Ireland’s Most Charming Village
ADARE
Adare, County Limerick, Ireland
Often called Ireland’s prettiest village—and certainly one of its most photographed—Adare is a snug collection of thatch-roofed cottages, Tudor-style houses, and ivied medieval ruins, with a welcoming main street that is filled with small restaurants, pubs, and a smattering of colorfully painted gift and craft shops. Odd, then, that such a quaint town would also contain Adare Manor, an astonishing Gothic pile with 52 chimneys, 365 leaded-glass windows, and turrets everywhere. Former home and seat of the Earls of Dunraven, it is now an 840-acre baronial haven for guests who relish being cosseted like descendants of royalty. Opened in 1988 as one of the country’s most impressive castle hotels, it fulfills storybook standards, with colossal halls, ornate fireplaces (75 of them), enormous oil portraits, Waterford-crystal chandeliers, and grounds embellished with groomed box hedges and formal French parterre gardens. Anglers enjoy the riverside location, but the real reason to stay here is the 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1995. Adare Manor is also no slouch in the dining department: Excellent dinners in the oak-paneled dining room call for jacket and tie, making every evening an occasion.
For a town with a population of just 2,600, Adare is surprisingly endowed with culinary riches. The Mustard Seed, an immediate favorite when it debuted in 1985, uses local meats and organic greens to give Irish touches to European fare. It is housed in the atmospheric 19th-century Echo Lodge, a converted convent that includes 11 classic rooms as well as several modern suites in a former schoolhouse, all surrounded by 10 acres of gardens and orchards.
The Wild Geese is Adare’s other stellar restaurant, where diners sip drinks by a peat fire before moving to the cozy, dollhouse atmosphere of the dining room for meals that emphasize fresh, locally sourced flavors, served in a homey environment.
WHERE: 25 miles/40 km northwest of Shannon. ADARE MANOR: Tel 353/61-605-200; in the U.S., 800-462-3273; www.adaremanor.com. Cost: from $340 (off-peak), from $630 (peak); dinner $90; greens fees $105 (off-peak), $165 (peak). MUSTARD SEED AT ECHO LODGE: Tel 353/69-68508; www.mustardseed.ie. Cost: from $230; dinner $90. WILD GEESE: Tel 353/61-396451; www.thewild-geese.com. Cost: dinner $50. BEST TIME: May–Oct for nicest weather.
The Fairest of Them All
ASHFORD CASTLE
Cong, County Mayo, Ireland
Ireland has no shortage of castle hotels, but Ashford Castle—an imposing flight of fancy reflected in Ireland’s second largest lake, Lough Corrib—stands alone. Think turrets, drawbridge, and battlements, coupled with gracious service, canopied four-poster beds, armor-lined corridors, and crackling fires in richly paneled drawing rooms. Dating to the 13th century, the world-famous hotel served as the Guinness brewing family’s private residence for almost 100 years, beginning in 1852. Ashford’s George V Room and more intimate Connaught Room offer elegant dining, replete with vast windows, Waterford crystal engraved with Ashford’s crest, and custom-made Wedgwood place settings. Those not checking in can dine on bistro fare in Cullen’s at the Cottage, on Ashford’s spectacular 300-acre grounds. Activities, such as lake fishing and cruises, golf, and falconry lessons, are open to nonguests as well. In 1952, when John Ford filmed scenes of the silver-screen classic The Quiet Man (with John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara) on Ashford’s grounds and in the neighboring village of Cong, the cast called the flamboyant castle home.
Though County Mayo is home to the country’s grandest luxury castle, its residents experienced great devastation during the Famine. A bronze memorial dedicated to its victims stands at the base of Mayo’s sacred mountain, Croagh Patrick, hallowed since the era of the Celts, who celebrated their harvest festival Lughnasa on its summit every August 1. Originally called Croagh Aigh, it was renamed after the saint who fasted there for 40 days in the year 441. From his post there, St. Patrick reputedly banished “the snakes” from Ireland, likely a euphemism for eradicating much of Celtic religion and introducing Christianity. On the last Sunday of every July, tens of thousands of pilgrims (many of them barefoot) make the 3-hour climb to the 2,460-foot summit to pray and attend religious services.
Mayo’s history goes back even further—over 5,000 years—at the Ceide Fields, the world’s most extensive Stone Age site. Perched at the ocean’s edge, Ceide’s farming settlement has the oldest-known walled fields, preserved over the millennia by the bog.
These days, Mayo enjoys a solid reputation for the brown trout that thrive in the waters of Lough Conn. To angle on the lake, visit Cloonamoyne Fishery, on the grounds of Enniscoe House, the 17th-century ancestral home of Susan Kellett and her son DJ, who open its rooms and those of their farmhouses to overnight guests. Cloonamoyne can outfit you with a boat, a ghillie (guide), and equipment. Wrap up the day at Matt Molloy’s pub in the popular and picturesque town of Westport. Owned by flutist Matt Molloy from the world-renowned trad band the Chieftains, the pub has a back room that is alive with music every night of the week.
WHERE: 155 miles/249 km miles west of Dublin. Tel 353/94-954-6003; www.ashford.ie. Cost: from $250 (off-peak), from $535 (peak). CLOONAMOYNE FISHERY: Tel 353/9651156; www.cloonamoynefishery.com. Cost: $165 per day for motorboat and guide. When: Apr–Sep. ENNISCOE HOUSE: Tel 353/9631112; www.enniscoe.com. Cost: guesthouse from $270 per night; farmhouses from $689 per week. When: Apr–Oct for guesthouse; year-round for farmhouses. MATT MOLLOY’S PUB: Tel 353/98-26655; www.mattmolloy.com. BEST TIMES: Apr–Jun for trout fishing; last Sun in Jul for Croagh Patrick pilgrimage; early Aug for Westport Music Festival.
Ancient History’s Sacred Ground
THE BOYNE VALLEY
County Meath, Ireland
Just north of Dublin, a concentration of impressive megalithic monuments, called Brú na Bóinne, clusters along the banks of the River Boyne in County Meath. The main site, Newgrange—an immense, grass-covered mound surrounded by a retaining wall—dates to around 3200 B.C. Newgrange encloses a long, narrow stone passageway that ends in a cruciform, corbel-vaulted room, likely a tomb and royal chamber, that soars to 20 feet high.
During the winter solstice, the first light of day shines into an open roof-box above the entrance lintel and slips along the passageway until it illuminates the chamber for 20 minutes. For each of six mornings around this day, ten lucky lottery winners and their ten guests win the chance to climb inside Newgrange to witness this spectacle. The rest of the year, visitors can see a light show that mimics the effect. Knowth, Newgrange’s sister site, displays the greatest concentration of megalithic art in western Europe in the form of decorative circles, spirals, chevrons, and zigzags carved into huge boulders and chiseled away in raised-relief design.
Farther down the Boyne stands Ireland’s spiritual center, the Hill of Tara. Sacred since prehistoric times, Tara has strong links to Celtic myth and history as the ceremonial seat of the High Kings of Eire, who ruled for over 2 millennia, according to Irish historical record, until the 11th century. Its Stone of Destiny is reputed to be the coronation site of ancient kings, and Ireland’s Five Ancient Roads led directly to Tara. Tribal clans gathered at Tara for national celebrations called fei s, at which they passed laws, settled disputes, listened to druids, and hosted feasts. Today, on important dates from the Celtic calendar such as the summer solstice, you might find modern-day pagan worshippers celebrating on Tara’s grassy, gently rising 512-foot hill. A new nearby motorway threatens Tara’s structure and sanctity and compelled the Smithsonian Institution to name Tara a must-see endangered cultural treasure.
For comparatively modern history along the Boyne, visit Trim to see Ireland’s largest Anglo-Norman castle. Trim Castle’s keep was completed by 1206, and its massive 20-sided tower remains so striking that Mel Gibson shot parts of Braveheart here in 1994. In Trim, you can also hop into a hot-air balloon for sweeping views of the Boyne and the best possible vantage of Tara’s raised earthworks.
Built by Hugh de Lacy, Trim Castle has changed litt
le since its completion.
WHERE: 27 miles/43 km north of Dublin. VISITOR INFO: www.heritageireland.ie. BRÚ NA BÓINNE: Tel 353/41-988-0300. NEWGRANGE SOLSTICE LOTTERY: by application at visitor center or e-mail [email protected]. When: Newgrange open year-round, winter solstice event Dec 18–23 at dawn. HILL OF TARA: Tel 353/46-902-5903. When: late May–mid-Sep. IRISH BALLOON FLIGHTS: Tel 353/46-9483436; www.balloons.ie. When: Apr–Sep. Cost: $335. BEST TIMES: early Apr for Trim’s Hot Air Balloon Fiesta; Dec 18–23 for winter solstice, if you have the luck of the Irish and win Newgrange’s lottery.
Terrain of the Celtic Twilight
YEATS COUNTRY
County Sligo, Ireland
Steeped in mysticism and the beauty of the natural world, the writing of Nobel laureate William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) sprang from the deep impression County Sligo left on his childhood imagination during summers he spent there with his mother’s family. Yeats was born in Dublin (see p. 61); however, his poems, plays, and prose were often inspired by Sligo’s evocative landscapes and legends.
Sligo town holds the concentration of Yeats’ museums and memorials, but what captured the writer’s heart lies outside town. To understand their powerful effect on the writer, wander along Lough Gill (whose Innisfree Isle inspired one of his most famous poems) and visit the Dooney Rock and the hazel woods. Or climb the massive Knocknarea Mountain, its summit topped with Celtic Queen Maeve’s limestone cairn, then continue east just over the Leitrim border to the Glencar waterfall, so smooth it almost looks like glass.
It takes time to see it all, so head 11 miles south of Sligo, and check in at Coopershill, a three-story Georgian manor house that has been in the O’Hara family for eight generations. The elegant 1774 inn exudes old-world grace in the eight spacious and beautifully furnished guest rooms as well as in the handsome dining room, where wonderful farm-to-plate meals are served by candlelight.
Yeats’s final resting place is in Sligo’s Drumcliffe graveyard, at St. Columba’s Church. Per his wishes, his gravestone stands under the watchful gaze of Ben Bulben, the monolithic mountain reputed to be the dwelling of the Fianna tribe of Celtic warriors. Yeats, whose great-grandfather had been a rector of St. Columba’s Church, wanted to be buried in the tiny village. Though he was originally interred in France in 1939, his relatives eventually had his remains returned to St. Columba’s. The church’s swan-shaped door handles recall Yeats’s poem “The Wild Swans at Coole.” His epitaph is the last lines of his poem “Under Ben Bulben.” Outside the graveyard, a statue crouches as if to contemplate “He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven,” another work of Yeats’s. The poem is inscribed in stone at the feet of the figure, which is draped with the sculptor’s rendition of heaven’s embroidered cloths.
WHERE: 128 miles/206 km northeast of Dublin. VISITOR INFO: www.discoverireland.ie/northwest. COOPERSHILL HOUSE: Tel 353/7191-65108; www.coopershill.com. Cost: from $285; dinner $65. YEATS MEMORIAL BUILDING/YEATS SOCIETY: Tel 353/719142693; www.yeats-sligo.com. When: Apr–Oct. BEST TIME: Jul–Aug for Yeats summer festival in Sligo town and around the county.
The Sparkle On and Off the Water
WATERFORD CRYSTAL AND WATERFORD CASTLE
Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland
Waterford County, in Ireland’s southeast, has long been associated with the famed crystal produced here. After falling on hard times and closing down in 2009, a new factory and visitors center, the House of Waterford Crystal, opened in 2010 in the heart of town, offering tours that explore a tradition of classic and modern methods of glassmaking dating back to 1783 as well as the largest collection of Waterford crystal in the world. Thanks to its purity and intricate detail, the company’s worldwide reputation endures, with one-of-a-kind pieces found in Westminster Abbey, the Kennedy Center, the White House, and, in the form of the massive ball that drops every New Year’s Eve in Times Square.
When you’ve had your fill of the world of etched glass, float downstream along the River Suir (one of three that converge here) to Waterford Castle, now a luxury hotel, situated on its own small island. Simply called the Island, the 300-acre spread is the castle hotel’s private dominion, reachable only by 5-minute car ferry. Built on Norman foundations that date back some 800 years, the 18th-century structure is the real deal, complete with authentic turrets, gargoyles, and battlements. Pass through massive, studded oak doors to the grand hallway, where an enormous coat-of-arms has been woven into a circular carpet and where the ambience is graciously informal. And with just 19 rooms and suites, guests share their lordly domain with only a handful of other equally lucky castaways. Dine in the grand Munster Room restaurant, feasting on seasonal dishes simply prepared to bring out the natural flavors. Relax with wine from the exceptional cellar while listening to the tinkling of the house pianist. You can work off a fit-for-a-king breakfast by exploring the bridle and bicycle paths through the island’s woodlands. The big draw, though, is the 18-hole, par-72 parkland course designed by Irish pro Des Smyth—making this the country’s only true island golf resort.
Craftsmen sculpt, cut, and engrave Waterford Crystal.
WHERE: 102 miles/165 km southwest of Dublin. HOUSE OF WATERFORD CRYSTAL: Tel 353/51-317-000; www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com. WATERFORD CASTLE: Tel 353/51-878203; www.waterfordcastle.com. Cost: from $190 (off-peak), from $315 (peak); dinner $85; greens fees from $50. BEST TIMES: Mar–Aug for nicest weather; Nov for Waterford International Music Festival.
Showcasing the Offbeat and Little Known
WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA
Wexford, County Wexford, Ireland
The best time to catch sleepy Wexford is in October, when the whole town turns out for its renowned Opera Festival. Begun in 1951, the event continues to grow in prestige and recognition, expanding its offerings with the large, state-of-the-art Wexford Opera House, opened in 2008. The festival showcases lesser-known operas and world-class performers, and employs innovative approaches, such as presenting condensed versions of classic works. Unsnobby, nonelitist, and often offbeat, it is the country’s most important opera festival and one of the world’s best small festivals of any kind. Myriad art exhibitions and traditional Irish music performances enthusiastically join the fray for the 3-week period, creating a lively atmosphere townwide.
Experience more of that spirit of both small-town pride and sophistication with a stay at County Wexford’s most gracious inn, the exquisite Regency-style Marlfield House, in Gorey, a half hour north of town. Set amid 36 acres of gardens and parkland that are as impeccably overseen as the inn itself, this 1820 seat of the Earls of Courtown is an antiques-filled oasis of calm, with its own lake and wild fowl reserve. Enjoy fare from a refined menu in the romantic, candlelit Victorian-style conservatory added by the current owners. Filled with plants, mirrors, and the aroma of expertly prepared meals, the dining room makes the perfect setting in which to toast your stay.
For country living with a homier touch, book one of the five rooms at Ballinkeele House, an Italianate mansion in nearby Enniscorthy. It was built in 1840 for the Maher family, who operate it today as a B&B. The elegantly appointed rooms showcase period furnishings, including four-poster beds, and offer glimpses of the surrounding 350 acres, which include gardens, woodland, and a working farm. Roam the grounds, play croquet on the lawn, or cozy up to a fire in cooler months, before heading for your opera performance or while waiting for dinner at a long communal table in the deep-red, candlelit Victorian dining room. County Wexford feels so bucolic and serene, one would never know that Dublin is within easy reach.
WHERE: 88 miles/142 km south of Dublin. WEXFORD FESTIVAL OPERA: Tel 353/53-9122400; www.wexfordopera.com. Cost: tickets from $20—$180. When: 3 weeks in Oct. MARLFIELD HOUSE: Tel 353/53-942-1124; www.marlfieldhouse.com. Cost: from $230 (off-peak), from $340 (peak); dinner $85. When: closed Jan–Feb. BALLINKEELE HOUSE: Tel 353/53-913-8105; www.ballinkeele.ie. Cost: from $215; dinner $65. When: closed Dec–Jan. BEST TIME: May–Sep for nicest weather.
Pride of the Emerald
Isle
THE GARDENS OF WICKLOW
County Wicklow, Ireland
In a country known around the world for its verdant, coast-to-coast beauty, it says something that the Irish call Wicklow the “Garden of Ireland.” In addition to the rolling green expanse of the Wicklow Mountains, Ireland’s “little Alps,” the county is home to more than 30 public gardens, from tiny half-acre cottage plots to the sprawling 47 acres of Powerscourt, Ireland’s most visited garden. Its richly textured landscape includes formal flower beds, ornamental lakes, a Japanese garden, and more than 200 varieties of trees and shrubs. Expanding upon the original 13th-century castle, Powerscourt House was magnificently rebuilt in the 18th century, with the more recent addition of sweeping Italianate terraces, statuary, ironwork, and decorative items collected by the owners. Sit for a moment overlooking the gardens at the Terrace Café, a prime location with a simple menu of freshly made dishes.
Or come equipped with a picnic and strike off across the 1,000-acre estate to its waterfall, the highest in the British Isles at 398 feet. It is set in a beautifully wooded park where the Powerscourt lords introduced the first herd of Japanese sika deer to Europe. The current owners of the estate, the Slazenger family, purchased the park from the 9th Viscount Powerscourt in 1961 and built the 36-hole Powerscourt Golf Club, ranked one of the finest in Ireland and an easy drive from downtown Dublin.
To lodge in comparable luxury, check in at the Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, a monumental hotel located on the estate grounds and newly built in the Palladian style, with Georgian-inspired interiors and rooms granting glorious views of the countryside. A spa outfitted in slate, wood, and stone offers a dip in the Swarovski crystal–lit pool and a Garden of Inspiration massage, while the hotel’s restaurant-with-a-view is overseen by renowned chef Gordon Ramsay.
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