The Drawing Room HourNotebook No 74October 2025
Sixteenth century, Norman and accessible only by ferry.
Collected by Deborah. Read her editorial perspective
Arriving at Waterford Castle requires a brief ferry crossing of the River Suir. This deliberate pace, even with your car, immediately separates you from the mainland and invites a slower rhythm. It offers an arrival that feels both intentional and private.
Adare
The castle's Norman origins are evident as you walk through its stone halls. We often gravitate to the Great Hall, now a bar, to reflect on the generations who have stood there before us. Dining in the Munster Room, with its refined setting, consistently completes the experience for us.
This estate serves as a distinct beginning or end to a southern itinerary.
The Ireland Edit Way
Cut the itinerary in half, then cut it again. The letter we send before every first visit.
Every hotel change costs you half a day. Luxury, in Ireland, is staying put.
Six questions we apply before booking any room in Ireland. The November test, the dinner-twice test, the landscape-over-room test.
To understand Ireland, stop looking at the castles and start looking at the kitchen table.
From the notebook
Collected notes. A few times each season.