The Ballywalter Park Shoot

Ballywalter Park has provided the perfect environment for a traditional driven shoot since the early years of the 20th Century, when the 1st Lord Dunleath planted woods and established cover to create a shoot which attracted such famous sportsmen as the Duke of York [later King George VI] in 1924 and the Duke of Gloucester in 1935.

The shoot fell into abeyance after the Second World War but was resurrected in the 1990s by a local syndicate but it has now been taken back into family ownership, with each shoot being managed personally either by Lord Dunleath or by his son, William Mulholland.

Since 1997 the shoot has been run as a traditional driven pheasant and partridge shoot. In 2004, and with advice from the Game Conservancy in Scotland, an exciting additional dimension was added with two driven duck drives, where high mallard duck are presented over the guns that are standing in either parkland trees or open pastureland, providing what has been described as a unique shooting experience.

A number of days of diverse shooting possibilities are now available, depending on the time of year, for discerning parties of guns

• Driven Duck & Partridge
• Driven Duck, Partridge & Pheasant
• Driven Duck & Pheasant
• Walked-up days at the end of the season

Two full-time professional game keepers are employed.

The shoot provides for 9 guns and the bag can be tailored to the team’s requirements. Generally, this will be between 300 and 450 head. Full catering, comprising morning coffee, luncheon and afternoon tea, with drinks as appropriate, is offered in the dedicated shoot rooms.

Arrangements can be made and advice given, as a matter of course, for Great Britain and Overseas licence holders to obtain the necessary permits to bring personal shotguns into Northern Ireland. It is difficult to bring in ammunition either by air or by sea – cartridges may be carried by sea on the conventional ferries only via Cairnryan [Scotland] – Larne – www.poirishsea.com – but we can provide cartridges, at cost, if advised on requirements in advance.

Parties of guns shooting at Ballywalter Park over the driven days are invited to stay in the listed Mansion House, which offers 12 luxurious en-suite twin or double bedrooms. Non shooting partners are most welcome and advice can be given on alternative attractions and places of interest to visit. We have our own dedicated team who will provide full in-house dining facilities, complemented by the house cellars containing in excess of 2,000 bottles of fine wines.

Driven Pheasant, Duck, and Partridge Shooting Northern Ireland UK.