10 Stylish Venues for your next Family Get-Together
Is there a big birthday coming up in your family or are you maybe organising a family reunion?
If so you already know the pain of searching for the perfect venue. You want somewhere where all the hassle is taken out of your hands and you can concentrate on reconnecting with loved ones. Picking the perfect spot for a family gathering can be as tricky as finding a day that suits everyone. We’ve put together a list of perfect places for family gatherings.
Coopershill House – Co. Sligo
Nestled in the centre of a 500 acre private estate of mature hardwoods, deer pastures and our own river, privacy at this country house is total. With just 8 luxurious bedrooms, this elegant 18th century country mansion is just perfect for a small family gathering or intimate party.
Activities on the property include snooker, tennis and croquet. Guest can also enjoy clay pigeon shooting, golf and spa facilities in the vicinity.
Enjoy a fully catered house party with your closest family and friends with four poster beds, candlelit dinner and log fires. The perfect cosy house party for a birthday or other special event. House Party package includes: 2 nights’ accommodation, 2 full Irish breakfasts, 2 four-course dinners in the dining room and Afternoon Tea.
Capacity: 8 Bedrooms, suitable for 12-16 people
Best for: Getting away from it all. Nestled in peaceful Sligo, at Coopershill you can truly leave the hustle and bustle of everyday life behind you as you relax, rejuvenate and reconnect with your loved ones.
Enniscoe House - Co. Mayo
Enniscoe House is an elegant Georgian Manor property in north Mayo. Overlooking Lough Conn, guests can enjoy a luxurious dinner, bed and breakfast .
Perfect for spending a special occasion with your loved ones, the house can be exclusively yours for birthday parties, reunions, anniversaries and more. The main house has 6 bedrooms making it perfect for an intimate event, but there are a further 8 bedrooms in the three courtyard houses adjacent for larger celebrations.
Guests can partake in some of the activities on offer at Enniscoe, such as fishing on the lake, taking a boat trip out to Errew Abbey or taking a picnic to Castle Island. Families visiting might also be interested in visiting the Enniscoe Heritage Centre to trace their family history.
After the days activities, you’ll be aching to return to the comfort of Ennsicoe House to continue the celebrations, followed by the most comfortable night’s sleep in one of Enniscoe’s cosy bedrooms
Capacity: 6 Bedrooms in the main House and an additional 8 Bedrooms in the Courtyard Houses, for 12 – 26 guests.
Best For: History lovers. Trace your genealogy and family history at the Ennsicoe Heritage Centre
Blairscove House - Co. Cork
Overlooking Dunmanus Bay, and sleeping just 11 people across 4 bedrooms, Blairscove is a truly special venue for that special occasion with friends and family – luxurious, yet still cosy and intimate.
House Party packages include overnight accommodation and breakfast for 11 people, as well as a private drinks reception. Guest can choose whether to enjoy drinks in the reception room under the magnificent chandelier, or on warmer summer evenings, outside in the courtyard under the soft glow of outdoor lanterns and chimineas.
Capacity: 4 Bedrooms accommodating a maximum of 11 people
Best For: A Room with a View. Guests at Blairscove House can enjoy stunning views of Dunmanus Bay and the surrounding mountains from their courtyard cottage rooms.
Newforge House - Co. Armagh
The house and gardens at Newforge House are available for your exclusive use for that special occasion or family gathering. Exclusive hire of the property includes overnight accommodation and breakfast for 12 guests.
Set in an idyllic location, Newforge House is an oasis of calm despite being just 30 minutes from the vibrant city of Belfast.
Newforge is tucked away behind trees and cloaked in fields on the edge of the village of Magheralin making it blissfully quiet. Spend a peaceful afternoon exploring the house, grounds and orchards and return to enjoy a sumptuous fine dining experience for just yourself and those nearest and dearest to you.
Capacity: 6 Bedrooms for 12 overnight guests.
Best for: Farm to table produce. The beautiful orchards provide fruit for their home-made chutneys and preserves, vegetables are home grown and friendly chickens lay eggs for breakfast.
Rathmullan House - Co. Donegal
Situated on the north coast of Donegal, idyllically located a stones throw away from a beautiful sandy beach, Rathmullan House is suitable for a large family party of up to 80 guests – maybe one for a milestone birthday or anniversary. Ideal for family gatherings, Rathmullan House has family-sized bedroom suites and specially cater to the needs of kids and their parents.
Guests can spend the afternoon relaxing on the beach and evening enjoying delicious craft beers and wood-fired pizza in the informal Tap Room Restaurant. For a more formal celebration – The Cook and Gardener serves a sumptuous seasonal menu in an elegant dining room.
Planning a smaller celebration? Rathmullan House are happy to cater for family gatherings and celebrations of any size. Contact the team for more information.
Capacity: 32 Bedrooms and up to 80 guests.
Best for: Seaside seclusion. While staying at Rathmullan House you will be mere steps from a gloriously quiet golden sandy beach. Take a relaxing stroll, paddle in the surf, and in the summer, enjoy a picnic and even some swimming.
Dunowen House is a luxury 18th-century property on the Wild Atlantic Way, just ten minutes from vibrant Clonakilty town. Set in a stunning coastal headland location, the property is surrounded by private coves and unspoilt sandy beaches. Dunowen offers guests the chance to totally switch off and experience West Cork living at its best.
Carefully restored, the house showcases its unique rock and roll heritage, as the former home of Noel Redding, bass guitarist with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. A music room is dedicated to original rock memorabilia, vintage posters and music magazines, all available for guests enjoyment.
As a private rental property, when you book Dunowen House it is yours exclusively
Capacity: 6 spacious bedrooms and up to 30 guests.
Best for: Dunowen House provides you with a fantastic and exclusive setting for any celebration including luxury hen parties, intimate weddings and family celebrations. For the more active, they can organize sea kayaking, surfing, fishing, horse riding, cycling or hiking adventures, all within five minutes of the doorstep. The secluded Sands Cove at the end of the lane-way is the perfect hideaway for a picnic, to be lulled by the rolling waves, while admiring the ever-changing skies and sea-life
Glin Castle, home for 800 years of the FitzGerald family, hereditary Knights of Glin, stands proudly in its 400-acre wooded demesne on the banks of the River Shannon. Behind the house lie romantic pleasure grounds and a vibrant walled garden which supplies flowers, vegetables and fruit for the kitchen.
Activities such as clay pigeon shooting, yoga and archery as well as evening whiskey tastings with Irish music, can be arranged on-site. Glin Castle is the perfect gateway to the southwest and the Wild Atlantic Way.
Glin Castle is available exclusively for private rental.
Capacity: The Castle comprises 15 luxurious, uniquely decorated en-suite bedrooms, a grand entrance hall, dining room, comfortable library and elegant light drawing-room, all with open fires.
Best for: Glin Castle is the ideal luxury private rental property for large groups looking to live like lords and ladies! It is the ideal base from which to explore some of Ireland’s most beautiful sights such as the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher (an hour’s distance), the Dingle Peninsula (an hour and a half drive), the 15th century Bunratty Castle and Folk Park (45 minutes drive)
For a really memorable get-together, family gathering, vacation with pals or corporate think-tank getaway that you’ll be talking about for years, our manor home - Longueville House is available for you to rent exclusively for as long as you wish!
This hidden property guarantees privacy and utmost discretion for your party - our guests. Behind our secure gates, guests have the freedom to walk for miles, cycle avenues, surrounding pathways & neighbouring backroads, stroll through the gardens, or take part in many fun filled outdoor activities organised by our concierge for your enjoyment
Capacity: This gorgeous house usually accommodates groups of up to 18 guests. Should your party require more bedroom space we can accommodate an additional 11 guests by special request - a total of 29/30 guests
Best for: Memorable cooking from Chef Patron, William O'Callaghan. Garden lovers and outdoor activites.
The sensitive restoration of this early 19th-century 15-acre estate recreates a contemporary and elegant ambience for today's traveller in search of natural and warm hospitality. In its majestic splendour, the house prevails over Lahinch Bay, set in 15 acres of grounds adorned by mature woodlands and bordered by the picturesque river.
From July - August 2020, Guests are now welcome to book weeklong, self-catering holidays on the 15-acre estate, overlooking Lahinch Bay. There are currently 7 weeks available, each with a 48-hour rest period between bookings to allow for a thorough cleaning of the property and grounds.
The weeks are as follows:
Week 1: Tuesday June 30th – Tuesday July 7th
Week 2: Thursday July 9th – Thursday July 16th
Week 3: Saturday July 18th- Saturday July 25th
Week 4: Monday July 27th – Monday August 3rd
Week 5: Wednesday August 5th – Wednesday August 12th
Week 6: Friday August 14th – Friday August 21st
Week 7: Sunday August 23rd – Sunday August 30th
Capacity: There are 9 bedrooms in the property with extra beds available, so Moy House can sleep 22 comfortably. For more information, please contact Moy House at (065) 708 2800
Best for: Complete tranquility and exclusion overlooking Lahinch Bay.
Converted from Queen Anne stables in 1798, Rathsallagh is a large comfortable house situated in hundreds of acres of peaceful parkland with a walled garden and surrounded by the magnificent Rathsallagh Golf Club. Close to Glendalough, the Wicklow mountains, The National Stud (with its Japanese Gardens) and the Curragh.
Rathsallagh House is available for totally exclusive and private Holiday House rental to ensure privacy and blissful isolation, while at the same time offing a full and discreet service from our team in the background. Why not treat yourselves to a getaway in this beautiful part of the Garden of Ireland and enjoy our famous hospitality and country house cooking safe and secure from the World. For private hire all are welcome, bring the kids the bike’s and the dog’s if you like.
Capacity for private rental - minimum occupancy of 30 guests in 15 rooms. For more information, please contact Rathsallagh House directly on 045 403112
Best for: Golf lovers and guests seeking complete privacy and full use of amenities including the walled gardens, tennis court, croquet lawn, snooker room, jacuzzi and steam room.
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