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Accommodates 30 15 bedrooms 15 bathrooms, guest powder room This magnificent estate is the home of the 29th Knight of Glin and his wife, Madam FitzGerald.  The castle, really a fine Irish country house, is located on 500 acres on the bank of the River Shannon. Drive through the pretty village and then through the castle gates and along the avenue that's bordered by tall trees and enormous gunera plants.  The castle, nestled in the formal grounds, faces the Shannon River.  It's an imposing building, 3 stories in some parts, two in others, with a square tower toward the center.  The roof line is crenelated.

The dining room is at the right of the reception room.  Able to seat 30 comfortably, it's large, but it still manages to be intimate.  It can be arranged with separate tables (as seen in our photo) or with one or two long tables.  The table will be dressed with crisp Irish linen and family silver.  There is a decorative fireplace, burgundy walls, portraits of family members (many of whom were rakes, scoundrels) and their strong women.  The bay window looks to the river.  The food served here is Irish country house cooking at its best, all locally grown, all fresh and delicious. 

The sitting room is behind the dining room.  It's private and quiet, not small, but not as large as the drawing room or library.  Sofas and easy chairs upholstered in soft pink face the fireplace.  Another sofa forms part of a second seating area in front of the window.  There is a beautiful old Kilm rug, an upright piano, cheek-to-jowl family portraits, photographs of family and friends, drawings, etchings.  A large breakfront holds rare china.  Walls are blue-gray.  Windows face the formal gardens.  This is a very comfortable room that is filled with the richness of color, light, family and history.

The large back entry hall area has a harp without strings, a big chest, many pair of Wellies, lots of brollies, blue and white china, more antiques, more etchings and prints on the walls.  A guest powder room is hidden under the bifurcated stairway that goes up to the bedrooms.
The second floor hallway, seen on the right, above, is painted orange.  It has fireplace which is filled with pine cones.  There is a round table, a linen chest, a secretary, drawings and etchings. 

There are 5 bedrooms on this level.

The Yellow Room has a half-tester king bed with a floral spread, a giant armoire, a dressing table, a comfortable “ladies' chair” and a chaise lounge.  Deep yellow walls are covered with framed antique cartoons and many etchings and plates.  A decorative fireplace is filled with pine cones.  A colorful area rug sits on a dark blue-gray carpet.  This is a sunny bedroom that looks out to the formal gardens.  The en suite bathroom is actually two rooms.  One room has a long, deep tub with a hand-held shower, a sink and a toilet.  The other room has a shower stall, a double sink, a chest of drawers and an easy chair. 

We stayed in the Blue and White 4-Poster Room, shown below.  It has a very comfortable queen 4-poster bed, a wide mahogany clothes cupboard with hanging space and drawers, a dressing table with a bench with a needlepoint cushion, a desk, two easy chairs.  A chaise lounge is at the foot of the bed.  There is a decorative fireplace, interesting books, a TV, a small music system.  Walls are covered with historical etchings and drawings: family, landscapes and architecture.  Walls and carpeting are powder blue.  Windows look onto the river and the green and the hedges and, beyond, to the lush green meadow.

The en suite bathroom is as large as the bedroom.  It has a long, deep tub in the middle of the room and a separate corner shower stall.  There is a mahogany chest of drawers, a free-standing mirror, several tables, a while cupboard that's had two sinks added, a comfortable chair and, oh yes, a toilet! Two large curtained windows look onto the river.

The Castle Room, below, has a king bed with a fabric headboard and a white coverlet, a sofa upholstered in pink fabric, a large armoire, a dressing table, a writing desk, an easy chair, a red Oriental rug.  The large bay windows face the river and a smaller version of the castle built on the main road.  The en suite bathroom has a long, deep tub and a separate shower stall, a single sink in a painted cabinet, a nice light blue tiled floor.

The Pink Room has a yellow entry hall with the bathroom on the left.  This lovely bedroom has a king bed with a coverlet festooned with a rose pattern.  There is a pink chaise lounge at the foot of the bed, a writing table, an occasional table, a chest of drawers, a decorative fireplace.  The walls, with pink and white patterned wallpaper, are covered with drawings and etchings.  Windows face the river.  The bathroom has a wall of painted cupboards and open shelves, a long, deep claw foot tub and a separate shower stall, walls painted lavender above white tile.

The Green Room has a king bed with a white bed spread and a head and foot board covered with green and cream hydrangea fabric.  There is an armoire, a chest of drawers, a blue bench and a decorative fireplace.  Three windows covered with the same hydrangea fabric look down onto the formal gardens.  Off the room's entry hall, the very large bathroom has a long, deep tub and a separate shower stall, a pedestal sink, blue-painted walls above white tile and a purple trim.  Old photos line the walls.

Up on the third floor, there are more bedrooms.  The hallway has a decorative fireplace, chairs, a graceful table, drawings and paintings.

The Top Pink Room, shown below, is similar to the second floor Pink Room.  It has a king bed with a quilted bedspread and a headboard and foot board covered in flowered cotton.  There is a chaise lounge, a bench, a chest of drawers, a red-painted dressing table, a small table, a decorative fireplace and many antique dishes and framed prints of historical significance.  Three large windows look at the river.  The bathroom has a deep claw foot tub and a separate shower stall and a red-painted armoire.

The River Room, shown on the left and right, is a bit smaller than the others, but very nice.  It has a king bed with a white bedspread and a fabric-covered headboard, an easy chair, a chest of drawers, an armoire.  There is a tapestry on the wall above the bed and a bench at the foot of the bed and a decorative fireplace.  Tall windows face the river.  This room adjoins the Bow Room,  (River and Bow are the only adjoining rooms in the castle.)  The white bathroom has a long, deep tub and a separate shower stall, a pedestal sink.

The Bow Room, below, has a king bed with a white bedspread and blue and white fabric-covered head and foot board.  There is a chest of drawers, two blue easy chairs, a bench.  Beautiful antique drawings hang on the walls.  Views from four large windows are of the side grassy area.  This room adjoins the River Room.  The large white-tiled bathroom has a long, deep tub and a separate shower stall, a pedestal sink, a cork floor and a window that looks down onto the side grassy area.

The East Room, below, a bit smaller than the others, is personal and refined.  It has half-tester queen bed with a paisley bedspread and a headboard covered in teal fabric under a flowered canopy.  There is an easy chair, a clothes closet, a bench, a decorative fireplace and a beautiful area rug over blue carpeting.  The wall is covered with antique etchings.  Windows look to the side of the property.  The crisp white-tiled bathroom has a long deep tub, a separate shower stall and a sink.

The Pine Tree Room, below, has a king bed covered with a white spread and a flower-festooned headboard, a chest of drawers, an easy chair, a bench, a clothes closet.  The same flowered fabric covers four tall windows that look out over the side and the back of the property.  The very large bathroom has a long, deep tub and a separate shower stall, a pedestal sink, two little parlor chairs, a large window. 

The Sundial Room is up two steps from the hallway.  This very pretty room has a king bed with a blue and white fabric-covered headboard.  There is an easy chair, a chest of drawers, a clothes closet.  The windows and the long window seat, dressed in the same fabric as the bed, look onto the formal gardens and, of course, the sundial.  There is an old heating system in the floor with large brass grates – not at all unattractive.  The smallish bathroom has a long, deep tub and a separate shower stall, a pedestal sink.  This is the only bathroom that doesn't have a window.

The Top Yellow Room (left, right and below) has twin beds with Gothic-shaped headboards covered with a yellow checked and floral fabric.  An antique red chair is at the foot of each bed.  There is a tall mirror, a chest  of drawers, a writing desk, a blue easy chair and a decorative fireplace with a blue tile surround. Windows look at the gardens.  Off the rooms entry hall, there is a dressing area with an armoire and a sink set in a marble counter top.  The separate bathroom has a long, deep tub and a shower stall.

There is a large, open foyer on this level that has a beautiful round skylight that floods the hall with light.

Three additional rooms are in the old wing of the building on the main floor.  They are:

The Bay Room has a king bed that can be converted to twin beds (as shown here).  There is a wardrobe, a dressing table, a writing desk, two comfortable arm chairs, a cupboard and bedside tables.  Colors are turquoise, brick, beige and ivory,  The bay window looks out over the gardens, magnolias and camellias. The large bathroom has a long, deep tub and a separate shower stall.

The Watercolour Room (on the right) has a king bed that can convert to twin beds.  There is a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a dressing table, two chairs at the foot of the bed, an easy chair.  Many fine watercolors adorn the walls.  Most were painted by the present Knight's mother and grandmother and depict various locations on the property.  Walls are painted a soft, pretty green.  Fabric is a John Stefanidis design.  The bathroom has a long, deep tub and a separate shower.

The Knight's Room has a half-tester king bed that can convert to twin beds (as seen here).  Until a few years ago, this was Knight & Madam's room (they now live in their own quarters).  There is a wardrobe, two easy chairs, two straight-backed chairs, a dressing table, a chest of drawers, a corner cabinet.  Walls are pale blue.  Views are of the garden.  The bathroom has a long deep tub with a shower over tub.

If you are a gardener, the castle gardens will delight you.  You can roam the grounds and investigate the flowers, plants and trees.  The large walled area has a kitchen garden where they grow vegetables, fruit and many herbs for the table.  Flowers are grown along the walls: large pots of tulips and other bulbs, roses, pleached fruit trees.  Benches and wicker chairs invite you to sit a bit and enjoy the beauty. The large formal garden has lawns, well-trimmed hedges, evergreen trees, a few palm trees, gravel walkways and glimpses of the weather.

The Knights of Glin, a branch of a great Norman family, the FitzGeralds or Geraldines, Earls of Desmond, were granted extensive lands in County Limerick in the early 14th century by their Desmond overlords.  The Desmond family were all descended from the Norman, Maurice FitzGerald, a companion-in-arms to Strongbow.  The current Knight of Glin, the last in a long line, is a noted expert and collector of antiques.  Over the centuries, many of the family's treasures were lost or sold.  The current owner is dedicated to returning as many of the house's belongings as possible.  Most of the items in the castle are original to the family and the house and all have historical significance.

Clay pigeon shooting and archery can be arranged.   You can walk a bit, play tennis or croquet, draw, paint, or just sit around and do nothing.   Golf courses that are within an hour of the property are Ballybunion, Tralee, Adare Manor, Killarney, Limerick, Doonbeg, Lahinch.  Horse riding is nearby.  Limerick is a modern city that has good restaurants and the Hunt Museum.  The picturesque thatched village of Adare, 1/2 hour from the property, has excellent restaurants, authentic pubs (all non-smoking), excellent shopping.  The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher, in County Clare are not to be missed.  A bit further, the Ring of Kerry and the towns that dot it are gorgeous.  The Dingle Peninsula is stunning.  Galway City, to the north, is a long, but very interesting, day trip.

This is an ideal venue for wedding celebrations.  The staff is adept and enthusiastic about having weddings at the castle.  We will give you more information about this, if you like.

When not rented in its entirety, the castle accepts B&B reservations.  All of the bedrooms are lovely and comfortable, but they have been divided into 4 "deluxe" bedrooms, 6 "superior" bedrooms and 5 "standard" bedrooms.  Superior and standard rooms are located in the old wing or the third floor.   B&B rentals canceled prior to the 14 days of arrival are without penalty.  B&B reservations canceled within the 14 days are subject to full accommodation charge unless the rooms are rebooked.

Shannon Airport is 45 miles (72 km).  Limerick City is 32 miles (52 km).  Killarney is 60 miles (97 km).  Galway City is 95 miles (153 km).  Dublin is 153 miles (246 km). 

ACCESSIBILITY NOTICE:

The castle is accessible to those with moderate mobility limitations.  There are a few stairs to the wing's three bedrooms, but not a full flight of stairs.