Ballywalter Park

Ballywalter Park has been in the ownership of Lord Dunleath’s family for over 150 years and is one of Ireland’s most important historic houses.

Ballywalter Park is a Grade A listed historic house, beautifully restored as a conference venue, providing exclusive lunches, dinners and accommodation for up to 24 guests in 12 luxurious bedrooms. Tours of the house can also be arranged by appointment.

The house is surrounded by 270 acres of pleasure grounds, fields, lake and woodland.

In 2002 Lord and Lady Dunleaths decided that Ballywalter Park should start to earn its keep and they began by getting approval from Tourism Northern Ireland and from the Environmental Health to provide both accommodation and lunches and dinners.

To preserve the exclusive and special nature of the house and demesne, it is restricted to corporate use, such as residential conferences, product launches and photo shoots, top end groups staying whilst on visits to the Historic Houses and gardens of Ireland and as a film location.

The family do not provide facilities for private parties or for weddings.

Over the years the family have welcomed British and Foreign Royalty, film and television stars and visitors from all corners of the globe.

Ballywalter Park is a much favoured corporate venue. Clients that have coming for dinners since 2002 when Lord and Lady Dunleath set out on this venture. Conferences for up to 12 pax can stay overnight. The family take art history, architectural and garden tours from all over the world. There are 12 bedrooms, 2 twins and 10 doubles. Most are ensuite but two rooms have their own private bathrooms a few steps from their bedroom. The house has a House shower for all to use and there are bathrobes in all bedrooms. There is room to seat 55 people for dinner in the dining room if seated at round tables. Lord and Lady Dunleath can also accommodate one special table for 24. It is a Harland and Wolf built solid mahogany, expanding dining table from the height of the Victorian era. There is another table like it at Belfast City Hall however, it is solid made from walnut.

The conference clients bring in their facilitators and Ballywalter Pack can comfortably accommodate a conference of 55 which includes the number of people we can seat in the dining room. At the end of the conference when the client’s work is done the family can offer a wine tasting in the 18^th century wine cellar. Or the head gardener Anna Hudson can give the client’s a tour of the Walled Garden. Lady Dunleath who is a food historian can give the client a proper insight into what seasonal and regional dining really means. There is a historical tour of the house and several tours of the Dunleath’s outstanding gardens available. Lord and Lady Dunleath can also take the group for a long walk on the beach via a private underpass under the public road which connects Ballywalter Park to the sea.  The tide tables will be checked to ensure the group can go when the beach is miles wide.

In the stable yard there is a less formal area called the Foaling Box where the client can do any activity or craft they could possibly think of. Flower arranging, willow weaving, Christmas wreath making. There is a magnificent Conservatory with underfloor heating which lends itself to morning yoga or other wellbeing activities.