Donaghmore, Co. Laois.

Castletown House is an early-nineteenth-century farmhouse set in scenic surroundings on a 200-acre beef and sheep farm, on which the ruins of a Norman castle remain (approached through open fields of grazing sheep). The house was completely renovated in 1979, at which time the 30-inch-thick outer walls were raised by 18 inches. This must be one of the best-value accommodations in Ireland: the bedromms are of a good size and there are several interesting pieces of antique furniture. Fresh farmhouse breakfasts an evening meals with home-baking are served in the dining room, which has a marble fireplace; there is a sitting room with TV. Guests enjoy gathering in the farm kitchen for a cup of tea and chatting to the friendly owners. Castletown House was the recipient of a regional Agri-Tourism award. A wonderful spot to stay a while and enjoy the many things to see and do in the area, including the Italian Heywood Gardens and the Agricultural Museum in the old Donaghmore Workhouse. Guests interested in genealogy can be assisted by Moira Phelan. A path leads down to the River Erskine, where fishing is allowed. Pets outside. No smoking in the bedrooms. Visa and Access cards accepted.

Open: March-December, or by arrangement. Rooms: 2 double, 1 twin, 1 family (all en-suite).

From Bed & Breakfast Ireland, the independent guide to over 400 B&B's throughout Ireland.

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Bed and Breakfast Ireland the comprehensive guide to Irish B and Bs

A best-seller in Ireland and a real insider's guide, Bed and Breakfast Ireland has been continuously in print since 1991. The latest edition has been completely revised and updated. "Bed and Breakfast Ireland" covers more than 400 of Ireland's best bed and breakfast accommodations (b and bs), including guest houses, small hotels, country mansions, private homes, and farmhouses. Each location has been visited by the authors, who provide informative, personal descriptions, as well as logistical information such as rates, addresses, and phone and fax numbers--all accompanied by a selection of helpful maps. This comprehensive and charming guide to Irish B and Bs will help make any holiday in Ireland a trip to remember.
Bed and Breakfast Ireland has been researched and written by Elsie Dillard and Susan Causin, former travel agents with 40 years of experience between them. They divide their time between the Britain, Ireland and the US.

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Bed and Breakfast Ireland reviewed in Chicago Tribune
Maybe you'll stay in the place described as a pre-Famine wisteria-covered farmhouse -one of several overnight options in Westport, County Mayo. Or maybe you'll opt for the large Georgian mansion just beyond an iron gateway in Ballymote, County Sligo. Maybe you'll stay in one of the other 400 or so accommodations in this revised and expanded version of the book (Bed and Breakfast Ireland) that first hit the United States in 1991. Only an occasional line drawing interrupts the text; and in the back of the 319 page book, regional maps-which include ferry routes-cover the whole of the Irish Isle, from Derry and Belfast in the north to the Dingle Peninsula and Cork in the south. Each lodging entry ends with the names of the owners, season of operation and number of rooms. This review refers to an earlier edition of Bed and Breakfast Ireland as is the extract above. The latest edition of Dillard and Causin's Bed and Breakfast Ireland contains even more entries.

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