Ireland's Dromoland Castle: Ageless Elegance, Contemporary Style

Carefully and with love. Every Dromoland Castle staffer, from senior management to the groundskeepers, views the castle almost as a living, breathing organism, and they all team together to keep it healthy for guests visiting today and for generations to come. A few examples of some recent initiatives:

In the spring of 2007, the team began an initiative to render the property carbon neutral by 2011. And they did it! First an environmental action team was formed with the intention of incorporating sustainability into everyday business operations. Then, using the Green Fáilte Awards scheme for environmental management in the hospitality sector as a framework, the team focused on raising awareness among staff and operating the enterprise with less waste and reduced energy and water usage. To that end, the castle reduced carbon emissions, reduced waste, reduced water consumption, began sustainably sourcing food and products (including spa products), planted hundreds of trees (in coordination with local school children), reduced water pollution, and stocked and sheltered native wildlife and fowl species on the estate. (Of course, some of these efforts, such as stocking the grounds, have been underway for hundreds of years, and many of them continue today.) Guests do their parts as well, as they are actively encouraged to enjoy the renowned pampering on offer at the resort while taking note of the bedroom toweling policy and turning off lights and electrical equipment when leaving their accommodations. The result: Dromoland Castle was awarded the Green Fáilte Gold Award for 2008/2009 and 2009/2010, as well as the Silver Award for 2007/2008 and the Platinum Award for 2011.

Then there’s upkeep: the castle recently finished its latest round of renovations, of the Presidential Suite and the Fig Tree Restaurant, part of the Dromoland Castle Golf and Country Club. In the Presidential Suite, posh No. Twelve Queen Street made the centerpiece of the four room suite – with sitting room, dressing room, bathroom, and bedroom -- its four poster bed (the first in Dromoland Castle, at least in modern times). The high-ceilinged rooms sport gorgeous gothic details in the cornice, architraves, and doors, while the large windows offer sweeping views of the Castle’s laugh and grounds. Treatments soothe in soft golds and aquas together with silver gilt and nickel. And the bathroom is a wonder to behold, with a stand-alone bath taking pride of place in the middle of the room and a separate marble his-and-her shower room.

Innovation comes into play as well, and even there the effort is a group one. Keen on the local sourcing movement and eager to satisfy guests who want to take a bit of Dromoland Castle home with them, management cleverly rolled out a new concept in gift shopping: The Shop at Dromoland, located on Chestnut Green between the castle and the walled garden near the Dromoland Castle Golf and Country Club. While the castle and estate may be ancient, Dromoland’s staff are creatively contemporary when it comes to satisfying the tastes of luxury destination travelers. Thus, the shop features a range of local and artisan items, including food products, that vary with the seasons and highlight the best and the finest of the region and the nation. In addition to selling treats, the shop is becoming a regional tasting center by offering the bounty of Ireland’s earth, sea, and sky while educating visitors about locally sourced and artisan-crafted goods. Food tours are soon to come, and the shop can be visited virtually on the Dromoland website.

Further harmonizing the old and the new, Dromoland Castle is the home of the Dromoland School of Falconry, which celebrates the estate’s towering presence in Irish history. Guests can learn about these incredible raptors, still beloved by kings in a number of countries, take a “Hawk Walk”, enjoy an “Owl Evening”, and visit the ancient hillfort on the grounds.

And, oh, the demesne! The painstakingly restored formal gardens and landscapings of the magnificent 450-acre estate are wondrous. The jewel in the crown for traditional garden lovers is the magnificent walled garden directly adjoining the terrace outside The Fig Tree Restaurant at the Dromoland Castle Golf and Country Club, itself graced with flagstones and a pretty arbor. The castle’s head gardener works daily throughout the year to maintain and enhance the garden and hothouses.

Finally, there’s flexibility, and the resort has certainly gained that by acquiring a smaller sister hotel that can accommodate overflow guests in connection with large events. A little charmer, Clare Inn Hotel at Dromoland is located in the County Clare countryside, where it commands panoramic views of the Clare Hills and Shannon estuary. With 181 guestrooms, it also boasts a bar, a restaurant, a banqueting suite, meeting rooms, a fully equipped gym, a swimming pool, and a sauna, steam room, and Jacuzzi. Parents should take note of the Inn’s famous Blue Dolphin Kids Club, which operates on weekends and Irish school holidays.

Greening, maintaining, and enhancing a sixteenth century castle requires innovation and dedication on the part of all, from the highest reaches of management to all levels of staff and even the community itself. Stay tuned – there is yet more to come, no doubt!

About: Dromoland Castle