Tipperary's 'Premier' hotel
September 02, 2010There aren't too many businesses tougher to be in in these times than the hotel business, but the good people at Dundrum House Hotel continue to make it work.
A ten-minute walk away from the beautiful village of Dundrum and just seven miles from both Cashel and Tippeary towns, the property was acquired by Austin and Mary Crowe back in 1978. Since that time several members of their family have become actively involved in the day-to-day running of the hotel. We chatted with Austin's daughter Finula the hotel's Business Development Manager about the current business environment.
"My parents bought here in 1978 and spent three years renovating and refurbishing it to its former glory before opening its doors in 1981, which means we'll be celebrating 30 years next year," explained Finula.
"One of the first guests to stay was Dr Gareth Fitzgerald and more recently Mary McAleese, and now, in the high season, we would employ well over 100 people here, most of which would be locals."
With people having tightened their belts in the last few months and years, hotel accommodation could be viewed as too much of a luxury cost.
Finula does admit that 2009 was a testing time with over 60 bedrooms and a large development of 4* luxury holiday homes to fill, but she now feels that the past six months have seen Dundrum House Hotel buck the trend.
"Last year would have been one of our tougher years," she admitted.
"We have shown growth on last year and we are very pleased with our performance thus far and I think it's been our loyal Tipperary customers that have got us through so far and of course the attractiveness of Tipperary for those following the trend to "staycation".
"We do appeal to different kinds of people and our market is an Irish market, with an 18-hole Phillip Walton designed championship golf course which is ranked in the top five parkland courses in Munster, managed by another member of the family, William Crowe. We also appeal to the active retired and have a strong family business during the school holidays. "
The hotel's golf club house, "The Venue" is renowned for its quality restaurant and bar, which are open seven days a week serving great food at good value prices and the hotel's "Rossmore Restaurant" prides itself in using locally sourced produce and has an excellent reputation for its succulent steaks.
Of course Dundrum House Hotel is synonymous with excellent Weddings offering both a delicious wedding meal and a stunning setting. Every wedding is overseen by Austin's daughter Deirdre and her husband, Head Chef Steven Ronan.
An award-winning leisure centre, which boasts a 21-metre swimming-pool, is allied with a well-equipped gym, where a lot Tipperary GAA players (both club and county) spend their winter months preparing for the new season.
At present, Dundrum House Hotel are in the process of constructing an all-weather GAA training pitch, which hurling enthusiast Austin has been the driving-force behind since work began on the project this year.
"We are more or less the hosts here when the Cork team come to play in Thurles," Austin explained. "Cork have had some fine hurlers down the years and they came back strong again this year after the crisis that was in the county in 2009.
"At the moment I'm developing an all-weather pitch which we would hope to have opened by next summer. It means that teams will be able to come down here and stay and use these facilities."
Austin describes himself as a man who passionately loves the game of hurling. He claims that he never misses a Tipperary game, and was among the Premier County faithful at Croke Park last month which watched their team put in a five-star performance against Waterford to come away with a 3-19 to 1-18 victory.
"I thought it was a very good performance, but I find it a difficult one to weigh it up," he stated.
"All the games that Tipperary have won in the championship this year, they have won convincingly even if the score-line wouldn't suggest that. I would be worried as to what kind of level the counties they were up against are at."
Tipperary will certainly know the caliber of team they are up against next though. As they bid for their first Liam McCarthy Cup since 2001, the five-in-a-row chasing Cats of Kilkenny stand in their way this Sunday looking to make history.
"It would mean a lot to us to beat Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final," said Austin. We pride ourselves in Tipperary as being the home of hurling. The GAA was founded in Thurles and it is the home of hurling and football as well.
"We have a good team and a very young team, but I suppose the worry is over our experience. Kilkenny are a wonderful and professional team and that exactly what I would call them - a professional team.
"Of course it would lift our spirits and I would not write-off Tipp, they are a fine team that are capable of beating any."
Incredibly, Austin has been a follower of the small game for over 70 years now and remembers the first game he attended between Cork and Limerick in the 1940 Munster SHC final at Thurles as though it were yesterday.
His hotel has had a proud association with Tipperary GAA since the early 1980s. It has hosted the wedding receptions of numerous players in the past, including Tipp scoring ledged Nicky English, and is set to do so again next year.
"I think that sums up our association with Tipperary hurlers and camogie players who have got married here in the past. We have a few lined-up for next year, but we just wouldn't be able to disclose the information on them right now," said Austin.
Every June, Dundrum House Hotel hosts the Tipperary GAA supporters Golf Classic, which runs off as one of the biggest competitions of the year at the golf club.
Austin is a man that you can safely says is 'well-got' around Tipperary GAA circles and his generosity in sponsoring the West Tipperary Minor Hurling Championship has done no harm to his reputation as a loyal supporter of the blue and gold.
"We have sponsored the Minor Hurling Championship in West Tipperary for eight years now," he said.
"I was very proud to be asked. I find it very earnest hurling and I like to see any young fella with a hurley in their hands when they are growing up. We have very good football and camogie teams in this county too, so I suppose you couldn't ask for much more."
As for the question on everyone's minds this weekend, Austin has a simple answer:
"I think we will beat Kilkenny," he confirmed.
"Tipp look to be very fit at this moment and time and they are a fine team with talented players.
"I'm looking forward to it. They were very unlucky last year and to win an All-Ireland there needs to be days when you get lucky."
Austin and Mary Crowe, and their family and all at Dundrum House Hotel, would like to wish the Tipperary players and management the best of luck for this Sunday's All-Ireland SHC final at Croke Park. Tweet
