Tara’s Palace is located in Malahide Castle and is felt to be one of the Worlds most significant dolls houses.
Ron and Doreen McDonnell created Tara’s Palace having found their inspiration from the famous Titania’s Palace.
They started to build the dolls house in 1980 and ever since the house has became bigger with pieces being added to it all the time. At the moment the house stands 8 feet high and has 15 rooms, all which are slightly bigger than a shoes box. The whole dolls house is entirely hand made and is designed around Irelands three magnificent 18th century mansions, Castletown House, Carton and Leinster House.
The Children’s Toy museum where Tara’s Palace is situated is also home to many other interesting artefacts such as, dolls, antique toys and other well known dolls houses, which all date back as far as the 1700’s.
Titania’s Palace was built between the years 1907 and 1922 by an English painter Sir Neville Wilkinson. His daughter asked him to build her a house for the fairies she had seen in their garden at Mount Merion House. She claimed that the fairies lived under the trees and shrubs and they deserved somewhere better to dwell.
April – September: Monday to Saturday 9am- 5pm (closed for lunch 1-2pm) Sunday 2pm –5pm
October – March: Closed
Get the train or DART to Malahide form Connolly Station.
Get bus number 42 from Beresford Place, which is located near Busaras.