| Castles in spades  MALCOLM
ROGERS looks at some romantic getaways in Ireland.
Ashford Castle, Cong, Co. Mayo
This is probably the oldest castle in Ireland that you can stay in being
built in the 13th century by the Anglo-Normans to fend of attacks from
the men of Connacht.
Set on the shores of Lough Corrib the rooms are full of comfort and character
with several bars and restaurants at your disposal within the grounds. The
George V Restaurant, the Connaught Room, Cullen’s Cottage and the
Dungeon Bar serve a range of food and wine to satisfy the most exacting
Gaelic gastronaut.
Contact: www.ashfordcastle.ie Tel 00 353 (0) 94 954 6003. Double rooms from
¤232 (£150) per night for two people sharing.
Waterford Castle, Ballinakill, Waterford Standing on a private island
this is one of the country’s smaller castle hotels, with only 19
rooms ideal for either a romantic or a sporting weekend. The grounds in
which the building stands used to be the seat of the FitzGerald family
and served as a fruit and flower business and pedigree dairy farm until
the castle hotel opened in 1988.
This is the ideal discreet retreat featuring a restaurant, 18-hole parkland
golf course (designed by Des Smyth), luxurious club-house and comfortable
and cosy quarters.
Contact: Tel 00 353 (0) 51 878 203 or 00 353 (0) 51 871633 www.waterfordcastle.com/golf
Double rooms from ¤350 (£stg230) per night for two people
sharing.
Glin Castle, Co. Limerick
Glin Castle can be a single occupancy hotel if that’s what you want
which means you can rent out the whole place for a week — 15 bedrooms
— fully-staffed.
Set within a 500 acre estate on the banks of the Shannon the restaurant
is renowned for its food which is practically all sourced locally. The
salmon comes from the river, beef and lamb are reared locally and much
of the vegetable produce is grown in the castle’s organic walled
garden.
Contact: www.glincastle.com Tel 00 353 (0) 68 34173. Double rooms from
£180 per room per night
Dromoland Castle, Co. Clare
The digs of presidents and royalty, celebs and sports stars Dromoland
was recently voted one of the finest hotels in Ireland by the readership
of the USA’s Travel + Leisure magazine which isn’t bad going
for a 16th century castle built to withstand attacks from the avowed enemies
of the Earls of Thomond.
Set in a 375-acre estate the castle underwent serious refurbishment in
the 19th and 20th centuries. Service, as you might imagine, is exemplary
and pursuits include both traditional and contemporary: Hunting, fishing,
golf plus modern spa treatments such as reiki and reflexology.
Contact: www.dromolandcastle.ie Tel 00 353 (0) 61 368 144. Double rooms
begin at ¤230 (£150).
Kinnitty Castle, Co. Offaly
The O’Carrolls held sway in this neck of the woods for almost
400 years with Kinnitty Castle one of their main redoubts.
Today it’s a sumptuous hotel with banqueting room, library (with
bar attached in case you get bored reading) and individual, full-of-character
rooms.
For the spiritually-minded Kinnitty Castle is at a pulse centre of the
country, the so-called Mystic Triangle of Co. Offaly and the surrounding
areas. Archaeologists found evidence of human life in this area approximately
7,000 years ago so it is no surprise that tales of banshees, fairy folk,
spirits and leprechauns abound.
Tel 00 353 (0) 57 9137318 www.kinnittycastle.com Prices per night per
person sharing including bed & breakfast begin at ¤140 (£90).
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