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Where Ronnie Drew sang and Robert Mitchum sipped: Landmark Ring of Kerry hotel for sale for €4m

The family-run Towers Hotel in Glenbeigh comes to market as its owners, the Sweeneys, retire after 45 years.

Pretty as a picture: Glenbeigh village setting for the Towers Hotel, which is up for sale for €4m

Thu, 17 Sep, 2026 - 06:00

Catherine Shanahan

THE TOWERS Hotel, a landmark hospitality venue on the Ring of Kerry that welcomed various celebrity guests over the years, has been put on the market, with offers sought in excess of €4m.

The 28-bedroom hotel in the heart of picturesque Glenbeigh village, on the spectacular Iveragh Peninsula, is being sold as its owners, the Sweeney family, retire from the business after 45 years.

Commercial agents CBRE described the sale of the hotel on two acres as “one of the most compelling hospitality opportunities currently available in the Irish market”. Both domestic and international interest is expected.

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The hotel, which dates back to 1895, was acquired by the Sweeneys in the 1980s from Ernie Evans. Described as “the celebrity chef of his day”, the late Mr Evans subsequently relocated to Dublin and opened Ernie’s restaurant in Donnybrook in 1984.

His time as proprietor of The Towers in the ’60s and ’70s coincided with visits by some famous names, including movie director David Lean and film stars Robert Mitchum, Trevor Howard, and Sarah Miles, while in Kerry for the filming of Ryan’s Daughter.

Ernie Evans on the saxophone with Patrick Doyle from Killorglin on the accordion. The occasion was the Christmas Party at The Towers in the 1960's. Mr Evans' premises were famed as much for the partying as the food. Picture: Killorglin Archive

The late king of silent comedy, Charlie Chaplin — a frequent visitor to Waterville, on the same Co Kerry peninsula — also visited the hotel.

Former lead singer with The Dubliners, the late Ronnie Drew, was an entertainer at The Towers for a couple of seasons during Mr Evans’s time and performed in 1970 at the opening of the Tower’s Olde Bar as it is today. American singer Burt Ives was also a visitor.

More recent household names to drop in include actors Paul Mescal and Irish American John C Reilly.

The hotel’s longevity (131 years old) is underpinned by an exceptional trading location on two globally recognised tourist routes, including the Ring of Kerry, and the more recently conceived Wild Atlantic Way.

Just 2km from the spectacular Rossbeigh Beach and benefitting from year-round tourist traffic, the hotel is reckoned to occupy “one of the most strategic hospitality locations in the country”, according to CBRE.

John Hughes, director of CBRE Hotels Ireland, noted its proximity to various beauty spots such as Caragh Lake and Killarney National Park, as well as convenient access to internationally acclaimed golf championship courses such as Dooks Golf Links (pictured below), Waterville Golf Links, Hogs Head Golf Club, Ballybunion Golf Club, and Tralee Golf Club.

Irish Open winner Shane Lowry playing the majestic Dooks Golf Links near Glenbeigh in Co Kerry in September 2022 Picture: Ian Cronin

Mr Hughes said the hotel’s location presented “significant opportunities to further develop golf tourism packages and grow higher-value international visitor business, particularly from North American and UK markets”. Kerry Airport is less than a 40-minute drive away.

The hotel is also expected to benefit from the 32km South Kerry Greenway, which will connect Glenbeigh and Caherciveen. A transformative infrastructure project, it’s expected to increase visitor numbers, extend the tourism season and further strengthen demand for accommodation, food, and beverages.

For The Towers Hotel specifically, it will place the hotel near a major walking/cycling route linking Glenbeigh with Kells and Caherciveen, rather than it simply being a Ring of Kerry driving destination.

Mr Hughes said the hotel, which is fully operational, has a strong trading history and demonstrates annual profitability. The traditional Victorian-style property has been continuously maintained and upgraded, the agent said.

As well as 28 guest bedrooms, it includes a feature garden room with sea views, a 40-seater Loft restaurant, a hotel dining room, a traditional bar and lounge, outdoor guest areas, terraces, and on-site parking.

The agent noted there is scope also for future development of the 2a (0.8ha) site.

In 2021, proprietor Brendan Sweeney was refused permission to extend the hotel following an appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála, who cited deficiencies in the local waste water treatment plant as an area of concern. The planning board also felt it would be detrimental to the character and amenity of the village.

The proposed extension would have included eight apartments and four cottages, as well as additional car parking and an effluent treatment plant.

Mr Hughes said the hotel “represents one of the most compelling hospitality opportunities currently available in the Irish market, combining a landmark location on the renowned Ring of Kerry, strong profitability, established trading performance and significant growth prospects”.