Ballynahinch Castle

FH FeatureExplore

Jul 4

Written By Editor

Explore Ireland’s West Coast at Ballynahinch Castle, set on a 700-acre estate with over 10 miles of rivers and woodland walking trails. This is Connemara at its best.

Ballynahinch Castle, located in scenic Connemara on Ireland’s West Coast, is set on a 700-acre estate framed by lakes, rivers and woodland. Ballynahinch, a member of Relais & Chateaux, is an intimate property with just 48 bedrooms & suites where the focus is on the individual guests and offers an unrivalled experience of true Irish hospitality. The estate also has two properties for exclusive use.

The hotel has undergone extensive renovations over the past few years and this year added a beautiful conservatory and riverside terrace and refurbished their library. The hotel houses one of the finest private art collections in the country with over 3,000 pieces of art hanging throughout the hotel which guests can explore at their leisure or with a guide.

The kitchen team is under the stewardship of Danni Barry, one of only two female chefs in Ireland to get a Michelin star in her previous role. Danni and her team prepare creative, diverse menus made with the finest of estate and local products including those from the walled garden. Guests can enjoy dinner in the elegant Owenmore Restaurant overlooking the river and the less formal Fisherman’s Pub with its open log fires.

You can explore over 10 miles of river and woodland walking trails at your leisure but a highlight for most is to take the guided estate walk, a gentle stroll around the grounds learning about the hotel & estate’s unique history, finishing up with a short boat trip to the 16th century home of a previous resident, The Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley. Other notable owners of Ballynahinch were an Indian Prince and the politician Richard Martin who brought to government the first law against cruelty to animals, (the RSPCA) as we know it today.

Other on-site activities include, private tours of the walled garden, fly fishing, hiking and cycling the Connemara Greenway on the hotel’s bicycles which are complimentary to all guests.

Locally, there is so much to enjoy including a visit to the picturesque fishing village of Roundstone where you can take their boat trip to a deserted island and go sea fishing. Play links golf at Connemara Golf Club, hike in the National Park or explore the largest visitor attraction in the area, Kylemore Abbey. The local town of Clifden offers a variety of pubs, restaurants, shop and art galleries and is only a ten-minute drive from the hotel.

Just one hour drive west of Galway city, two hours’ drive from Shannon airport and three hours from Dublin Airport, Ballynahinch Castle offers a luxury hotel and country estate experience in the most beautiful of settings.