Ashford Castle says securing helicopters for Ryder Cup 'big concern'

Pre-tax profits for Ashford Castle last year tripled to €3.93m. The hotel now has a 'big concern' to ensure it has helicopters to bring guests to the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor. Picture: Getty Images

Ashford Castle is on course for a record breaking year, with the resort's "big concern" now securing helicopters to take guests to the Ryder Cup in Adare Manor in 2027. 

General manager Niall Rochford warned that if hotels do not have their helicopter transport already booked for the golf showpiece in Limerick next September, then “you are not going to get it”. Mr Rochford made his comment on Friday as new accounts show that pre-tax profits for Ashford Castle last year tripled to €3.93m.

Revenues rose by 9% from €32m to a record €34.9m.

In terms of the resort being booked out at the time of the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare, Mr Rochford said “we are pretty much there, but we have some availability left”.

He said: “The big issue and big concern at the moment is trying to secure helicopters or general transport because I think if you don’t have that booked now, you are not going to get it. That is the challenge we are seeing.” 

Mr Rochford said 2026 will be a record year for the 83-room hotel, building on what was already a record in 2025.  “We have seen an uptake in exclusive events where for weddings, birthdays, special events. Clients take the entire property over for a number of days and there has been a significant increase in that business this year.” 

Mr Rochford said that the potential bills to guests making the booking for such business runs to hundreds of thousands of euro. He said that Irish, US, and UK clients have booked out the property this year with the majority coming from the US.

Mr Rochford said that the Ashford Castle has greatly benefited from the college and NFL American Football games that have taken place in Dublin over the past couple of years.

Online rates at the Red Carnation owned hotel for Thursday, October 8  week range from €1,105 per room per night to €7,615 for the resort’s Presidential Suite.

The hotel’s Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) last year increased by €1.36m to €7.9m.

The company last year enjoyed operating profits of €5m and finance costs of €1.12m reduced profits to a pre-tax profit of €3.98m.

Staff numbers at Ashford last year increased from 327 to 353 as staff costs rising from €11.4m to €12.29m.