Newcastle Demesne

Newcastle Wood was once part of Newcastle Demesne, an estate of some 11,000 hectares owned by the King-Harman family in the 1800’s. The nearby Newcastle house was where the King-Harmans lived and there are many features and placenames in the woodland that refer back to that time. King-Harman sold lands to the Forestry Department in 1934 and over the following two years it was planted with a mixture of coniferous and broadleaf trees, that include Oak, Ash, Beech, Pine, Norway & Sitka Spruce with lesser quantities of Birch, Willow, Hazel, Alder, Cherry & Holly. The last of the King-Harman family died in 1949.

Terrain description: mixture of mature deciduous forest and mixed conifer plantation with extensive path and drainage ditch networks. Generally good underfoot conditions with a good mix of very open, slow run and walk forest. Very little climb involved on any course.

The wood extends to 325 hectares and is managed as a commercial forest. The wood extends to both sides of the River Inny, which is a main tributary of the Shannon. It is called after the mythological Princess Eithne who drowned and was cremated downstream at the rapids at Tenelick.
The Inny below Newcastle Bridge has plentiful rapids and canoeing is popular. The Inny Kayak Club was set up in 1993.



See Coillte Outdoors for more information and walking routes. There are several walks through the area and also a ½ mile of wheelchair accessible pathways though the wood, along with picnic and car parking areas.