Sligo’s oldest inhabited house was home to the Cooper family for 350 years and, having been purchased and refurbished by the Corscadden family of hoteliers, it re-opened in 2017.
Set in magnificent park and farmland, this is a proper 17th century castle, with a huge portico leading to a covered stone stairway that sweeps up to an impressive hall, where an enormous log fire always burns
Although the scale is massive, it is also a homely place and reception areas include an elegant double drawing room with windows on three sides and two fireplaces - a bright and cosy place to relax and, perhaps, enjoy a classic Afternoon Tea.
Markree has always had a name for good food and the dining room here is one of the most beautiful in Ireland, so there is no better place to enjoy fine dining - and at a very fair price too.
The Corscadden family own a number of castle hotels (Cabra Castle, Co Cavan; Bellingham Castle, Co Louth; Ballyseedy Castle, Co Kerry), all of which are popular as wedding venues, but also open to individual guests when there is availability - and a stay Markree Castle is well worth considering, as it makes a luxurious and atmospheric short break destination, or an atmospheric base for exploring this wonderful region.
