A Kerry fairytale

This development is a testament to the Liebherr family’s loyalty to the kingdom, writes Siobhan Cronin

The magnificent Arts and Crafts-style house Ard na Sidhe is named after the tree-covered knoll it nestles beside — the hill of the fairies. And the 18-bedroomed hotel on the Ring of Kerry is indeed part of a fairytale — one which has its roots in nearby Killarney in the late 1950s.

It is part of the impressive three-hotel portfolio of the Liebherr family who established a crane factory in the town in 1958. Hans Liebherr fell in love with the area and within a few years had invested heavily in the town and its environs — purchasing Ard Na Sidhe from the Hobson family who emigrated to Africa.