Ballyvolane House
If you’re looking for authentic Irish country house food, or perhaps the sporting catch of a Blackwater Salmon, or even just to escape to a relaxing luxury hideaway, then come and stay at Ballyvolane. We are a multi-award winning Irish country house, founding member of the Hidden Ireland and have been welcoming guests from all over the world to our beautiful hidden corner of North Cork for more than thirty years.
Perhaps you’re newly engaged and looking for that special place to tie knot – Ballyvolane is a truly magical place to get married, earning its reputation as one of most desirable country house wedding venues in Ireland.
Now owned and run by the Green family, Ballyvolane was originally a classical Georgian home built in 1728 for a Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, Sir Richard Pyne, and then remodelled in Italianate style in the early 1870’s.
Country House chic in a stunning rural location
Ballyvolane from the rock woodland garden
Ballyvolane is not exactly a hotel, guesthouse or a Bed and Breakfast, but an elegantly furnished, family-owned period home, offering warm hospitality and extremely comfortable country house accommodation in a relaxed atmosphere of informality and friendliness. The house is situated on an estate of idyllic landscaped gardens and magnificent parkland, located in the historic region of the Munster Blackwater Valley. The gardens are open to the public during the summer months and the bluebell woods are at their best in early June.
Supremely Comfortable Beds
Luxurious beds in the Big room at Ballyvolane
The sitting room, dining room and six luxuriously appointed bedrooms have beautiful views overlooking formal gardens, parklands and trout lakes. The bedrooms are uniquely designed and elegantly furnished with the most comfortable beds you’ll ever have the pleasure of sleeping in – luxury manor house accommodation in Ireland has never felt so good!
Fly Fishing for Salmon & Trout
Ghillie Fly Fishing for Salmon on the Cork Blackwater
Salmon fishing on the Cork River Blackwater is unique. As a proud member of the Great Fishing Houses of Ireland, we offer 8 privately owned beats, stretching from Killavullen to Ballyduff. If you prefer the smaller game of trout fishing, you can try your cast on the recently restored lakes in the parkland. Work began on the restoration of these lakes in 1996 they were originally excavated by hand in 1755. We also run Fishing School at Ballyvolane, offering a variety of fly fishing courses which provide a fantastic opportunity to learn to fly fish on the renowned river Blackwater with one its most experienced and talented fishing guides.
Awards & Accolades
We’ve been recognised as one of Ireland’s top country house destinations, providing award-winning food, manor house accommodation and weddings over the years.
Whilst Ballyvolane House is not registered as a hotel, the house has often been categorised as such by some of the awards bodies and hotel guide books. Ballyvolane House is registered as a ‘Historic House Bed and Breakfast’ with Failte Ireland, the Irish Tourism Authority. The vibe at Ballyvolane House is more ‘house party’ than ‘hotel’.
Here are some of our recent awards and accolades:
Irish Restaurant Awards 2019 Best Customer Service Munster for Ballyvolane House
Georgina Campbell Country House of the Year 2020
- Irish Times Review of Ballyvolane House by Catherine Cleary 7th March 2020
- Georgina Campbell ‘Country House of the Year 2020’
- World Gin Awards 2020 – Bertha wins Bronze
- National Hospitality Awards ‘Best Boutique Hotel 2019’
- Irish Restaurant Awards 2019 – Best Customer Service Award Munster
- Irish Hospitality Awards 2018 – Best Boutique Hotel
- The Good Hotel Guide 2019 ‘Editors’ Choice Family-Friendly Hotel Award’
- The Good Hotel Guide 2018 & 2019 ‘Editors’ Choice Fishing Hotel Award’
- The Good Hotel Guide 2018 ‘Editors’ Choice Family-Friendly Hotel Award’
- Blas na hEireann Gold Medal 2017 for Bertha’s Revenge Sloe Gin
- Great Taste Awards 2017 – Gold Star for Bertha’s Revenge Gin
- National Hospitality Awards ‘Best Boutique Hotel’ 2017
- Gold Medal Award for Bertha’s Revenge Gin at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2017
- Irish Drink Award 2017 for Bertha’s Revenge Gin from the Irish Food Writers’ Guild
- Ireland’s 100 Best Places to Stay Award 2017 by John & Sally McKennas’ Guides
- OneFabDay’s 100 Best Wedding Venues in Ireland 2017
- The Telegraph’s ‘50 Most Romantic Hotels in Europe 2017’
- Georgina Campbell’s Ireland ‘Outstanding Guest Experience Award 2017’
- The Good Hotel Guide 2017 ‘Editor’s Choice Garden’ Award
- The Good Hotel Guide 2017 ‘Editor’s Choice Romantic’ Award
- The Gin Guide Awards 2017 ‘Gin Innovation for Bertha’s Revenge Gin’
- National Hospitality Awards ‘Best Boutique Hotel 2016’
- International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) Bronze Medal 2016 for Bertha’s Revenge Gin.
- Drink of the Year 2016, John & Sally McKennas’ Megabites Award 2016 for Bertha’s Revenge Gin.
- National Hospitality Awards ‘Best Destination Hotel 2015’.
- The Good Hotel Guide 2016 ‘Best Fishing Hotel’
- The Sunday Times ‘20 Coolest Hotels in Ireland’ by James Ellis in December 2015.
- No. 1 spot in the Sunday Times Top 10 Most Charismatic Hotels in Ireland by Susan d’Arcy in October 2015
- Gold Medal Award 2015 ‘Ireland’s Guest Experience’ Hotel & Catering Review Keeling’s Gold Medal Awards 2015.
- Bronze Medal in ‘The World’s Original Marmalade Awards 2015’
- Included in the Irish Design Island 2015 App developed by the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland. The App helps you navigate the design delights of Ireland
- Nominated in three categories in the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards 2016
- TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award 2015
- Orla Kiely in Lonely Planet Traveller Magazine 2014 ‘Ballyvolane House one of the most beautiful places in the world’
- Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award 2014 ‘Field to Fork’
- The Good Hotel Guide 2015 ‘Best Fishing Hotel’
- Irish Winner of the Sunday Times ‘Ultimate 100 British & Irish Hotels’ 2013
- John & Sally McKenna’s 100 Best Places to Stay in Ireland 2015
- One Fab Day 100 Best Wedding Venues in Ireland 2015
- Tripadvisor Readers’ Choice Award 2014
- Good Food Ireland ‘Most Innovative Award 2012’
- The Good Hotel Guide Cesar Award 2009
- Georgina Campbell’s Ireland Country House of the Year 2009
- Georgina Campbell’s Ireland Irish Breakfast Award 2009 Country House Category
- Karen Brown’s Readers Choice Award 2007 ‘Warmest Welcome’
- Recommended by The Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland
- Member of Good Food Ireland
- Member of The Hidden Ireland
- Member of The Great Fishing Houses of Ireland
Ballyvolane House is located in East County Cork in southern Ireland between the townlands of Britway and Castlelyons, close to the market towns of Fermoy, Midleton and Tallow and also within a short distance of Cork, Irelands’ second city. The scenic Bride and Blackwater Valleys provide a haven for anglers, walkers, golfers, horse-riders, garden-lovers and sightseers. Blarney, Cork City, Fota Island, Kilkenny, Kinsale, Lismore, Rock of Cashel and Waterford Crystal, the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula can all easily be explored on day trips from Ballyvolane.
How to get here
Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 FP70, Ireland
GPS: 52.0532293 / -8.185501 – View on Google Maps »
By Car
The only way to make the last leg of the journey to Ballyvolane and to fully experience the Irish countryside in general is by car. There are local taxi companies based in Fermoy and all the major car hire companies, such as Car Rentals Ireland (for visitors from the USA), Budget, Hertz, Avis, Irish Car Rentals, Alamo/National and Nova are located at Cork airport.
Directions From Cork
- Take the M8 north towards Dublin. Go through Toll plaza and take 1st exit off motorway for Rathcormac [ R639 ].
- Before Rathcormac at River Bride, turn right towards Midleton & Tallow [ R626 ].
- Take next left towards Tallow after 0.5 miles [ R628 ].
- Take 2nd turn right towards Dungourney at crossroads after 2 miles.
- Take next left towards Britway after 0.5 miles.
- Ballyvolane House is about 0.5 miles from the last turn on the right.
Directions From Dublin
- If you bypass Fermoy, take 1st exit off the M8 toll road for Rathcormac [R639].
- After Rathcormac at River Bride, turn left towards Midleton & Tallow [ R626 ].
- Follow instructions (as from Cork) above.
- Ballyvolane House is signposted at each turn from the R639 which is a distance of about 4 miles.
Distances
- Cork – 35 km / 30 mins [ airport / ferry terminal / train ]
- Dublin – 257 km / 3 hours [ airport / ferry terminal / train ]
- Shannon – 80 km / 1.45 hours [ airport ]
- Rosslare – 177 km / 2 hours [ ferry terminal / train ]
- Midleton – 16 km / 20 mins [ market town ]
- Fermoy – 12 km / 15 mins [ market town ]
- Mallow – 40 miles / 1 hour [ market town / train ]
By Helicopter
Please phone for pad details. Our co-ordinates are: N 52º 03.337´ / W 008º 11.193´ / Approach 060
By Plane
Cork international airport is 35 mins drive from Ballyvolane and is served by many airports in mainland Europe and the UK. The US and rest of the world are served from Shannon (1.45 hrs drive) and Dublin (2.5 hrs drive).
For up to the minute information on cities served from Cork airport, see www.corkairport.com »
By Train
The closest train stations are in Cork and Mallow. See www.irishrail.ie for timetables.
By Boat
- Stena Line: Rosslare – Fishguard / Dublin – Hollyhead / Dun Laoghaire – Hollyhead / Belfast – Stranraer / Larne – Fleetwood
- Irish Ferries: Rosslare – Pembroke / Dublin – Hollyhead / Rosslare – Cherbourg / Rosslare – Roscoff
- P&O Irish Sea: Dublin – Liverpool / Larne – Troon / Larne – Cairnryan
- Brittany Ferries: Cork – Roscoff
- IOM Steam Packet: Dublin – Douglas / Douglas – Liverpool / Belfast – Douglas / Douglas – Heysham
- Direct Ferries: An aggregator of all routes.
