The Office of Public Works is responsible for the care, maintenance, management and presentation of several significant properties and historic Parks, Gardens and designed landscapes across Ireland. Our principal objective is to protect, conserve, maintain and present these properties while encouraging appropriate public access be it informal, guided or to organised events.

The sites where positions are available are as follows: National Historic Properties

• National Botanic Gardens
• Annes Grove Gardens & Doneraile Park
• Emo Court & Heywood Gardens
• Phoenix Park
• St. Enda’s Park
• National War Memorial Gardens
• Castletown House and Estate
• Farmleigh
• Garinish Island National Monuments Properties
• Mallow National Monuments District

National Botanic Gardens

In order to explore, understand, conserve, and share the importance of plants, the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Glasnevin, strives to maintain a comprehensive, diverse, well-curated, labelled and catalogued collection of living plants to provide the basis for developing horticultural skills and for providing appropriate material for conservation and education programmes. We are looking for someone dynamic with a flair for horticulture and collection management, maintaining and developing this world-famous garden and plant collection.

Annes Grove Gardens & Doneraile Park

Annes Grove is a historic country estate of over 190 acres nestled in a landscape of woodland, river and glen located near Castletownroche in north Cork. It was the home of the Grove Annesley family from the 1600s until 2015, when it was gifted to the Irish state and entered the care of the Office of Public Works.

The Office of Public Works has carried out extensive works to the house, outbuildings and gardens and formally re-opened the site to the public in 2022. Richard Arthur Grove Annesley, inherited Annes Grove in 1892 and developed the landscape in the Robinsonian style since the 1890s. He supported the plant-hunting expeditions led by Frank Kingdon-Ward to Tibet, Yunan Province, Burma and Bhutan and assembled an exotic collection of plants. Some of the spectacular flowering shrubs dating from this period have contributed to making the 30 acres of gardens at Annes Grove a plant collection of international significance.

Doneraile Court is the stunning centrepiece of one of Ireland’s most beautiful estates. Located on the banks of the Awbeg river in north Co. Cork, and set in 420 acres of farm and parkland the house dates from the 1720s, when it was built by Arthur St. Leger, the first Viscount Doneraile and father of the renowned Lady Freemason. The house was modified extensively in the 19th century by later generations of St. Legers, creating the imposing and characterful building that can be enjoyed today.

The Estate is extremely popular as a visitor destination, attracting over 520,000 visitors to the parkland in 2023. The parkland is rich in biodiversity. Features and facilities on the estate include formal gardens, scenic walks, herds of native deer (Sika, Fallow and Red) as well as a Kerry cattle herd. There are over 50 acres of wildflower meadows through which the visitor can wander on its cut pathways. Visitor facilities at Doneraile include extensive car parking, public toilets, café, and a playground (managed by the local authority). As a heritage site Doneraile Court is still in its development stage and with Doneraile Park has offered many opportunities to grow it’s following and visitor base.

Note: The successful candidate will be based at both Annes Grove Gardens, Castletownroche and Doneraile Park, Doneraile, Co. Cork, and will be required to report to and work at either site as and when directed by management. It will be a condition of these working arrangements that no travel or subsistence expenses will be payable in respect of travelling to/from and working at both sites. The hours of attendance will be determined by local management requirements.

Emo Court & Heywood Gardens

Heywood Gardens in County Laois is a historic landscape featuring both an 18th-century romantic park and early 20th-century formal gardens designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and possibly Gertrude Jekyll. The parkland includes lakes, woodland, and architectural features like follies, while the formal gardens boast terraces, a sunken garden, and a loggia with views of the surrounding countryside. The gardens showcase the work of renowned architect Sir Edwin Lutyens and possibly the landscaping of Gertrude Jekyll, with elements like a pleached lime walkway and a circular terraced garden with a pool and fountain. The gardens are known for their contrasting styles and beautiful setting, with the formal elements complementing the older, more natural landscape. Heywood offers a blend of 18th-century romantic landscape design and early 20th-century formal gardens.

Emo Court is a neo-classical mansion in County Laois, Ireland, designed by architect James Gandon in 1790 after designing Coolbanagher Church close by in 1785. It features extensive Gardens, a Walled Garden, Parklands, formal lawns, a lake, and woodland walks. There are a variety of inspiring elements with mature trees, the Wellingtonia Avenue, all within a designed landscape. There is a blend of formal and naturalistic planting. The House was originally built for the Earls of Portarlington, in 1930 owned by the Jesuit order of Priests, and in 1969 was purchased by Mr. Cholmeley Harrison and handed to the state in 1995. There are now 250 acres on the estate and it is cared and maintained by the Office of Public Works.

Note: The role of the successful candidate will encompass both Emo Court, Emo, Co Laois and Heywood Gardens, Ballinakill, Co Laois, and the holder will be required to report to and work at either site as and when directed by management. The position will be based at Emo Court but as Emo Court and Heywood Gardens are run as sister sites, the Craft Gardener may sometimes be requested to work at Heywood Gardens. It will be a condition of these working arrangements that no travel or subsistence expenses will be payable in respect of travelling to/from and working at both sites. The hours of attendance will be determined by local management requirements.

Phoenix Park

The Phoenix Park is a historic landscape of international importance and one of the largest designed landscapes in any European city. The Park represents a unique natural and cultural landscape that is both a historic park and a city park and which provides a setting for a range of activities and amenities. The successful candidates will be based in the Phoenix Park and will work with the wider team of gardeners in the Phoenix Park, Arbour Hill Cemetery, Grangegorman Military Cemetery and Garden of Remembrance as and when required.

St. Enda’s Park

St. Enda's was the location of Patrick Pearse's innovative school from 1910-1935. The site comprises a walled garden with herbaceous borders, and three GAA sports pitches, besides a well-wooded valley of the Whitechurch stream. The museum contains exhibits on the life and times of Pearse as well as a Nature room. Within the grounds are a unique collection of buildings and structures based upon Gaelic field monuments. A detailed Biodiversity Action Plan has been developed and is being implemented by the operational staff at the site.

National War Memorial Gardens

The Irish National War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge, Dublin, were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944), and commemorate the Irish men and women who died in the First World War. This unique landscape on the banks of the river Liffey consists of rose gardens, herbaceous borders and mature trees in a Parkland setting. The built heritage consists of a collection of commemorative structures, including Book-rooms, War stone and the Great cross

Garinish Island

Garinish Island, also known as Illnacullin, is a 37-acre Island garden nestled in the sheltered coastal harbour at Glengarriff in Bantry Bay. The gardens display a wealth of unique horticultural and architectural gems. Bryce House is a fitting memorial to the visionary creators of this unique place. The gardens of Ilnacullin owe their existence to the early twentieth-century creative partnership of Annan and Violet Bryce, the island’s owners, and Harold Peto, an architect and garden designer. The area enjoys a mild and humid micro-climate that makes for spectacular and flourishing plant life all year round.

Note: The position will be based on Garinish Island, and it will be necessary to travel to place of work daily as a passenger on a small ferry boat. Castletown House and Estate Castletown Estate in Celbridge, Co Kildare comprises 227 acres of historic demesne, including parkland, farmyard, Pleasure Grounds and biodiversity areas. The successful candidates will be based in Castletown and will work across Castletown Estate and Donaghcumper House and grounds.

Farmleigh

Farmleigh House sits in a 78-acre estate, comprising of parkland, formal walled garden, Dutch style sunken garden, and flower meadows. The position will be based in Farmleigh House and Estate, Dublin 15.

Mallow National Monuments District

The Mallow National Monument Districts area of responsibility covers the counties of Cork, Tipperary, Waterford and Limerick. The main depot is in Mallow, with sub-depots in Kinsale and Cashel.

Note: The position will cover sites such as Barryscourt Castle Gardens and Orchard, Swiss Cottage, and other National Monument Gardens and Biodiversity sites within the District, as deemed appropriate by management.