A consortium of investors led by the well-known family of hoteliers, the McGettigans, has acquired the former four-star Nuremore Hotel & Country Club in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. While the price paid for the hotel has not been disclosed, The Irish Times understands the new owners secured ownership of the property for around the €6 million price which had been guided by agent CBRE on behalf of Declan De Lacy, liquidator of Nubility Capital. The hotel and golf resort will now undergo a refurbishment, with plans by the McGettigans and their fellow investors to create more than 100 new jobs.
The McGettigan family’s involvement in the hospitality industry dates back to 1964 when Jim McGettigan opened the first McGettigan’s Pub in Dublin. Today, the family owns and operates several hotels and properties in Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Limerick, Wicklow and Glasgow. Additionally, the family runs a chain of bars internationally, with locations in Ireland, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
Commenting on its plans for the Nuremore Hotel, a spokesperson for the McGettigan-led consortium said: “Our goal is to breathe new life into the hotel and golf club, enhancing both the environmental and economic landscape of the area.
“We are committed to a comprehensive refurbishment, working in close collaboration with the local council, national organisations and key stakeholders to maximise the site’s potential.
“At the heart of our plans is an unwavering dedication to exceptional hospitality. We are excited to introduce new food and beverage options, including a McGettigan’s Pub, while also reinvigorating the golf course, meeting facilities and leisure centre. Our objective is to create a welcoming, high-quality space for both residents and visitors alike.”
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Before its untimely closure in 2023, the Nuremore Hotel had been synonymous for many years with hospitality in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, and the wider northeast region.
The hotel, built originally in the 1890s, came into its own under the ownership for over 50 years of Julie Gilhooly and her family. In the 1990s, the hotel famously served as the training base for Jack Charlton’s Irish soccer team as they prepared for their 1993 World Cup qualifier in Belfast, and the tournament finals in the United States the following summer. In 2020, the Gilhoolys retired from the business and sold it to the Kylin Prime Group as a going concern.
The Nuremore Hotel comprises 70 bedrooms with facilities that include a restaurant, bar, leisure centre and a large function room. The hotel sits on 160 acres of parkland with a championship golf course as its centrepiece.
The function room was a popular wedding venue and offered catering and banqueting facilities for about 350 guests.
The conference centre is a custom-built facility for business meetings and conferences. The Kavanagh conference rooms, as they were known, can accommodate meetings and conferences for up to 20 delegates.
For larger events of up to 50 delegates, the Kavanagh suite & Carraig rooms offer garden views. The conference room can seat up to 700 delegates in a theatre style.
The hotel’s spa and wellness facilities include treatment rooms, an indoor pool, a sauna, and a fitness centre. There are two outdoor tennis courts between the hotel and its golf course.
In 1991 Eddie Hackett designed a championship 18-hole parkland golf course featuring water elements at its second, fifth and eighth holes. The course also features a standalone club house with bar facilities.
The Nuremore Hotel is located on the old Ardee Road just 2km outside Carrickmacross in Co Monaghan. The venue sits 85km from Dublin and 100km from Belfast respectively.
