*Dromoland Castle.
FIVE STAR Dromoland Castle in Newmarket-on-Fergus “only has a few rooms left” for the duration of the Ryder Cup being staged at Adare Manor in September 2027.
That is according to General Manager at Dromoland Castle resort, Mark McSorley who confirmed that the resort in 2024 enjoyed another record-breaking year as operating profits increased by 20 percent to €2.42m.
Mr McSorley said, “2024 was another record breaking year for us following on from 2023 in terms of revenues and operating profits”.
Mr McSorley was commenting on new accounts which show that revenues at Dromoland Castle Holdings Ltd last year increased by 6 percent from €31.4m to €33.43m.
The accounts comprise revenues generated by Dromoland Castle and the adjoining three-star Inn at Dromoland hotel.
In the role since February of this year after succeeding the long serving Mark Nolan, Cork native, Mr McSorley said that “2025 is another bumper year and is on course to surpass the 2024 performance”.
Mr McSorley said that he is very encouraged by the increase in average room rate across 2024 and 2025. “You are looking at paying anything from €1,200 to €2,500 per night depending on room category during the peak summer time”.
He said, “Ireland as a nation we might feel that it is a strong and expensive rate but if you are in the US and paying hotel room rates there you are easily paying that”. He said that the average room rate across the year is around €650.
Mr McSorley that both Dromoland Castle and the Inn at Dromoland “have only a few rooms left” for the duration of the Ryder Cup in September 2027.
This is after entering a deal with Ryder Cup sponsors in 2024 for the rooms.
Asked about the rates charged at the hotel for the Ryder Cup, Mr McSorley said, “It is a more elevated rate than what we would normally get for September. It is nothing outrageous. It was in 2024 when we signed that contract and we are very happy with it”.
Mr McSorley stated that the US market accounts for around 65 percent of resort revenues.
Prior to taking up his role at Dromoland Castle, Mr McSorley worked as General Manager of Hotel and Residences at Denis O’Brien’s Quinta do Lago in the Algarve.
A graduate of the Shannon College of Hotel Management, Mr McSorley worked for 23 years out of Ireland before returning to take up the GM role at Dromoland Castle Resort.
He said, “It is an honour to be here and lead a team at this iconic property. I never thought I would come back to work in Ireland and Dromoland was the only place I would have ever considered”.
The accounts show that revenues generated from rooms rose by 5.5 percent from €17.45m to €18.42m while food and drink revenues increased by 10.5 percent from €10.73m to €11.38m. Income from golf, leisure, shop and spa rose by 10.5pc from €2.95m to €3.26m while miscellaneous stood at €363,721.
The profits last year take account of non-cash depreciation charge of €3.19m and interest charges of €331,051.
Numbers employed reduced from 492 to 473 as staff costs increased from €13.4m to €13.54m.
The resort expanded last year with the addition of €3.07m in freehold property. Additions to tangible assets increased by €5.82m.
At the end of December 2024, the book value of the group’s tangible assets totalled €37.49m.
At the end of December last, shareholder funds totalled €26.54m that included accumulated profits of €10.57m. Cash funds increased from €3.1m to €4.79m.
