Ireland’s Dromoland Castle

By Victoria hart

Once upon a time in a magical green land filled with fairies and leprechauns, alongside an enchanting lake, a king built a castle. Many years later, after the kingdom was conquered and the reigning family ran out of money, the family began renting rooms to visitors.

Five hundred years later, Dromoland Castle is a five star resort offering 98 guest rooms in the iPrefer collection, welcoming visitors from all over the world to experience Irish history and royal culture with all of the modern conveniences available in today’s world.

It sounds like a fairy tale, or the description of a theme park, but the majestic Dromoland Castle, located in Newmarket-on-Fergus,

County Clare, is one of the most celebrated baronial landmarks in

Ireland. So often we experience history only through museums or hiking through ruins, where it takes great imagination to envision what a place once was. Dromoland Castle is a place that is honored and preserved for its history, but is very much alive and living in the present moment as guests enjoy activities built around the essence of the rich natural landscape.

Whether you come from Irish heritage and want to relive your family history or you just want to play King and Queen on your next holiday, Dromoland Castle is the place to make that happen.

History

Dromoland Castle is the ancestral home of the O’Briens of Dromoland who were the Kings of Thormond and Barons on Inchquin. The lineage goes back 1,000 years to Brian Boru, the only High King of Ireland. This is one of the few native Gaelic families of royal blood in Ireland. The pedigree of the Dromoland O’Briens is kept in a vault at Lloyds of London and is 36 feet in length.

Recent Renovations

A 20 million euro renovation has taken place, from January 2016 through April 2018. The property was first renovated from an ancestral home to a luxury hotel in 1962, when a consortium of mainly IrishAmerican investors purchased the castle and estate.

“Working with architects and conservationists, we have sought to carefully integrate any new features with the original historic structures of the castle,” explains Mark Nolan, Managing Director of Dromoland Castle. “Many of the public rooms, such as the Drawing Room or Lower Gallery still look and feel as they would have when Lord Inchquin’s family lived here throughout the 1800’s.” While the castle maintains an 1800’s look and feel, the modern refurbishments include the interior design of all bedrooms, brand new luxury en suite bathrooms in each room, upgrades to all mechanical and electrical work, upgraded heating, replacement of all piping, specialized conservation and stone façade repair to the castle interior and towers, new

insulation, double-glazed windows, extensive roof repairs, and a new castle courtyard, including new limestone steps for the main entrance. Essentially, the guts of the castle are new, which means more comfort for guests.

My renovated room, located on the fifth floor of one of the towers could most definitely make Rapunzel jealous. The cozy sitting area was perfect for a cup of tea and shortbread, provided complimentary in the room. A beverage and snack from the well-stocked mini bar was also an option. A desk which included both U.S. and U.K. electrical outlets and a USB port provided many more comforts and luxuries than I imagine Rapunzel had access to in her tower. Of course, there is no way to get an elevator into a 1000+ year old tower, but the staff was quite willing to carry my luggage up the winding staircase. My golden locks were not long enough to summon a handsome prince to scale the exterior wall.

The newly renovated bathroom included a large soaking tub, towel warmer, and shower with a large rain showerhead. There is a hotel spa, but the en suite bathroom was a very good start to creating an atmosphere of pampering and relaxation.

Things to Do

Golf

An 18-hole 6845-yard championship parkland course re-designed by golfing legend J.B. Carr along with golf course architect Ron Kirby is part of the castle grounds. For golfers, this is the best way to take in the 450 acres of breath-taking scenery. Clubs, buggies (what the Irish call golf carts) and any other equipment you might need are available for rent or

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purchase. No need to haul clubs across the pond, unless of course, you want to.

Falconry

Falconry is a quintessential castle activity, and another amazing way to enjoy the castle grounds. Guests experience live birds of prey on a guided “Hawk Walk,” where experts share their knowledge of the natural history of raptors, their role in the ecosystem, and the environmental threats they face.

You can’t become a falconry expert in a day, but the basics of the ancient sport are taught. Darby, our Harris Hawk, was quite patient with our group of amateurs. Darby was clearly used to an audience as she posed for photos and flew to the gloves of her admirers, always in search of a culinary reward. There aren’t many sports and activities we can experience today that humans enjoyed 1000 years ago.

Walking, Jogging, and Cycling

There are numerous ways to move around the castle grounds. As spectacular as the castle is, it is the surreal landscape that must have drawn the original builders and architects to this place. Of course, castles weren’t built simply for luxurious living and recreation. Castles were defensive strongholds, build to protect the lives and land of its people.

Today the grounds are a safe place for exploration. Whether you are a runner who moves through life in the fast lane, a walker who stops to smell the roses, or you wish to try one of the castle’s complimentary bicycles, getting out of the castle is part of the castle experience. The mature woodlands are full of native red deer, pheasant, partridge, and many other local fauna.

Clay Shooting, Archery, or Pony and Trap

While there is lots of sightseeing to be done in the area, you can bet when

the ancient royals made the long trip by carriage to Dromoland, they weren’t in a hurry to leave. So, what did they do with themselves? Perhaps they worked on their hunting prowess with a round of clay shooting. Or, they challenged each other in archery. Historians believe people have been enjoying archery for 15,000 years. Before jogging was a thing, a ride around the grounds on a pony and trap was a much more dignified way to get around for a lady in a long gown who still wanted to have a bit of fun.

All of these activities exist today, along with the modern day amenities of an indoor swimming pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi, and fully equipped gym.

With or Without the Children?

At first glance a Dromoland Castle holiday looks like a charming, romantic getaway. Or, perhaps a golfers dream with three of your best golfing buddies. However, children are welcome at Dromoland Castle too. If you are contemplating blowing the wad on that “must do” family theme park holiday, consider skipping the make believe and going all in on the real deal. There are no animated characters or water slides, but Ireland is a great place to learn about the history of fairy tales, and what really happened “Once Upon a Time.” The forest is magical, the ponies are real, and milk and cookies are part of the bedtime ritual. A kids club is offered during school breaks.

Getting There Dromoland Castle is located just 12km from the Shannon International Airport in Newmarket-onFergus, County Clare, Ireland. For more information or reservations visit http://www.preferredhotels.com or http://www.dromoland.ie

Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Course in Great Exuma

By Tim Cotroneo

Is it possible that a golf course’s beauty can hurt your game? Sandals Emerald Bay Head Professional Richard Gibson believes this could be the case with his Greg Norman-designed 18-hole layout which hugs the turquoise waters of Great Exuma in the Bahamas.

“Whenever I speak with our golfers at Sandals Resort, they almost always say the front nine is harder than the back. When I see their scorecard, the opposite is true. What happens is that golfers get so caught up in the beauty of the back nine, they do more looking than golfing,” Gibson said.

Looking could be declared a national pastime on 37-mile long Great Exuma. The island’s turquoise water created an international buzz when it served as a backdrop to the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. Now, imagine this same extraordinary water lapping at your heels when teeing off on holes 11 through 17. If you also happened to sample one of the island’s legendary rum cocktails at the turn, your golf concentration levels are tested like nowhere else on earth.

Birdies and Bogies in the Bahamas

The Sandals Emerald Bay front nine is located inland, or at least a three-wood from the back nine ocean holes that beckon like a siren song. The front nine tests your golfing mettle with lake holes, a multitude of sand traps, and more mangrove vegetation than the best chapters in the children’s’ story, “Jungle Book.” Gibson especially likes the petite and reachable 260yard Par 4, 4th hole. A 5-iron is more than enough club to provide a safe 100-yard second shot. The problem is, the driver distance from tee to green is so enticingly close that it’s easy to throw caution to the wind.

“Most golfers will pull out their driver and go for it. Keep in mind there is ocean running the whole length of the left side. This is a birdie or bogey hole, with a little creativity in between,” Gibson said.

The Shark Rocks

Greg Norman has carved quite a name for himself in the field of Caribbean golf course design. Of his over 100 golf courses throughout the globe, Norman includes four Caribbean courses in his portfolio. An avid outdoorsman, the Bahamas Out Island part of the world suits Norman the yachtsman, and Norman the fisherman, just fine. Emerald Bay’s back nine receives all the glory, but it was the Par 4, 499-yard, 5th hole that really challenged Norman’s back and budget. “We call the 5th the million-dollar hole. There is a huge expanse of limestone behind the 5th green. Trying to remove the that rock became too much of a construction challenge. Norman’s crew finally relented, and golfers can now see a natural stone creation behind the green,” Gibson said.

Par 3’s for the Ages

The two par threes on the back nine could be termed short, but sweet, and a visual treat. The 11th hole is just 148-yards from the back tees. The 13th hole is a

minuscule 122-yards from the back. The length is where the sweetness ends.

The 11th hole features the Atlantic Ocean on the right side. Flip the mirror on the 13th and the Atlantic is now on the left. If the trade winds are blowing, you have a lot to think about. The beauty of these two short iron tests is jaw-dropping. A golfer’s goal is to commit to the shot.

Par Fours Drenched in Turquoise

The 14th, 15th, and 16th holes compare with any in the universe for beauty. All three par fours buttress the ocean. Keep in mind that the two resorts flanking the golf course are havens for sailors. On top of the raw natural beauty that Sandals Emerald Bay delivers, you must also contend with the sight of sailboats caressing the ocean just a nine iron away.

As you head down the homestretch toward the clubhouse, you can’t help but savor what you’ve just experienced. Emerald Bay takes Caribbean golf to a whole new level. Prior to your round you

anticipated the palm trees, the world class beach, and the laid-back lifestyle. What you didn’t imagine was a golf course so beautiful that your handicap may take on a wee bit of saltwater.

As your golf cart pulls up to the pro shop after the round, Gibson smiles and asks his two favorite questions. “What did you think of Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Course, and which nine did you think was harder?”

Scoring Rum and Golf in Paradise

The good news is that you’re on vacation, so there are no wrong answers. Upon quenching your thirst with one of Sandals legendary rum cocktails, you may have a question of your own. How many times do you play island golf on a course that could be described as too beautiful? In the Caribbean game called life, who is keeping score?

www.sandals.com/main/emerald/em-golf

Quality. Stewardship. Craftsmanship. But Love Makes it a Home.

At South Shore Custom Homes, it’s our attention to the small details that makes the homes we design and build truly special. Our decades-long dedication to our craft, our commitment to designing homes that are as special as the people who will live in them, our craftsmanship using proven materials and techniques, and our devotion to designing and building high-quality, award-winning, beautiful homes on-time and on-budget has earned us accolades for our work. But what we really treasure is the lifelong friendships we build with our clients—the love we have for our craft and the people for whom we do it is what drives us. Come home to South Shore Custom Homes.

Colossians 3:23