The deluxe Dromoland Castle is getting a touch-up worth tens of millions of euro
The five-star hotel and golf course hosted the likes of Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali in the past.
THE FAMOUS DROMOLAND Castle hotel has revealed plans for a €20 million renovation of the five-star destination.
The castle, which is based in Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare, dates back to the early 15th or 16th century and was converted into a hotel in 1962 by American businessman Bernard P. McDonough.
The renovation programme for Dromoland Castle will involve work to preserve the historical building and the surrounding lands.
This includes a complete refurbishment of all bedrooms in the castle, upgrades to electrical works and heating, roof repairs and improvements to facilities at the on-site golf and country club.
Dromoland Castle managing director Mark Nolan said the €20 million restoration project is already “well underway”.
“Working with the architects and conservationists, we have sought to carefully integrate any new features with the original historic structures of the castle,” he said.
“During this time, we have made every effort to ensure there is no disruption to our guests and have continued to welcome visitors, providing the highest standard of service.”
Over the course of the renovation process, roughly 250 jobs will have been created by the castle, ranging from specialised stone labourers, to local architects, builders and interior design teams.
This investment is part of a four-year development plan set out by Dromoland’s board of directors and is near completion, according to the hotel’s holding company.
A refurbished bedroom at Dromoland Castle
The company said the investment project will also provide scope to add more staff to its ranks, including additional doormen and gatemen. Dromoland Castle and the Inn at Dromoland already employs more than 400 staff in Co Clare.
Long history
Dromoland Castle and the Inn at Dromoland welcome over 100,000 guests every year, with more than half of those coming from overseas.
Over the course of its five decades as a hotel, Dromoland has played host to a number of high-profile events and guests.
In 2004, the EU-US Summit was held at the castle and was attended by former president George Bush.
Many famous political leaders and movie stars have added their names to the guestbook over the years, including John Travolta, Johnny Cash, Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali.
Former US president George Bush at the castle in 2004
Bumper 2015
The most recently filed accounts by the hotel’s holding company showed that profits hit €1.15 million in 2015 – this represented nearly a six-fold increase on the previous year.
Accumulated profits at the company stood at nearly €12.5 million at the end of the period for the firm, while revenue increased to around €19.5 million – up 13% on the previous year.
Company filings show Dromoland had assets worth nearly €29 million and debts of more than €6 million at the end of last year.
