09:53PM

Looks scary!!:p:p:rolleyes::rolleyes:

http://www.loftusthemovie.com/

S28382 · 09-07-2012 10:32PM

Thats nothing i live with the Devil

skinnyboy · 10-07-2012 12:56AM

It's only the tour of the grounds for now,the house will be open to tours in October,that's what I was told when I was in hook head Saturday.

ziedth · 13-07-2012 02:55PM

Does anyone know anybody who went down? Their unwillingness to answer is the house open on Facebook is an infuriating read. I'd definitely take a spin if there was a tour of the house.

Ledger · 13-07-2012 03:20PM

I would highly doubt the house is open, there are photo's of the inside floating around online of the inside a few years ago. It was in an awful state.

Given they only began taking the boards down from the windows recently and only took the hoarding away from the main doors this week.

I would think it is only the grounds and outhouses that are open.

Ledger · 13-07-2012 03:23PM

this video shows some pictures of the inside.

If I find the rest I will post them up.

Ledger · 13-07-2012 03:29PM

BINGO! Found them! Sorry for all the posts

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32677070@N04/sets/72157609670380437/

lassykk · 13-07-2012 03:38PM

ziedth wrote: »

Does anyone know anybody who went down? Their unwillingness to answer is the house open on Facebook is an infuriating read. I'd definitely take a spin if there was a tour of the house.

As far as I know there will be one room in the house open when you go down and there may be a "surprise" in store when you are down there in the room you can visit. Don't want to ruin it for anyone going down.

As far as I know the whole house will be open in time just not at the moment

ziedth · 13-07-2012 04:08PM

Looking through those photos it really is an impressive building but hard to believe in the boom nobody did a job on it.

I'll hold fire till more of the house is open.

allthedoyles · 14-07-2012 12:30AM

I took this photo a month ago :

Its history is going to stop this place in its tracks .

Professey Chin · 14-07-2012 01:47PM

Just posted on the FB page

Tour prices;
Adults €4
Students €3
Kids €2

Opening hours;
10am - 6pm

Extras; you can hire bikes for the day and cycle around hook head, THE TOUR IS NOT INSIDE THE HOUSE, ONLY AROUND THE PREMISES AND IT LAST 45mins, the car park is €2 and Loftus Hall it's self ( which I mean the house ) opens 27th of october.

Jason Todd · 15-07-2012 08:49AM

Anyone been up there yet? Was thinking of going today!

Jason Todd · 16-07-2012 11:00AM

Was up yesterday, don't know what I was expecting, but I was very disappointed. The road leading up to the house has been completely tarmaced, the 'carpark' to the side of the house has been tarmaced and has automatic barriers at the entrance/exit and certain sections of the house have been plastered and rebuilt all of which completely ruin the look of the place.

The building isn't open yet as most people know but the "tour" consists of a 40 minute walk around the gardens of the house along with an informative tour guide. The weather was awful which can't be helped but it was quite hard to hear what the guide was saying. (The groups are a large size) The tour leave every hour on the hour and fill up very fast. There is a chip van and a coffee van outside also.

Like I say, I was disappointed in the commercialisation of the place more than anything but also the ticket office was a bandy looking port-a-kabin and there just seemed to be a shabby feel off the running of the whole thing. I must say the staff are very helpful and friendly though. It's early days so maybe lessons are still being learned and it's obvious money has been spent on the the whole thing, I just think it wasn't in the right areas maybe.

It was €10 for a 2 adults, 2 kids ticket, but the Facebook page makes it look like tickets are only that cheap for a short time. Also, the carpark is €2.

Finnbar01 · 02-08-2012 04:09PM

They are going to be talking about Loftus hall with its new owner on WLR shortly, in case your interested.

allthedoyles · 22-08-2012 10:44PM

The function room at Loftus Hall is re-opening on Friday 31st October for a fashion show 8pm ( Fethard GAA )

Loftus Hall opening for Friday 13th?

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