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Ireland’s country houses are the stuff of interior dreams and good life fantasies, whilst the Irish ‘themselves’ are famed for their céad míle fáilte hospitality, That’s ‘guaranteed a grand time’ to you and me, put it together and you have memories for life.
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Clik here to view.Last weekend we ALL headed down to Ballyvolane House, yup – the dog was welcome too, on arrival it was high tea with the family’s children in the red clover dining room (complete with dinner gong outside) and the plans began… this is family run hotel with a difference.
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Clik here to view.Justin and Jenny Green used to run Babington House and met at the Mandarin Oriental they have adroitly created a heritage experience which appeals to the Hip Hotel generation: in a house chock a block with beautiful things exuding country life charm: there are deep baths, late breakfasts and ‘farm to table’ dinners on Chinoiserie plates.
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Clik here to view.(Oscar unable to believe his luck … funnily enough we were first down.)
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Clik here to view.Mummy unable to believe her luck when this arrived under glowing candlelight.
It’s a magical place: whether your the ‘bride to be’ ready to walk down the aisle under arched beech trees surrounded by banks of hydrangeas ….
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Clik here to view.or age 5 and 8 pulling on one of Justin’s country caps and ‘house’ wellies to ‘get down’ with the pigs and collect still-warm eggs.
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Clik here to view.Team ready
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Clik here to view.Me surveying, Oscar surveying, his whoops-muddy- knees.
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Clik here to view.Before we both checked out the chickens
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Clik here to view.job done…
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Clik here to view.Ballyvolane ticks all my boxes: its relaxed yet chic, foodie but not fussy, old school but fresh. This is a tough act to pull off and the Greens have nailed it with boundless charm and enthusiasm. Shall we walk through together, while I dream once more of the claw foot bath, chinoiserie drawing room and that warm welcome…
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The entrance hall with Corinthian topped columns and grand piano centre stage, set off by a glowing coral – since 1850. All around are lovely things from grotto chairs and Turkey-rugs to decorative lamps and flying ducks. Take a seat after helping yourself at the bar and toss a coin for whose playing “what shall we do with the drunken sailor’ primed and ready on the piano.Image may be NSFW.
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The chinoiserie accented drawing room, where when we left Justin was just settling down a family group for tea and where we spent evenings playing cards and perusing the wine list, G and T in hand.
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Clik here to view.Replete? Day complete? Shall we retire upstairs…past winking cupids, crossed swords and a welcoming buxom lady, to the long corridor smartly upheld by grinning dogs and rococo shells.
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to the 8 bedrooms, Tippi settled in straight away:
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Clik here to view.As did I *…Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.cosy, no?
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Clik here to view.Of course they are all lovely and all welcoming, we just managed to resist the cookies but I suspect Lyra and Oscar might have eaten them under the covers.
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Clik here to view.When the food’s this good it’s difficult.
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Clik here to view.As you leave the guest book is full of glowing compliments: Ballyvolane is special, it has something money can’t buy and 5 stars don’t guarantee. Returning home Lyra turned to me …Please, please can we go again? when? when? Hmmm, Don’t tell her… I’ve booked her birthday weekend and as it’s salmon fishing season, Grandpa’s coming too.
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The majority of images are taken by me, the rest are from the photo gallery at Ballyvolanehouse.ie,
*the bath shot is how I felt, however I used Ballyvolane’s as my images were a little more steamed up and hair down…
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