This distinctive folly, built in the early 19th century, takes the form of a miniature castle complete with crenellated walls and a round tower. The Wynne family, who owned the estate at the time, commissioned the structure as part of their grand landscaping project; a fashion for romantic ruins and picturesque viewpoints that swept through Ireland’s landed gentry during this period.

The small castle overlooks one of Ireland’s most storied lakes, where the tiny island of Innisfree lies just visible in the distance, later immortalised in W.B. Yeats’ poetry. Hazelwood itself has a much longer history, with archaeological evidence suggesting human activity here dating back to the Neolithic period. The demesne contains several ring forts, a crannog, and the ruins of an earlier castle, making it a palimpsest of Irish history from prehistoric times through to the Victorian era.

Today, the demesne operates as a public amenity with walking trails winding through ancient oak and hazel woods that give the place its name. Castle Point remains one of the most photographed spots along the Hazelwood sculpture trail, where contemporary art installations now share the landscape with these historical curiosities. The folly serves as a reminder of how Ireland’s 19th century landowners attempted to craft idealised landscapes, blending manufactured ruins with genuine archaeological sites to create their own romantic vision of the Irish past.