HISTORY & ESTATE DETAILS

RECREATION & ACTIVITIES

REST & RECREATION

Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, Ireland.Tel : +353 (0)61 368144 Fax: +353(0)61 363355

Email : sales@dromoland.ieWeb: www.dromoland.ie

Golf Enjoy the splendour of our magnificent 18 hole, 6,845 yard

championship parkland course. Clubs, buggies and other

equipment are available at the Pro Shop.

Golf Academy Dromoland Castle’s Golf course is complemented by a truly

unique practice facility which has 10 fully automated

Driving Bays, Putting Greens and bunker. All the bays are

fitted with Golf-Tech’s second generation fully automated

‘Power Tees’. The Bunker and Chipping Green offer a

number of lies, slopes and grass lengths to practice from. In

addition to a well shaped, large greenside bunker, there is

also a rivited face links style bunker, modeled on the famous

‘Road Hole’ bunker on the 17th at St Andrews.

Walking With over 410 acres of mature woodland and feral lakes,

Dromoland has plenty of walks and pathways that offer

varied and interesting routes. Wildlife on the estate include

native red deer, pheasant, partridge and many of the

country fauna of the area.

Fishing Dromoland Lough is well stocked with Trout, Perch and

other coarse fish. Guests may fish at leisure from the banks

of the lake, or on one of the estate boats. Expert assistance

from our resident ghillies is available by prior arrangement.

Cycling The Castle has a number of mountain bikes available for

guests who wish to pursue the many laneways and byways

of the estate.

Clay Shooting The estate has a dedicated shooting range. Sessions may be

booked in advance, or arranged during your stay.

Archery The classic castle pursuit is available to guests. Bookings

may be made in advance or at the concierge on arrival.

Croquet This old world past time is weather dependent and requires

advance booking.

Tennis 2 all-weather courts are available.

Horse Riding We are happy to make arrangements for guests at our

affiliated equestrian centre in nearby Quinn.

The Spa at This hidden gem is located within the Castle walls and has

been specially designed for the ultimate spa experience. As a

haven for pure relaxtion the design reflects an air of

tranquility and serenity with light wood furniture, shades of

beige, stone floors, steal plated accessories and a feature

water wall. The Spa at Dromoland has 6 treatment rooms,

Relaxation room, Pedicure & Manicure rooms, Hair Design

Studio and an outdoor Hydro Pool with relaxation patio.

Leisure Located in our Golf & Country Club the facilities include;

Indoor Swimming Pool, Sauna room, Jacuzzi and fully

equiped Gymnasium.

A Hawk Walk You will never forget the moment when your hawk first lands

on your gloved fist. During your Hawk Walk you will learn

how to handle and fly one of the school's Harris hawks, a

species renowned for their easy-going temperament and

unusually sociable nature. Your instructor will introduce you

to your hawk and, within minutes, you will be setting off

around the magnificent woodlands to fly your hawk free.

Facilities

Dromoland

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Dromoland Castle, one of the most famous baronial castles in Ireland, was the ancestral home of the O’Briens, Barons ofInchiquin, who are one of the few native Gaelic Families of Royal blood and direct descendants of Brian Boroimhe (Boru) HighKing of Ireland in the eleventh century.

Rich in history and in “Old World Elegance”, Dromoland Castle is now a member of the prestigious "Preferred Hotels andResorts of the World". Dromoland Castle is a treat for visitors who are discovering Ireland's peaceful and unhurried way of life.

1002-1014 Brian Boru ruled Ireland as High King from hispalace in Killaloe.

1014 Donough O'Brien, a son of Brian Boru, controlledDromoland when it was a defensive stronghold. Itwas similar in structure to Bunratty Castle, whichwas also an O’Brien stronghold at that time. Forthe next 900 years a branch of the O' Briens livedand ruled from Dromoland Castle.

1543 The chief of the Clan O'Brien, Morrough, 57thKing of Thomond, was forced to surrender hisroyalty to King Henry VIII, thus becoming theBaron of Inchiquin and First Earl of Thomond.Records show that the castle was rebuilt during thisperiod.

1651 Conor O’Brien of Lemeneagh Castle was killed inbattle by the Cromwellian army. His widow, MaireRua or Red Mary O’Brien, agreed with GeneralIreton as a mark of good faith to marry an officerin the Cromwellian army in order to save thefamily estate. She married Cornet John Cooper,thus preserving the Estates for her eldest son, SirDonough O’Brien.

1660 Sir Donough O’Brien moved the most powerfulbranch of the O'Briens to Dromoland in the late17th Century. He was an astute man and managedto avoid declaring for either King James II or KingWilliam. He was at that time reputed to be therichest man in Ireland.

c1730 Sir Edward O'Brien, the 2nd Baronet, was revered asa famous racehorse owner and trainer. He built theTurret on the hill opposite the entrance to

Dromoland Estate, from where he would observe hishorses race. He once gambled the estate on a horserace; mercifully, Sean Buis won the race and savedthe estate. Sean Buis is buried under the Temple, 100yards from the old entrance to the castle.

1700-1730 The second Castle/House at Dromoland was built; itwas more residential in appearance with a design ofthe Queen Anne period. The Queen Anne Court,the charming quadrangle of 29 guestrooms, is acentury older than the rest of today's castle. It wascompletely rebuilt inside and redecorated in 1963when the castle was redesigned as a hotel.

1800-1836 The present main building of Dromoland Castle,with its high gothic-styled grey stone walls, wasrebuilt, designed by the Pain brothers, famousarchitects of that period. The castle was built by thethen Lord of Dromoland, Sir Edward O'Brien, 4thBaronet, at great expense. The cost of cutting andhauling its stone from a nearby quarry on theDromoland Estate alone was more than £80,000, ahuge amount in Georgian times.

1803-1864 Dromoland Castle was the birthplace and boyhoodhome of William Smith O'Brien, M.P. Despite hisaristocratic background, Smith O'Brien foughtmilitantly for the rights of oppressed Irish Catholicpeasant farmers and led the Young Irelandersrebellion against the British authorities in 1848. Hewas sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered,later exiled instead to Tasmania for his role in therevolt . He returned to Ireland in 1856; there is astatue of him in O'Connell Street, Dublin. He diedin 1864.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF DROMOLAND CASTLE

1880-1921 The wealth of the Barons of Inchiquin dwindledafter a series of Land Acts started in the 1880sDuring this time, landlords were compelled to selltheir tenanted farmlands; thus the Inchiquins losttheir main source of income. They still consideredthemselves fortunate, as their castle had survivedthe troubled times of Ireland's revolutionary waragainst Britain. The homes of many landlords inIreland were left in ruins during the IrishRepublican Army's war against the British forcesin 1920 and 1921.

1921 The IRA leaders in Dublin marked DromolandCastle for destruction. However, sabotage orderswere reversed at the last minute at the urgentrequest of local IRA leaders in County Clare, whoargued that the Inchiquin Lords had been fair andbenevolent in dealing with their tenant farmers. SirLucius O'Brien, the 13th Baron of Inchiquin(brother of Sir William Smith O'Brien), wasremembered respectfully by the people of CountyClare for his relief work in the famine years of the1840s

1922-1940 Although the family's good reputation saved thecastle during the revolution, the later loss ofincome after the forced sale of the tenant farmsmade the castle and the 2,000+ acre estateincreasingly difficult for the Inchiquins to keep.After the death of the 15th Baron of Inchiquin in1929, Dromoland was supported mainly by thepersonal wealth of his widow, Lady EthelInchiquin, an heiress, whose portrait, painted byHerbert Draper, hangs near the staircase in thecastle's hall.

1940-1962 After Lady Ethel's death, her oldest son, SirDonough O'Brien, the 16th Baron of Inchiquin, andhis wife, Lady Anne, daughter of ViscountChelmsford, a Viceroy of India, managed tomaintain Dromoland Castle as a traditional ancestralhome for more than twenty years. Lord Inchiquintried to make the estate self-supporting as a dairyfarm, but by 1948 was so financially hard pressedthat he began to take in tourists as paying guests.

1962 Lord Inchiquin sold the castle, along with some330 acres of surrounding land, and the hunting andfishing rights to Mr. Bernard McDonough, anAmerican industrialist, whose grandparents wereborn in Ireland. Conor O’Brien, the 18th baron,and his family live in Thomond House andcontinue to farm and run part of the estate as asporting and leisure estate. The pedigree of theDromoland O'Briens is kept in a vault at Lloyds inLondon and is 36 feet in length.

1962 The castle underwent major renovations totransform the ancestral home into a luxury hotel.When the castle was officially reopened as a ResortHotel, visitors who remembered it from the daysof the Inchiquins marvelled at the preservation ofits stately, warm and cheerful baronial countryhouse atmosphere. The public rooms on the mainfloor of the Castle look very much the same nowas when Lord Inchiquin’s family lived there,although the Lord’s octagonal shaped study, underthe round tower, is now a pleasant cocktail bar,and his library is now part of the dining room.

1987 A consortium of mainly Irish American investorspurchased the Castle and Estate. Through theircontinued investment and management, the castlehas enjoyed a worldwide reputation for excellenceand is regarded as one of the great resorts in Europe.

Location 12km from Shannon International Airport10km from Ennis Town26km from Limerick City

No. of Bedrooms 98 bedrooms including 5 suites

Room Amenities • Trouser Press, Iron/Ironing Board

• Safe

• Hairdryer

• 110volt converter in all bedrooms

• Full Digital Interactive TV System incorporating: Movies on demand, Music on demand, High Speed Internet through television, Laptop Connectiviety and hotel information.

Restaurants EARL OF THOMOND DINING ROOM

• Breakfast 7.30am - 10.00am

• Sunday Lunch 12.30pm - 1.30pm

• Dinner 7.00pm - 10.00pm

THE FIG TREE RESTAURANT

(located in The Golf & Country Club)

• Spring & Summer 10am - 9pm

• Winter (weekdays) 10am - 7pm

• Winter (weekends) 10am - 9pm

Gratuities 15% Service Charge on food and beverage items

Currency Euro

Voltage 220 volts 60hz & 110 volt converter

Check-in From 2.00pm

Group Check-in is recommended from 3.00pm

Check-out Before 12 noon

Conference THE BRIAN BORU INTERNATIONAL CENTRE& Meetings • Brian Boru Hall

• Celt Room

• Norse RoomTERRACE ROOM

DRAWING ROOM

CLUB LOUNGE

Amenities • Business Centre with Internet and Email access

• Currency Exchange

• Parking

• 24-hour Room Service

• Gift Shop with comprehensive range ofWaterford Crystal and Gift items

• Boutique Shop with select range of Knitwearand clothes

• Wi-Fi Technology

• All public areas have wireless broadband connectivity for laptops equipped with a wireless network card.

Credit Cards All major credit cards accepted

ESTATE DETAILS

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