by Bridget Cottrell

After a comprehensive renovation, Ireland's Adare Manor, host of the 2027 Ryder Cup, is ready to shine for a global audience.

Ireland is a different kind of green. Even Johnny Cash, famously dubbed "The Man in Black," pined for the moorlands and the midlands in his gravelly bass-baritone for the song "Forty Shades of Green." I like to think that the verdancy of the Emerald Isle is Mother Nature's consolation prize for frequent rain and cloud cover, creating a beguiling beauty of a landscape renowned for scores of scenic walking and hiking routes and a passionate golf culture dating back to the mid-19th century.

The latter will put Ireland at the epicenter of the world golf stage when the 2027 Ryder Cup comes to Adare Manor in County Limerick from September 13-19, marking only the second time the prestigious event has been held in the country. While the lead-up no doubt will be enough to prompt golfers of all abilities to add the storied property to their travel bucket list, one would be remiss in thinking that the Adare Manor's manicured greens are the sole attraction.

Adare Manor’s Great Hall, a great reception area, now serves as the hotel’s lobby. / photo by Paul Lebane

Current estimates put the number of castles and castle ruins in Ireland at 30,000, second only to France, which has 45,000. And, while it certainly bears all the hallmarks of a castle, Adare Manor, named after the adjacent storybook village, is actually an opulent family manor house. It sits on an 842-acre parcel of land (just one acre shy of Central Park) with a settlement history dating back to the 12th century.

Construction of the manor house commenced in 1832 under the auspices of Lady Caroline Wyndham, who was inspired by the cathedrals of Europe and passionate about Gothic architecture. Interestingly, Caroline's husband, Wyndham Henry Quinn, the second Earl of Dunraven, was a descendant of a modest landowner named Donagh Quinn, who in the 1600s laid the foundation for his family's ascent from humble beginnings to nobility.

Breakfast and afternoon high are served in 132-foot Gallery, filled with works of art collected time by the Dunraven family during tours of Britain and Northern Europe.

A great many of the world's castles and great estates seem to share stories of rise and ruin, and Adare Manor is no different. In 1897, Adare Manor hosted the Duke of New York, later King George V, cementing its status as one of Ireland's greatest estates. The expense of maintaining the estate weighed heavily on subsequent generations, and Adare Manor gradually fell into disrepair. In 1982, the seventh Earl, unable to afford its upkeep, sold the property to a group of investors who, five years later, sold it to Tom Kane, a stockbroker from New York City.

Adare Manor Signature Suite Lady Augusta sitting room / photo by Jack Hardy

Kane made considerable investments to transform the property into a 62-room luxury hotel. He turned 230 acres over to Robert Trent Jones to create an 18-hole golf course, which went on to host back-to-back Irish Opens in 2007 and 2008, but failed to attract the desired large number of American golfers.

Enter JP McManis, described by my airport driver as "a local lad from Limerick." McManis' own ascent from humble laborer in his father's contracting business to a billionaire mirrored Donagh Quinn's rise. He acquired the property in 2015 with the intent of attracting one of golf's most high-profile events, the Ryder Cup, and, in turn, celebrate his hometown before a global audience. A 22-month renovation, employing some 800 workers from mostly local firms, touched every space within the original structure and added a ballroom and a new wing with 41 bedrooms.

Just as significant was the remaking of the parkland golf course. McManis retained Tom Fazio, his senior design associate Tom Marzolf, and a team of 150 professionals to reimagine Jones' original course without rerouting any holes. Frequent Irish rain showers will be a non-issue courtesy of a SubAir turf management system, sand-capped fairways and roughs, and more than 50 miles of drainage pipe. As part of Adare Manor's lineup of complimentary activities, on Mondays, guests can tour the final holes of the golf course (and take a shot or two). According to an overview in the in-room newsletter, the par 5, 9th hole is the longest at 633 yards. "It rewards bravery and punishes greed," Andy McMahon, Director of Golf Operations.

Greener Pastures

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