Loughlinstown House, one of the oldest and largest surviving Georgian houses in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown and of considerable architectural interest. The home of the only EU Agency in Dublin, Eurofound, (The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions). Eurofound was one of the very first EU Agencies to be established in 1975. With its tripartite nature, its role is to provide knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies.
The tour will consist of an opportunity to visit the Georgian building, the purpose-built conference centre, considered a state-of-the art building, for its time. Plus, Eurofound staff will outline the work of Eurofound.
The first building on the grounds was a C13 medieval castle. In 1660, the English king Charles II gifted ‘the Castle, Towne and Lands of Laughanstown’ to Sir William Domville (1609 – 1689). Sir William built a ‘modern’ house, which in 1752, a visitor described as ‘old and ruinous and ingeniously situated to avoid one of the sweetest prospects’.
The two-storey Georgian house features a seven-bay front with a one-bay breakfront, including a Venetian window above a tripartite rusticated and fanlight doorway. The lands also included a large, enclosed garden, woods and two small lakes.
The estate remained in the hands of the Domville family until it was sold in 1963 to John Galvin. Galvin in turn sold the estate to Dún Laoghaire Corporation for housing development in 1976, the OPW acquired Loughlinstown House and its parkland.
Following a site visit on 7 May 1976, the Governing Board of Eurofound took up the Irish government’s offer and located the EU Agency in Loughlinstown House. By 1987 the Agency had outgrown Loughlinstown House, so a new main building of 2,300sqm was opened by the then Irish President Mary Robinson in September 1992.

Book-in only

Wheelchair accessible
Accessible Toilets
Assistance Dogs welcome