Ashford Castle is one of the most beautiful historical landmarks in the west of Ireland. It stands at the confluence of the River Cong into Loch Corrib, right on the border of the two counties of Meioh and Galway. Ashford Castle was begun in 1228 for representatives of the aristocratic Norman de Burgh family, who later changed the spelling of their surname to “Bourke”. Powerful medieval castle three and a half centuries belonged to this powerful family, which proudly called themselves descendants of the native Irish and did not recognize the power of the English. In 1584 Richard Bingham became the governor of Connacht, where the castle stood. He was a rather cruel man, and many noble families of the region, including the de Burkeys, rose up against him. Then Sir Bingham sentenced to hang several representatives of this clan at once.
In 1587 the opposing forces concluded a peace agreement, and two years later Bingham took possession of Ashford Castle, making it a well-fortified enclave, where he was a real “king” and could do various cruelties. The Queen of England soon tired of the regular complaints about Bingham’s atrocities causing more unrest in Ireland and ordered him to leave the area. In the first quarter of the eighteenth century, the ancient Ashford Castle was purchased by Baron Oranmore Brown, who remodeled the ancient fortress structure into an elegant French-style palace. In 1852, this aristocratic Irish estate was bought by local businessman Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, a descendant of the man who opened the famous Guinness brewery.
Today the magnificent Ashford Castle-Hotel attracts tourists with its graceful medieval crenellated towers, beautiful parapets, numerous galleries and lancet windows. To get to the gate, you need to cross the bridge over the River Cong, crowned with watchtowers on both sides. The castle interiors are no less delightful. There are eighty-five rooms, and all of them are luxuriously decorated, furnished with antique furniture, decorated with filigree wood carvings and works of world art. Each room of the hotel is unique, its decor is original and inimitable. It is not for nothing that representatives of royal and aristocratic families of Europe, famous world celebrities often stay in this hotel. Hotel praise should be given to the castle cuisine and chic restaurant, it is located in the “George V Hall”. The restaurant is staffed by chef Stefan Matz, who was named “Ireland’s Best Chef” in 2010. The restaurant can serve one hundred and fifty guests at a time, they are accommodated in the “winter” room, from the windows of which you can see the panorama of the lake and the river. There is also a “summer” Connacht hall, it can serve fifty people at a time. Here the interior is cozier and softer, there is a fireplace, the walls are decorated with carved wooden panels.