A ruined Plantation fortified house and its high walled bawn, standing quietly above the shore of Lower Lough Erne west of Enniskillen — with a lovely recreated 17th-century-style garden laid out inside the walls.
What you'll see — the roofless stone tower house and the square bawn that once wrapped around it, a neat box-hedge garden planted in the old 17th-century style within the walls, and quiet lakeland views out toward Lower Lough Erne. A small visitor building in a restored farmhouse tells the story of the place.
How long — most people spend about 30 to 45 minutes walking the ruin, the bawn and the garden.
Cost — free. Tully is a State Care historic monument, so there's no admission charge and no ticket to book.
Parking & food — free parking at the site. There's no café here, so bring water and a snack; Derrygonnelly and Enniskillen have shops, cafés and pubs a short drive away.
Dogs — dogs on leads are generally fine around an open historic site like this, but it's worth checking the notices on arrival.
It's an open ruin with few facilities. Expect uneven ground, grass, cobbles and low walls, and no toilets or shop on site — wear sturdy shoes and keep little ones close near the old stonework.
Opening can be seasonal — check first. The grounds are open-access, but the tower house interior and the garden may only be open at certain times of year, and access is occasionally restricted for works. Check before you set off.
Plan your visit
Can I visit? Yes — it's free and open access.
Tully Castle is a State Care historic monument, so there's no admission charge and nothing to book — you just arrive and walk in. The grounds are open access, though the tower house interior and the recreated garden may only be staffed and open at certain times of the year, and access is sometimes restricted while conservation work is done. There's a free car park at the site and a small visitor building in a restored farmhouse with displays on the castle's history. It's worth a quick check before you travel, especially out of season, so you're not caught out by seasonal or works closures.
Free parkingNo café — bring a snackDogs on leads — check noticesOn the Lough Erne shore
Two to remember:
It's an open ruin — grass, cobbles, uneven ground and low walls, with no toilets or shop on site, so wear sturdy shoes, bring water and keep little ones close near the stonework. And the interior and garden may only be open seasonally, with occasional closures for works — check before you make the trip out.
Before you set off
What to wear & bring
👟Sturdy shoes with gripThe ground is grass, cobbles and uneven stone — trainers or walking shoes, not sandals.
🧥A coat for the lakesideIt's open ground by the lough, so it can catch the wind and a shower even on a mild day.
📷A cameraThe tower house rising over the recreated garden is a lovely picture in good light.
💧Water and a snackThere's no café on site, so bring your own — Derrygonnelly is a short drive for a proper bite.
Good to know
Everything before you go
Cost
Free. Tully Castle is a State Care historic monument — there's no admission charge and no ticket to book.
Opening
The grounds are open access. The tower house interior and the recreated garden may only be open at certain times of year, and access is occasionally restricted for conservation works. Best to confirm before you travel.
What you'll see
The roofless stone tower house, the square walled bawn around it, a recreated 17th-century-style box-hedge garden inside the walls, and views out toward Lower Lough Erne. A small visitor building tells the site's story.
Food
No café on site. Derrygonnelly and Enniskillen have shops, cafés and pubs a short drive away.
Dogs
Dogs on leads are generally fine around an open historic site. Check any notices on arrival.
Parking
Free car park at the site off the Loughshore Road.
Accessibility
It's an open ruin — grass, cobbles, uneven ground and low walls, with no toilets on site. Not ideal for wheelchairs or prams.
How long
About 30 to 45 minutes to walk the ruin, the bawn and the garden.
Address
Loughshore Road, Tully, near Derrygonnelly, Co. Fermanagh, BT93 6HP — on the western shore of Lower Lough Erne, west of Enniskillen.
Questions
Before you go
Is Tully Castle free to visit?
Yes — it's a State Care historic monument, so there's no admission charge and no ticket to book. Parking is free too. Just bear in mind the interior and garden may only be open seasonally.
Can you go inside the ruin and see the garden?
The grounds are open access, and you can walk the bawn and around the tower house. The tower house interior and the recreated 17th-century-style garden may only be open at certain times of year, so it's worth checking before you travel.
Is it accessible or uneven?
It's an open historic ruin, so expect grass, cobbles, uneven ground and low walls, with no toilets on site. Sturdy shoes help, and it's not ideal for wheelchairs or prams. Keep little ones close near the old stonework.
Is there a café or toilets?
Not on site. Bring water and a snack, and Derrygonnelly and Enniskillen have shops, cafés and pubs a short drive away for after your visit.
Can I bring the dog?
Dogs on leads are generally fine around an open historic site like this. Check any notices when you arrive and keep them under control near the ruin and garden.
How long does it take?
Most people spend about 30 to 45 minutes here — a lovely, peaceful stop to fold into a day exploring the Lower Lough Erne shore rather than a full outing on its own.
Getting there
Loughshore Road, Tully, near Derrygonnelly, Co. Fermanagh, BT93 6HP — on the western shore of Lower Lough Erne, west of Enniskillen, with a free car park at the site.
Tully is one of the fortified houses of the Ulster Plantation. It's thought to date to around 1613, and is said to have been built by Sir John Hume, a Scottish settler who was granted these lands on the western shore of Lower Lough Erne. Around the tower house he raised a large square bawn — a high walled yard with towers at the corners — meant to protect the household and the small settlement of families who came to live nearby. The cobbled paths later uncovered inside the bawn showed that part of it had been laid out as a garden, and that early plan is the basis for the box-hedge garden recreated there today.
The house had a short life. During the rising of 1641, the castle was attacked and, after the household surrendered, it was burned and lives were lost in the events that followed. Tully was never lived in again, and the ruin has stood on the lakeshore ever since. It's a quiet, thoughtful place now — the empty tower house, the old walls, and the neat green garden inside them — worth standing in for a moment before you walk back down to the water.