West Cork to get new luxury hotel after multimillion euro acquisition 

A LARGE castle situated near Castletownbere in west Cork is set to undergo a multimillion-euro renovation.

After years laying empty, the historic Puxley Manor, situated next to the 15th century ruins of Dunboy Castle, will be converted to create a new luxury hotel for the area.

The property, which was on the market for €2.5m, is currently being acquired by Oakmount, the company of Dublin developer Paddy McKillen Jr.

Mr McKillen’s portfolio includes some of Ireland’s leading businesses. His Press Up hospitality group will operate the Dunboy resort upon its completion.

According to a spokesperson from Press Up, the planned hotel will comprise several luxurious bedrooms and suites, a spa, gym, pool, and space for events.

“Dunboy Castle is located just outside the beautiful and lively town of Castletownbere on one of the most stunning and unspoiled coastlines of West Cork,” the spokesperson said.

“Under new ownership, this historic property will be brought to completion and open as a destination hotel and resort.” 

The 120,000 square foot property, located on over 40 acres of land, was originally acquired by a group of local businessmen in 2000.

Restoration work had begun on the site, including the addition of 72 suites, but the €47m project was abandoned after the 2008 financial crisis.

Castletownbere’s only other hotel, the Beara Coast Hotel, also shut its doors recently and is currently on the market for €1.5m.

Cork South West TD Christopher O’Sullivan said that the new plan for Dunboy was “fantastic news” for the area.

“I’ve repeatedly said the Beara Peninsula is an absolute gem in terms of Ireland’s tourist offerings, but a major issue has been accommodation so this can only be good news for the area,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“This restoration and conversion mean visitors can base themselves on the Beara Peninsula instead of Cork City or Killarney. It’ll complement other fantastic hospitality offerings in the area, and it will be a serious boost for the local economy.” 

Dónal Kelly, one of the businessmen who purchased the property in 2000, told The Echo that he was delighted to hear that the acquisition was nearly complete.

“Everybody is over the moon. It was our ambition when we started it off in the early 2000s and it's closed now since 2008. It was a shame it didn’t get over the line that time, but it was outside of everyone’s control,” Mr Kelly said.

“Hopefully, this time it will get it over the line and the Beara Coast is for sale as well. It’ll be brilliant to have hotels in the area again.”