The restoration

This coming week sees the beginning of an influx of visitors to our shores for St Patrick’s Day, the start of the tourist season, so Lucinda O’Sullivan checks out the spectacular Ashford Castle, which is located in ‘Quiet Man’ country

“It was in need of a fairy godmother with big bucks to spend. Salvation came in 2013 when Bea Tollman fell in love with it”

French President Emmanuel Macron may be allowing the Bayeux Tapestry on a tour of Brexitland, but Ashford Castle at Cong, Co Mayo, one of the jewels in the crown of Irish tourism, has a colourful story of battles and love, woven into the annals of Connacht’s history, that could rival any story the legendary Bayeux has to tell.

Ashford Castle was built by the Anglo-Norman de Burgo family in 1228 as their principal stronghold — following their defeat of the O’Connors of Connacht — and it remained under de Burgo control for three centuries, when they lost out to Sir Richard Bingham, Lord President of Connacht.

Each owner added to the castle — Bingham by way of a fortified enclave within its precincts; while a couple of hundred years later, the Browne family added the fabulous Ashford Estate and a French-style chateau. In 1852, it passed to the Guinness family, who, during their tenure, with unlimited funds to hand, extended the estate to 26,000 acres, built new roads, planted thousands of trees, and added two large Victorian-style extensions.

From history to Hollywood

It became a hotel in 1939, and really came to prominence in 1951 when John Ford, the legendary Irish-American film director came to Mayo to film The Quiet Man, with many of the stars — John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara and so on — staying in Ashford. It has changed ownership over the past few years, and went through tough times during the recession, with money for essential renovations being beyond tight. I visited during that time, and while it was still magical, it was in need of a fairy godmother with big bucks to spend on it.

Salvation came in 2013, when Bea Tollman, of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, fell in love with it. Over the past five years, Red Carnation has ploughed €75m into restoring Ashford, adding a state-of-the-art spa, a retro-style 30-seat cinema, a billiards room, and an amazing wine cellar in tunnels under the castle, through which, in the Guinness days, staff came to work, collecting coal buckets on the way.

Course by course by course

Celebrity visitors have included Princess Grace, Brad Pitt, and more recently, Rory McIlroy, who followed Pierce Brosnan in choosing Ashford as the venue for his marriage. I’d been there a couple of years ago when the first half of the renovations were done, but my then visit was prior to the arrival of new executive chef Philippe Farineau.

And so, we arrived recently in our best bib and tucker to the George V Dining Room (yes, he stayed at Ashford too) for dinner beneath the spectacular chandeliers, where I had an eight-course tasting menu (€90), while Brendan went lighter with the a la carte.

I began with Velvet Cloud sheep’s milk yogurt, which was presented as an elegant edible garden of fermented carrot, pickled mushrooms, foraged garden flowers, carrot meringue and balsamic walnut, pictured left.

This was followed by a stunning squid-ink Connemara brown-crab ravioli in a shellfish sauce; and then by a perfect little rectangle of wild hake with rainbow beets and sea spinach, which was served in an amazing black and flame-coloured dish.

Skeaghanore cured duck — in a line-up broken by rose ‘crackers’ and marinated fig — was delicious, as were the pink rondelles of loin of Achill Island lamb, which were grouped with sage gnocchi, butternut squash, sprouts leaves and black trumpet mushrooms. Seared, aged hanger beef was next and, while it was delicious, I was hard put to have more than a taste.

Dessert on the tasting menu was a superb presentation of Orelys blond chocolate cream with pear caramel, yuzu, and vanilla, with coffee and petit fours.

Brendan meanwhile, from the a la carte, was enjoying a starter of seared scallop, served with Angus oxtail and fermented kohlrabi cannelloni, caramelised cauliflower, hen-of-the-wood and pistachio crumb (€21.50). This was followed by delicious line-caught halibut (€39) which came with Connemara clams, smoked onion, charred leek and burnt shallot.

With a bottle of Bouchard Finlayson Crocodile’s Lair Chardonnay 2015 (€45), and 15pc service charge, our bill came to €224.82, and was worth every penny given the setting, service and exquisite food.

Out of season is the best time to bag yourself a bargain as regards overnight packages, but either way, it’s a memorable experience, made extra special by the staff here, who give it that real Irish twist.