Christmas in an Irish Castle 2018

Ballynahinch Castle

in the heart of Connemara Co. Galway, where the door is always open. But Christmas time is a most special time to stay in this extremely idyllic setting.

Ballynahinch Castle has been interwined in the history of Connemara and its people for centuries, from the recorded battle between the O’Flahertys and O’Malleys, in 1384, to the visit by all the Lord Mayors and Mayors of Ireland and some from overseas, to celebrate the Quincentennial year of Galway city receiving its charter. Ballynahinch... Baile na hlnse, means ‘household of the Island’, and refers to the O’Flaherty Castle built on an Island in the lake.

Ballynahinch Castle and Connemara have provided artistic inspiration to writers, poets and artists for hundreds of years and continues to intrigue and inspire today. Ballynahinch Castle continues to play a central role in these activities, and hosts, sponsors writers, and artists as they engage in this remarkable landscape.

Even at Christmas time, there are some stunning walks that you can take around the grounds of the Castle, and what better way to relax than to sit (all rapped up) on the edge of a peaceful, picturesque, and tranquil lake, with the peaceful mountains behind you.

Few Castle Hotels in Ireland offer hotel rooms with aspects to match Ballynahinch Castle in Connemara. The hotel accommodation comprises of 48 guest rooms, of which nearly half are classic rooms situated in the older part of the Connemara castle, and two riverside wings of superior rooms and luxury rooms and suites. All the hotel rooms in the castle are finished to an exceptionally high standard and all superior and luxury rooms have stunning views across river and woodland as do the classic riverside rooms.

The kitchens of Ballynahinch Castle, under the careful stewardship of Head Chef Pete Durkan, have been delighting both visitors and local diners for years. The Owenmore restaurant offers elegant yet unpretentious dining in a stunning location. Using only the finest and freshest ingredients, Pete and his team take advantage of the wealth of fresh fish, and game available on the West Coast, to produce wonderfully balanced yet creative dishes.

Dinner in the Owenmore Restaurant is one of the highlights of any trip to Ballynahinch Castle. Changing the menus regularly to reflect the seasons ensures that regular visitors to Ballynahinch can enjoy a varied and interesting selection of dishes. The Fishermans Pub with open log fires, wholesome local produce and friendly personal service is the ideal place to meet the Connemara locals over a pint or enjoy the catch of the day for dinner. Enjoying the local and seasonal produce of our region; fresh fish, shellfish, wild mushrooms, woodcock, duck and more while soaking up the atmosphere. There is more than a bit of magic to the Ballynahinch spell, and food lovers will easily declare it as one of their all-time favourite places to eat and stay in Ireland.

After your day exploring is over, you come back to a warm open log fire where you can relax for the evening, listening to some great traditional music, song and of course storytelling.

In order to enjoy this magical destination, you must book very early in 2018. This is a very popular vacation world wide and fills up very quickly, so we at Secret Ireland Tours want to give you the best possible chance of securing your place for 2018. This is why we are telling you now. The quicker you book, the better chance of securing your place. Check this trip out on our website, and all the other fabulous trips to Ireland too. Maybe you would see one there for 2017 that you might like to join us on.

Check out www.SecretIrelandToursLLC.com. Join our mailing list and book the trip of a lifetime.

Don't delay, do it today.

Contact me at SecretIrelandTours@yahoo.com