Cahernane House Hotel in Killarney is a Victorian crown jewel

LIKELY to be chased as a trophy Killarney purchase, as either a hotel with further potential, or as an extraordinary private residence once more, is the 38-bedroomed Victorian timepiece Cahernane House Hotel, on the Muckross Road in Killarney.

Newly up for sale after a market flirtation in 2000, and after some more recent private off-market negotiation in 2015, the period building has roots back to the Herbert family, Earls of Pembroke, who were gifted estates including Muckross in the 17th century having fought on the Yorkist side in the War of the Roses.

An earlier, Queen Anne building here by the Lakes of Killarney and Muckross Road, was demolished in the mid 1800s, and the current, quite grand Cahernane House set in renowned parkland was built in Victoria’s reign, in the 1870s.

The main residence, two storeys plus attic level over basement with Cellar bar, now has 23 bedrooms, and the later wing added when made over to hotel use has a further 15 bedrooms; the hotel by Killarney’s National Park treasure has operated at four-star standard, capable of hosting up to 80 diners for functions and for small weddings (Cahernane hosted Ireland’s first civil marriage ceremony outside of a Registry Office, in 2007).

Now, Cahernane is itself seeking a new partnership: it’s advertised for sale this week with joint agents CBRE and Tom Spillane in Killarney, who last night declined to comment on the sale or to confirm an asking price.

It was last for sale back in 2000 at a then guide of £3.2 million, on 6.5 acres with then joint agents Hamilton Osborne King and Tom Spillane.

Killarney business sources say Cahernane House had been in private negotiations last year, at a sub-€2m sum, with a further significant and separate offer on its fine furnishings.

It’s likely now to be officially floated at up to €3 million, and in new ownership could be upgraded further and extended as a jewel-set boutique hotel, approached via a long, evocative green avenue of trees, and the property has views over Killarney’s adjacent scenic lakes.

It’s located two kms from the centre of Killarney, near the Brehon hotel, amongst others, including the Gleneagles and the INEC.

It has been owned for many years by the Browne family, who have also been associated with the White Gates Hotel Killarney, and Ballyheigue’s White Sands Hotel.

It has extraordinary character, and may even attract the interest of private buyers who may consider turning it back as a private, and exceptional home though the extra costs involved, plus the price hopes as high as €3m, may mitigate against that.

It’s described as a Jacobean styled manor house of the Victorian era, similar in architectural detailing to Muckross House, also associated with the Herbert family over five generations.

If, as most likely, it is bought as a trophy boutique hotel, it will most probably need more bedrooms, as well as further upgrades.

Currently its most attractive rooms are the Herbert Room restaurant, dining room and library as well as a cellar bar, with open fireplaces a particular feature.

As the country’s top tourist towns for decades, Killarney has many thousands of tourist beds, with over 100 hotels within a 10km radius serving the Ring of Kerry, Wild Atlantic Way, Dingle and Iveragh peninsulas

Details: CBRE: 01-6185500; Tom Spillane & Co 064-6633066