Hotel says farewell to ‘resident’ Ben after 17-year stay

THE owners of one of the country’s oldest family-run hotels are in mourning after a cherished ‘resident’ checked out for the big kennel in the sky.

The O’Donovan family, who run historic O’Donovan’s Hotel in Clonakilty, Co Cork, said goodbye to their pet, Ben, a loveable 17-year-old border collie and retriever mix, at the weekend.

“We took the decision to put him down on Saturday,” Dena O’Donovan said. “He had been losing a lot of weight and knowing him for the last 17 years, we knew he was coming to his end. His lungs and heart just gave up. It was a very tough decision to make.”