Riverstown, Co. Sligo

Approached through parks, woods and farmland, the long drive winds its way up to this wonderful Georgian mansion, which has splendid views over woods, hills and the River Arrow, which runs through the property. It was built in 1774 and seven generations of the O'Haras have occupied it since then. The present O'Haras have lived here for the past decade, restoring the house to an extremely high standard of comfort, without in any way detracting from its eighteenth century ambience.

In fact, much of the furniture is original. Family portraits adorn the walls, the rooms are big enough to make massive pieces of furniture look insignificant, and the dining room has enormous sideboards covered with gleaming family silver.

Mr. O'Hara farms the 500-acre estate with his brother, and Mrs. O'Hara takes care of the guests and does all the cooking. There is a large, comfortable drawing room with a log fire, and 5 of the bedrooms have four-poster or canopy beds. Boats and gillies can be arranged for fishing and boating on Lough Arrow; trout- and coarse-fishing are also available on the River Arrow. There is also a tennis court and croquet lawn. Evening meals, if arranged in advance, are served at 8:30pm, and a light lunch or picnic can also be provided. There is a wine licence. Hairdryers and tea- and coffee-making facilities are in all bedrooms. Guests are asked to smoke in the drawing-room and lounge only. Pets outside only.

Signposted from the Drumfin crossroads. 11 miles (16.5 km) southwest of Sligo on the Dublin road.

Owner: Brian and Linda O'Hara Open: March-October Rooms: 6 double, 1 twin (6 en-suite)

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

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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.
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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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