Lough Key House

Top choice in The Midlands


This beautifully restored Georgian country house has six guest rooms, all individually decorated with period furniture. The antique-furnished downstairs sitting room is warmed by an open fire; superb breakfasts include eggs from the owner's hens and seasonal fruits from the 4.5-hectare gardens. It's 3.4km east of Boyle next to Lough Key Forest Park.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Midlands attractions

1. Lough Key Forest Park

1.18 MILES

Sprinkled with small islands, the 350-hectare Lough Key Forest Park, 4km east of Boyle, shelters picturesque ruins including a 12th-century abbey on tiny…

2. Boyle Abbey

2.06 MILES

On the banks of the River Boyle is the finely preserved (and reputedly haunted) Boyle Abbey. Founded in 1161 by monks from Mellifont in County Louth, the…

3. King House Historic & Cultural Centre

2.23 MILES

Sinister-looking mannequins tell the turbulent history of the Connacht kings, the town of Boyle and the King family, including a grim tale of tenant…

4. Drumanone Dolmen

4.43 MILES

Constructed before 2000 BC, this striking portal dolmen is one of Ireland's largest, measuring 4.5m by 3.3m. To reach it from Boyle's town centre, follow…

5. Costello Memorial Chapel

6.41 MILES

Measuring just 5m by 3.6m, Ireland's smallest chapel was built in 1877 by Edward Costello, distraught at the early death of his wife, Mary. Both husband…

6. St George's Heritage Centre

6.42 MILES

Up the hill in a restored 1827-built church, this heritage centre looks at the history and landscape of Leitrim from old Gaelic traditions through to…

7. Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery

7.98 MILES

With a bird's-eye view of the county from high in the Bricklieve Mountains, it's little wonder this hilltop site was sacred in prehistoric times. But for…

8. Elphin Windmill

8.35 MILES

This charming little whitewashed 18th-century windmill was abandoned in 1837 and repaired in the 1990s, and is now the oldest restored operational…