The Entrance Hall
The Entrance Hall dates back to 1751 when Nathaniel Clements built the original Park Ranger’s house. It has a magnificent coffered barrelvaulted ceiling and fluted Doric columns. Busts of James Clarence Mangan and Daniel O’Connell are on either side of the door into the State Drawing Room. Also of note is the wooden wine cooler designed by Francis Johnston who designed the portico of the house as well as the GPO in Dublin.
The Gardens
Áras an Uachtaráin is set amid 130 acres of parkland and gardens dating back to the construction of the house in 1751. The formal gardens were created in 1840 by Decimus Burton with later additions by Ninian Niven. They contain many Victorian features, including ceremonial trees, an arboretum, wilderness, pleasure grounds, avenues, walks, ornamental lakes and walled gardens. Visitors pass through the formal gardens to the Queen’s Walk, flanked on either side by ceremonial trees, and into the upper walled garden which is bounded on the south by a Turner peach house.