Castle In Clare - Ballyhannon Castle Clare
As a castle rental in Ireland, Ballyhannon Castle is a magnificent medieval Irish vacation rental (self-catering) celtic castle dating back to the 15th century. It is one of the last remaining intact medieval Irish castles, and although it is now privately owned, the current owner has opened it up as an Irish vacation rental / self catering castle for hire for all to enjoy, and to experience how our Irish ancestors lived in the 1400’s. It’s secluded though central location in Ireland has made it one of the most sought after venues for medieval
Irish castle weddings and events, or for anyone who simply wants to rent a castle in Ireland as an Irish self catering vacation rental.
Ballyhannon Castle (also known as Castlefergus) is registered as a “Listed/Protected” property and a “Recorded Monument” in the Irish Governmental Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, meaning that it is intrinsically of significant historic, architectural and aesthetic interest. The fortunate fact that the private owner has opened up this national monument as an Irish vacation rental / self catering castle allows anyone to exclusively rent a castle in Ireland for their medieval wedding, honeymoon, family reunion or other milestone, or just to have the unique experience of staying in a castle with no one other than the members of one’s own group.
Of the celtic medieval castles to rent in Ireland which are similarly available for exclusive vacation rental, there are very few which are equally as externally and internally intact despite the ravages of time. Ballyhannon Castle is also quite unique in its internal and external original preservation and design, and one of the only authentic medieval Irish Castles for rent which are still in use just as it was nearly 600 years ago, now as a self catering vacation rental castle in Ireland.
Rather than observing history from the outside (passively, like passing through a museum), you can rent an historic Irish castle and experience medieval Ireland of many centuries ago by actually staying in the castle, and thereby interactively living in that medieval era. It has been carefully furnished with antiques to maintain that experience and, oh yes, cobwebs!
Upon entering the medieval entrance arch of Ballyhannon, visitors to the Castle have, almost without exception, described their first impression as: “if having just stepped from a time machine, an immediate sense of having been transported back in time through turbulent centuries of Irish history. The impact of this rare and authentic castle’s historic appeal and significance is literally instant. Six-feet thick battle-impenetrable walls, winding spiral stone staircase, oak-beamed ceilings and flagstone floors will offer you this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience how they lived back in 1490 when Ballyhannon Castle was built.”
For those of you who don’t wish to compromise on all of your present day comforts, all modern conveniences and appliances have been sensitively and discreetly incorporated into this 600 years old castle! That said, it must be emphasised that this is a 15th century castle in every other sense.
Accommodation
The Castle is a five-storey stone building. On the ground floor is the Medieval dining room with alcoves and arches, and is where originally the horses were kept and fed. It adjoins the fully equipped kitchen adjoins the fully equipped kitchen (with all mod. cons discreetly incorporated), and a w.c.
On the first floor is a bedroom with a 4-poster double bed (to sleep 2 people). On the return is a bathroom (lavatory, wash-hand basin and bath-with-shower), and on the second floor is a twin bedroom with a king-size bed and single bed (to sleep 2 or 3 people), as well as a cushioned deep-window alcove (5 feet). On the third floor is the Great (sitting) Room with minstrel’s gallery & inglenook fireplace, beside another bathroom (lavatory, wash-hand basin and bath-with-shower). The fourth floor has the next bedroom with a 4-poster double bed (to sleep 2 people), and the fifth floor consists of the largest bedroom with a king-size 4-poster bed (to sleep 2 people).
And it wouldn’t be complete without……a DUNGEON!!!!!!!!! This is located above the Great Room. The owner will be only too happy to explain why such dungeons were located in this area of the castle, rather than in the basement as many believe.
Accommodation sleeps: 8 people : - 3 double rooms and 1 twin room
Facilities:
Underfloor electric heating -
3 bedrooms & dining room
Washer/tumble dryer
Dishwasher
Microwave
Iron
Electric hob and oven
Telephone
Hi-speed internet connection
TV, VCR & DVD in sitting rooom
CD player/radio
Hairdryer
catering on request – enquire on booking
The Coach House
The Coach House is adjacent to the Castle and is the ultimate in country living. It is a magnificently restored 19th Century Coach House of particular character and size (in excess of 2000 sq.ft.), with its wooden-beamed ceilings and internal stone walls.The open-plan area of the ground floor consists of a kitchen, large living
room (with stove) and conservatory. There is a separate dining-room
and a TV lounge (which can also be adapted to cater for extra sleeping accommodation), with bathroom (lavatory, wash hand basin and electric shower). There are three bedrooms upstairs: the main bedroom has a double bed (to sleep 2 people) with en-suite (lavatory, wash-hand basin
and shower): another bedroom with a double bed (to sleep 2 people)
and a twin bedroom which has a double bed and single bed
(to sleep 2 or 3 people).Accommodation sleeps: 8 people:- 2 double rooms, 1 twin room and convertible TV Lounge to double bedroom with en-suite
Facilities:
Washing machine
Tumble dryer
Dishwasher
Microwave
Gas hob / electric grill & oven
Iron
Telephone
TV & video
Radio & CD system
Hairdryer
Location
Ballyhannon Castle stands behind its own territorial wall, is surrounded by farmland and overlooks the Estuary leading to the Atlantic ocean. The local villages of Quin and Newmarket-On-Fergus are each 3 kms away, for shops, traditional and lively pubs, restaurants and the famous Quin Abbey. Ballyhannon Castle is situated just off the main Limerick - Galway highway (from which it can be seen though out of earshot) allowing easy access to everywhere on the west coast, especially Shannon International Airport which is only a 10 minute drive away.
Nearby Towns and Cities include:
Limerick City - (20 minutes’ drive) is well worth a visit - whether you’re interested in shopping, eating out or nightlife, this historic city is dominated by the awesome 13th century King John’s Castle, once the most formidable English fortification in Ireland. Also worth visiting is the famous Hunt Museum, home to one of Ireland’s finest collections of Bronze Age, Celtic and Medieval treasures.
Galway City - (60 minutes’ drive) the unofficial capital of the West and is a delightful, prosperous city brimming with history and filled with top class shopping precincts, theatres, pubs and restaurants. Its vibrant cultural life includes a year-round calendar of events such as the Arts Festival, the famous Galway Races at the end of July, the Jazz Festival in February, the Cuirt Festival of Literature at Easter and the Galway International Oyster Festival at the end of September.
Ennis Town - just down the road”, and voted the “Tidiest town in Ireland for 2005”, Ennis is a friendly town and the home of traditional Irish music. There are plenty of lively traditional pubs with live music sessions nightly, cobble-stoned streets lined with a great restaurants and shops, and has a market day on Saturday. Founded in Medieval times, the countryside surrounding Ennis is home to a host of abbeys, ruins of castles and ancient monuments, and the beautiful 13th century Ennis Friary. Ennis is famous for its traditional Irish music, where you’ll always find a live session going on, and lots of the “craic agus ceol” that Ireland is famous for.
Contact
Ballyhannon Castle, Quin, Co. Clare, Ireland.
Telephone: +353 (0)86 8145837 (cell-phone)
email: ballyhannoncastle@gmail.com
URL: www.ballyhannon-castle.com
- Castles in Clare
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