Hosting G8 summit put Lough Erne on the map

We always knew it was going to be a big year, and it started a little earlier for us than usual.

British prime minister David Cameron visited the resort in Nov 2012, and it was only then confirmed that we were going to host the G8. We were on the shortlist, but we knew if he did not like it, it was never going to happen. But he loved it.

I met every one of world leaders personally when they arrived. Lough Erne was really an ideal location — it was only ever two minutes of private golf road to their lodgings. They were in splendid isolation.

It was intense. On any one day, any of those world leader visits would have been a serious task. The fact that they were all here together almost made it easier. We had to ensure a high standard of care and professionalism for all delegates and that everyone was treated equally.

In the hotel and the lodges we can take about 150 people but 250 others were in houses and villages nearby. We were serving between 600 and 800 meals a day. There were so many different venues operating simultaneously that I had to step back and overview, not micro-manage.

There were no catering disasters — I would love to tell funny stories but there were none. These guys were here to work, and from the moment they arrived, a few things went our way — the absence of any violent protests, the mood outside the fence was superb, and that permeated to the security details and up the lines to the bosses.

I should also say that the PSNI deserve huge credit.

At one point, I was looking at the Japanese prime minister and I turned to my left and Barack Obama and David Cameron were working down the road 20 yards away and François Hollande was chatting to his delegation. It was surreal.

They loved the resort. I spoke to Hollande as he was leaving and he said: “Ferghal, I have to tell you that the prime minister has set the bar about how to host a G8.”

It is very easy to criticise the G8 summit and the costs associated with it but my simple view is that £2.5m (€3m) labour went directly into Fermanagh.

The peak season began sooner and lasted longer because of the G8. On behalf of Lough Erne, we will show a tangible benefit. It will have a knock-on effect.

Lough Erne the property was and remains in administration but the resort has turned a very significant corner and we have levelled the ship. It grew in 2012 and in 2013 and will level off in 2014. The administrators have done a fabulous job and it’s on the market with a view to selling it. We have a wonderful property, it’s in great shape, and we had a great two years.

As the year came to an end we saw the passing of Nelson Mandela, which reminds me of another time in my life. I would have met and hosted Mandela as I spent 20-odd years in South Africa and, very shortly after he was released from prison, I would have been involved in hosting the ANC cabinet in preparing for talks with FW de Clerk.

The ANC took over my whole hotel and I had the great honour of hosting him as they were having these most difficult talks, the inaugural talks. I met the man over a 10-day period and he was a fabulous, gracious host who then gave a fabulous speech thanking me when they were leaving.

I was very sad when I heard of his death. I think the term ‘once in a lifetime’ isn’t enough to describe a man like Nelson Mandela

Our challenge now is to grow and build on the success of the G8.