King of the castles
Sideways rain, blazing sunshine, fugs of fog and a clarity of light so striking you could almost see America — all can appear at any moment in these western parts, and oftentimes on the same day.
The second is anyone with a bad word to say about Ballynahinch Castle. Cosseted away in acres of woodland on the Ballyconneely Peninsula, the 18th century pile has just won Georgina Campbell’s Hotel of the Year for 2012, in the process being dubbed “the perfect Irish country hotel”.
Perfect is a strong word. If you like your hotels with impact and history, however, it’s as good as any to describe the approach to Ballynahinch Castle. Turning off the R341, guests wind through a short avenue of trees before striking on a scene that could make the cover of a romance novel.
It’s a real wow moment — castellated frills and sash windows reflecting in the water like that other Connemara gem, Kylemore Abbey. Éamon de Valera’s is the first signature in the old guest book, but that barely hints at the heritage in the former home of Richard Martin (‘Humanity Dick’) and Ranji Vibhaji, Maharaja Jam Sahib of Nawanagar, a former Indian prince of the Raj.
“Connemara loved Ranji,” as Ballynahinch’s general manager Patrick O’Flaherty told me. The feeling was mutual. In the 1920s, Ranji was the first non-white batsman to play for the English cricket team, and the parties and gifts (including his cars) he provided for locals are still the stuff of legend.
There are 40 rooms at Ballynahinch, half being ‘classic’ accommodation in the older part of the hotel; the rest comprising of superior rooms, luxury rooms and suites. As the descriptions suggest, the more you spend, the higher the spec. Riverside rooms have awesome views of the water, and anyone coming with romance in mind may wish to request a four-poster bed.
My own top-floor room had a lovely view over the river and woodland, and I was surprised to find a modern fit-out that played nicely off the jumble of portraits and period detail in the public areas downstairs.
You may feel a little underdressed at Ballynahinch without several lures pinned to your cap. Fly fishing is what the hotel is famous for — and little wonder, seeing as it owns the rights to the Ballynahinch River outside, a waterway leaping with salmon and sea trout in summer.
Even if you’re not an angler, it’s worth casting a line or two (beats from €60 per day). The hotel can supply rods and a gillie, and you can bring your catch back to be weighed and recorded on a big old scales in the bar.
Beyond Ballynahinch, Connemara is your oyster. You could drive the Ballyconneely peninsula loop, stopping for a bowl of chowder at O’Dowd’s in Roundstone, or take the N59 out to Clifden. Pony trekking, walking, cycling, golf and shooting can also be arranged.
When I first stepped through the front door, Ballynahinch felt kind of fusty. It wasn’t hard to picture a posh cricketer living here, and there’s no shortage of rods, stuffed fish and photos of US President Gerald Ford, who at some historical juncture must have qualified as a celebrity guest.
The fustiness soon melts away, however, into the comfort of fresh flowers, long-serving staff and roaring fires (“On a bad day there’s eight of them,” the doorman told me). The hotel doesn’t have a pool or spa, but the estate walks and walled garden provide some enchanting escapes.
The Owenmore Restaurant has two AA rosettes and, as you’d expect of any self-respecting chef in Connemara, Xin Sun favours fresh local ingredients. €60 for five courses is far from cheap, but dishes like Cleggan lobster, McGeogh’s beef or roast wild venison loin ensure that a fair whack of the price ends up on the plate, and the river views are mouth-watering. The Fisherman’s bar also does a pub lunch and an a la carte, with mains from around €17.50.
Ballynahinch Castle currently has two nights B&B with one dinner from €200pps at weekends, and €180pps midweek. Contact 095-31006 or ballynahinch-castle.com.
The fishing season at Ballynahinch runs from March to September, and no children under the age of 12 are allowed on the fishery — though they’re perfectly welcome everywhere else.
All told, Ballynahinch is a fine four-star and a worthy winner of Georgina Campbell’s gong. Even if you can’t stay the night, it’s worth dropping by for bar food or afternoon tea. If you do, you may encounter a third thing that’s hard to find in Connemara — the motivation to leave.
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