Dromoland Castle

Dromoland Castle
Entrance to Dromoland Castle
Dromoland Castle is located in Ireland
Dromoland Castle
General information
StatusLuxury hotel
Typecastle
Architectural styleGothic Revival
LocationCounty Clare
CountryIreland
Estimated completion15th/16th century (original)
1835 (current structure)
Design and construction
Architect(s)James and George Richard Pain (current structure)
Earl of Thomond, Dromoland Castle
Map
Restaurant information
Head chefJean Baptiste Molinari
Rating1 Michelin star Michelin Guide (1995)
CityNewmarket-on-Fergus
CountryIreland

Dromoland Castle (Irish: Drom Ólainn) is a castle, located near Newmarket-on-Fergus in County Clare, Ireland. It is operated as a five-star luxury hotel with a golf course, with its restaurant, the "Earl of Thomond", being awarded a Michelin star in 1995, under head chef Jean Baptiste Molinari.[1]

Hotel

Dromoland Castle was formerly the family seat of the Baron Inchiquin (built when the Barons became heirs of the extinct Marquesses of Thomond), until it was bought by United States citizen Bernard P. McDonough in 1962.[2] It has since then been converted for use as a luxury hotel.[2]

Dromoland Castle Hotel is a member of Historic Hotels Worldwide.[3]

Famous guests

George W. Bush, Bertie Ahern, and Romano Prodi at their joint press conference at the Castle in 2004.

United States President George W. Bush spent the night of Friday, 26 June 2004, at Dromoland Castle to attend the EU-US Summit held at the facility. President Bush was guarded by approximately 7,000 police, military and private security forces during his 16-hour visit.[4]

Over the years, notable people who have stayed at Dromoland Castle include John Lennon and George Harrison,[5] Muhammad Ali,[6] Bono,[7] John Travolta,[7] Juan Carlos I of Spain,[8] Johnny Cash,[6] and Nelson Mandela.[6]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dromoland Castle.
  1. ^ "Michelin Online Republic of Ireland". Michelinonline.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 October 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Lord Inchiquin, former owner of Dromoland Castle in Co Clare, dies aged 79". The Irish Times. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Dromoland Castle". Historic Hotels. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  4. ^ Irish Batten Down Hatches for Bush
  5. ^ "The Beatles At Dromoland". rte.ie. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "The deluxe Dromoland Castle is getting a touch-up worth €20 million". TheJournal.ie. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Dromoland Castle Hotel is a dreamland for golfers". Coventry Telegraph. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Gibraltar and fisheries politically sensitive issues for king of Spain". The Irish Times. Retrieved 5 June 2023.

52°46′59.71″N 8°54′21.5″W / 52.7832528°N 8.905972°W / 52.7832528; -8.905972