Ireland Trip Part 32: Overnight at Dromoland Castle & "Nightwing"

Tom and Rob outside Dromoland

This is part 32 of our Ireland trip where we take you to Dromoland Castle and tell you about a guy that looked like a superhero there!
Dromoland is a former castle from the 5th century, updated, refurbished and turned into quite an elaborate Bed and Breakfast. It was here that our friend Anne Marie Clarke of Across the Pond Vacations made sure we stayed overnight. Not only did we stay there, but she got us the highest room in the tower, on the fifth floor and the most luxurious suite. It was really over the top!

Castle Entryway/Lobby

Dromoland Castle

WHAT IS DROMOLAND CASTLE? - It's a 5 star place for sure and it's located in a place called Newmarket-on-Fergus in County Clare, Ireland, in southwest Ireland. 
  There's an entirely new section of the castle with banquet halls for weddings. Of course we walked through all the hallways and explored. 

Our elaborate room on the 5th floor tower

   There's a fine dining restaurant and a cocktail bar, plus a drawing room that offers afternoon tea. Facilities at the luxury spa include an indoor pool, a sauna, a steam room and a whirlpool. There's a golf course and 2 tennis courts, horseback riding, a walking trail, fishing and clay shooting. The grounds are so extensive you can't see them all! For the website, go to: www.dromoland.ie/

CASTLE HISTORY- There were apparently three houses on the site, and building that stands today was finished in 1835. The first building constructed was likely the tower house built in the 15th or early 16th century where we stayed on the top floor. That building was built by Thomas, the son of Shane Mac Anerheny. Other families that lived there later include the O'Briens that we talked about from Bunratty Castle in a previous blog, and the McInerney family. The word "Dromoland" means "Hill of Litigation" according to the historian James Frost.

Hallway in the castle

"NIGHTWING" THE WAITER - One thing we did notice was that all of the

Dick Grayson as "Nightwing"

restaurant servers were men and they were ALL incredibly handsome. Either red-headed with green eyes and powerfully built, or black-haired-blue eyed. That made such a nice dining experience! In fact, being a superhero fan I couldn't help but notice one of the waiters looked exactly like "Nightwing" (Dick Grayson) who is the former Robin to Batman: Handsome, in his 20s, jet black hair, blue eyes, muscular build, and about 5'10". So I asked him if he knew who that was, and he didn't - so I explained that he's Batman's "Robin" all grown up and in a new identity. He was flattered. I learned that he had moved to Ireland from Romania.

 

NEXT: THE GHOST WE FOUND AT DROMOLAND CASTLE