County Clare, a Castle, and a Room Fit for a Queen

When I started planning my trip to Ireland, there were two things that I knew I had to do:  Cut crystal at Waterford and stay in a castle.

Enter Dromoland Castle in the County Clare.

After having spent the better part of the afternoon driving the Dingle Peninsula, I was happy to arrive to the sprawling, 410 acre estate just outside of Shannon. Down the winding road leading to Dromoland, past the 18-hole championship golf course and the trout-filled Dromoland Lough, I finally saw what I’d been eagerly anticipating. The sun was setting and the side of the castle looked as if it was aglow. I was instantly smitten.

It looked just as I’d imagined. Now a five-star resort, Dromoland Castle dates back the 5th century and was once the Gaelic ancestral home of the direct descendants of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland. With gardens based on those at Versailles, deer and other wild creatures roaming the grounds, and the River Rine flowing through the property, I couldn’t help but feel a little regal myself.

I adjusted my invisible crown as Tom, the bellman, took my bags and the valet left with my car. Tom escorted me up the stone steps of Dromoland, which caused me to stand a little straighter. Katherine at the front desk greeted me with a warm smile and welcomed me to the estate. After a thorough run-down of the amenities, she handed me the key to the Queen Anne Suite.

What? That’s certainly not what I reserved. It was much more! UPGRADE!

Down the long, red carpeted hall and up the grand staircase was the Queen Anne Suite. Tom had his work cut out for him carrying my giant bag up the stairs, but he did so without complaint. When the door was opened to reveal my room, I gasped. The first thing I noticed wasn’t the floral paper enveloping the walls; it was the enormity of the suite. The ceilings must have been at least 20 feet high, which added to the never-ending feeling of the room.

Gigantic windows measured the length of the room and provided a framed view of both the golf course and Dromoland Lough. The view changed depending on which room I stood in. All this place was missing was a full kitchen, which it could have accommodated with room to spare. Parisians and New Yorkers would be jealous of the space in the Queen Anne Suite. A comfy, full-sized couch, chase lounge, occasional chairs, antique armoires, and a larger-than-life TV made up part of the living room, while a desk and table for four stood in the other. A grand crystal chandelier served as a beautiful exclamation point to the room.

While still keeping with tradition, the Queen Anne Suite also offered modern amenities and…chocolate! A black box with a gold bow siting on the dining table caught my eye. What a lovely and delicious gift, I thought.

The king-sized, ornately-carved bed dominated the bedroom. With matching bed-side tables and lamps and the most divine linens, I couldn’t wait to crawl in. Yet another TV, as well as a dressing table, complete with an iPod docking station, gave me everything I needed for the night…except for food. I could have easily ordered room service, but I wanted to explore more of the castle.

After a quick shower in the huge, marble and granite-covered bathroom {complete with yet another TV!?!}, I wandered down to the Earl of Thomond Restaurant. Not exactly dressed for a place so nice, I decided to grab a drink and some food in the bar. It was getting late, but I’d been in Ireland nearly five days and had yet to indulge in Galway oysters. It was time to rectify that situation.

There’s only one word to describe the taste of these famous oysters: Perfection. I could have eaten dozens upon dozens of them. Dromoland certainly gets bonus points for having Tabasco on hand. Despite the lovely singer in the bar and the tasty wine in my glass, I was ready to crawl into my bed and relax. This queen’s time was limited in her castle.

Back to the Queen Anne Suite I went. With free Wi-Fi, I took the time to catch up on Twitter and Facebook, things that had been neglected {or forgotten} while exploring the Irish countryside. My eyelids became heavy and I couldn’t stave off my fatigue much longer.

I pulled the heavy, floral drapes, but not before watching the sun go down on my Irish fantasy. I gently set my crown on the bedside table and quickly drifted off to sleep. I had another full Irish day ahead.

Thank you to Ginger at Time Travel Tours for introducing me to the wonderful people at Dromoland Castle.

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