Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS June + July 2020 s p e c i a l a d v e r t i s i n g s e c t i o n Connemara House Connemara House was Tim Guinee's dream. He and his wife, Helene, searched the North Shore looking for the right property to start a gentleman's farm. They found it in Topsfield—36 acres of rolling meadows surrounded by stone walls and a seven-bedroom estate house that could accommodate their family of 12 children. Over the next two years, the family planted over 1,300 fruit trees to create the orchard. With a nod toward their Irish farming heritage, they named the property Connemara House. For more than two decades, the small orchard has been an apple picking destination for North Shore and Boston area families. In an effort to preserve the family property and orchards for future generations, five of the couple's sons purchased Connemara House from their other siblings. The expansion of their agritourism footprint to include the house and grounds as an event venue happened organically. With such a large family—12 children, 55 grandchildren, and 18 great grandchildren—every Guinee gathering was an event. A usual holiday celebration would include 75 to 85 people for dinner. The furniture would be moved out of the living room and tables would be set up, so everyone could sit down to dinner together. Every August, they would host a family reunion on the property, with over 200 attendees. These events would rival any corporate outing, with multiple lawn games, tournaments and races for the children, and fabulous food. Everyone agreed the house and grounds were the perfect backdrop for entertaining. The brothers and their families spent every weekend last Spring together getting the grounds and orchards back into pristine shape. They installed a beautiful Sperry tent and, last September, opened the estate house and grounds as an event venue. Connemara House is a magical place to hold a milestone event. Nestled among rustic stone walls, rolling meadows and an orchard, the Georgian-style estate sits at the end of a long and winding tree- lined drive. The Guinee family looks forward to hosting you and yours at this special place, where generations have engaged in countless hours of joy! To learn more, contact Deborah Guinee at 978-767-6381 or visit connemarahousefarm.com. Connemara House 252 Rowley Bride Rd, Topsfield, MA 09183 978-767-6381 connemarahousefarm.com events@connemarahousefarm.com Photos by Kindra Clineff Photography