Cashel House Hotel sits proudly at the foot of its own hill, across the road from its own beach and inside their gardens. This is all in Connemara of course – one of the most magical locales in West Ireland. The McEvilly Family have grown this business for many years, and it really shows in the sense of genuine hospitality, long serving staff members, and the way Cashel House really makes the most of their surroundings and fantastic local produce. Needless to say, being by the ocean and in Connemara, fish, meat and cheese feature heavily on the menu.

We were not disappointed by our meal. Arthur and Athura have it all sorted in the Cashel House kitchen: one cooks the fish and one cooks the meat! That way no-one is confused and each chef can become a master of his own section. The menu was laden with choices of monkfish, turbot, sea bass, salmon, plaice, lemon sole, Connemara lamb, seafood and much much more, all cooked simply but deliciously, bringing out the best of each dish’s flavour. From April onwards you can choose your own lobster from the tank for your meal, a special treat and a super reason for a return visit!

Tradition is alive and well on the 4-course dinner menu where soup or sorbet are offered. You can even sneak in the seafood chowder here!  The cheese plate was a real winner for dessert with cheeses from Wicklow, West Cork and Waterford all featuring.

Just look out the window to remember what time or year it is – snowdrops and daffodils were coming out on our March visit, it was indeed going to be a beautiful day! Look out for the “Grow your own potatoes” package and many residential garden courses throughout the year.  A special hidden treasure in Ireland indeed!

Olive Roberts

Click here to learn more about Cashel House, Connemara, Ireland