Ballaghmore Castle
Dublin Road, Borris-in-Ossory Ireland
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#1 of 1 hotels in Borris-in-Ossory
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Ballaghmore Castle 1480 Celtic castle - perfect for family holidays. Only one and a half hours from Dublin yet set in beautiful peaceful countryside rich with activities and amenities. The castle is rented exclusively to your family group giving you the peace and privacy of the whole castle for the duration of your stay. Set in thirty acres of private grounds the castle offers sleeping accommodation for up to twenty family members over two floors of shared sleeping accommodation. The castle includes shower, bathroom and four WCs.The spectacular banqueting hall with its long tables, minstrels' alcove and roaring log fire forms the centre for gatherings in the castle. Off the Banqueting hall is a well equipped self-catering kitchen including large oven, microwave, dishwasher, fridge, washing machine and dryer. In addition, the fabulous Great Hall at the top of the castle also offers its cosy open fire, comfortable arm chairs and fun areas for table-tennis, snooker and games. On the ground floor of the castle is the generous flag-stoned basement that is ideal as a bar area if you are having a party whether inside or outside of the castle. The main entrance to the castle leads you to the beautiful mature and natural garden, ponds, woodlands and covered barbecue area with its long banqueting table for all the family. Adjacent to the castle is the owner's Manor House B&B which offers additional accommodation if required for those needing their own bedroom such as parents with babies and older members of the family (the B&B is offered at a separate cost). The Castle is positioned in the centre of its own land with a long grass lined avenue, surrounding paddocks and plenty of space to relax and for children to play. The countryside, small towns and villages within the locality of Ballaghmore Castle are rich with amenities including fishing, golf, horse riding, hiking, sightseeing, ancient heritage sites, eating out, shopping and pubs. A holiday at Ballaghmore Castle is a rare, unique and thrilling experience. The castle has been restored and maintained as close as is possible to its original and thus to stay here gives you a true experience of castle living.
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Free parking
Non-smoking hotel
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Family rooms
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71Reviews1Q+A9Room tips
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Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
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I was here for a stag with a bunch of 20 a couple of weeks ago. The castle is the perfect venue for a big party and Grace is the perfect host. The place is steeped in history and it's truly a unique experience.
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Room Tip: Good local pub nearby
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+1
This castle was such an incredible experience. To be able to actually go inside and feel a true castle experience was truly amazing! Grace has kept the feeling as true to its roots while making it an amazing adventure for those who wish to stay for a weekend getaway. Amazing Grace....your host...will not disappoint. She is so knowledgeable and will give you the best and most enlightening, educational tour. One of my favorite parts of our journey!
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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+1
Myself and my husband were lucky to visit this wonderful castle steeped in history. We met with the lovely and very knowledgeable Grace, owner and restorer of this beautiful castle. It was the most enjoyable experience we have encountered in a long time. Grace is a truly lovely person and the castle was a pleasure to visit. I would highly recommend a visit.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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+1
We stopped by the castle and expected to be let in to wander around by ourselves. Instead, we were given a tour by Grace, a warm and extremely knowledgeable historian. We had an incredible time listening and walking through the renovated castle owned by her. She was extremely charming and we really enjoyed the experience and time we spent at Ballaghmore Castle. We recommend visiting and taking in the vast amount of information Grace possesses. We learned a lot and will always remember our afternoon spent there.
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Date of stay: July 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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We organised a hen weekend at the Castle for our friend and 17 other hens. When organising the weekend the owner Grace was always easily contactable and extremely helpful. She was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the Castle and its history. We had to ourselves for the weekend. We had an absolutely fabulous time with a medieval banquet on Friday night which was very atmospheric with a roaring fire( fuel provided). On Saturday morning we played croquet on the grounds ( croquet set provided and left out on the grass) we played music and sports on the front lawn. In the afternoon we used the Grand Hall to have a dance class . To finish off our wonderful weekend we had a BBQ ( fuel provided). We ate this outside under the full moon and in the shadow of the castle. The castle speaks for itself with its unadulterated beauty and really makes for a special and unique place to stay. It was an absolute pleasure and a privilege to have such an experience. I know it is a weekend that the bride and the other girls will not forget in a hurry. Would definitely recommend!…
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Date of stay: August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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+1
I was thrown a surprise stag weekend at Ballaghmore castle last week, it was fantastic from start to finish and I couldn’t recommend the place more. The building itself is over 500 years old, it’s as authentic and impressive as it gets, huge fires to keep it warm and lots of hidden rooms and nooks. Facilities in the building include two kitchen areas, hot showers bathrooms. Outside there’s an area for bbq an fire. The owner is a lovely lady named grace, she’s very passionate about the restoration of the castle and can give you all the information and history of it. They live in the house next door but give you complete privacy and let us set up a large speaker system inside and outside etc no hassle. Incredible stay and we’ll definitely be back!
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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There was a sign in front of the castle stating that it's €5 per adult and €3 per child. The website also mentioned that "the castle is open to visitors all year round" My friend and I are on a national and non national monuments hunt across the country and we came across to this. We wanted to see the Sheela-na-gig on the castle's wall. Just before we could approach to the lady to pay or say a single word, she shouted" NO! ", and went in and closed the door. My friend and I were left puzzled. All we wanted is to see the sheela-na-gig. I'm not sure what's the reason behind this, if it's racist or whatever it is, that is very rude. If you're not willing to accept any visitors, just explain to us nicely, or you could just remove the sign in front of the castle and update your website to avoid any further visitors. I would say, anyone who wanted to visit this castle must have the tolerance of a Saint, or you'll definitely get annoyed. It's very frustrating.…
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Travelled with friends
Room Tip: Just avoid this place
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
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Grace was a sheer delight in sharing with us the history of the castle and the surrounding area. She is very knowledgeable and just charming. We loved looking at the considerable work she has done to restore this ancient castle.
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Date of stay: October 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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owner of the castle is rude and keeps checking in. never leaves you alone and has strict rules. castle is freezing. only one small dirty shower in the basement that doesn't hold hot water for long. bathrooms are awful with no lights at night. don't go here.
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Date of stay: December 2018
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Room Tip: dont go here
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
3 Helpful votes
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Response from Ballaghmore_Castle, Owner at Ballaghmore Castle
Responded 21 Sept 2019
this is a scam these people were never here did not stay here we never met them ridiculous rubbish sorry for them Grace the owner
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Was heading west from Dublin when I thought I would take a break and ask Google Maps what was near me. I found Ballaghmore Castle and went to check it out. I was given a tour by the delightful Kevin. He was very frank by saying Grace was more of the historian, but he was able to rattle off quite a bit of history throughout the tour. I was not disappointed. As I was traveling solo, he offered to take photos of me at the castle which was appreciated. The renovation history is almost as impressive as the stories of Cromwell firing on the castle itself. When you see the photos of what the castle looked like before Grace took charge, it'll blow your mind recognizing the amount of work that was put in to it.
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Date of stay: September 2019Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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LOCATION
IrelandProvince of LeinsterCounty LaoisBorris-in-Ossory
NUMBER OF ROOMS
6
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Claim Your ListingBALLAGHMORE CASTLE - Updated 2023 (Ireland/Borris-in-Ossory)
Frequently Asked Questions about Ballaghmore Castle
Which popular attractions are close to Ballaghmore Castle?
Nearby attractions include Roscrea Castle (3.8 miles), Mount St. Joseph's Abbey (4.0 miles), and Monaincha Abbey (2.0 miles).
What are some restaurants close to Ballaghmore Castle?
Conveniently located restaurants include The Cosy Kitchen, The Ugly Duckling Deli, and Parker's Restaurant @ Roscrea Golf Club.
Are there any historical sites close to Ballaghmore Castle?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Abbey of Aghaboe (8.5 miles), Kinnitty Pyramid (9.6 miles), and Saighir (6.4 miles).