Past and future meet at Carton House
by Emily Cathcart
On a wet Wednesday afternoon, I made the short car journey from Dublin to Maynooth, County Kildare in the pouring rain. But there was a bright spot on the horizon on this dull day—a planned lunch at Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel, to be spent in the company of General Manager Martin Mangan.
All imagery courtesy of Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel / Photos by Barry Murphy/Jack Hardy/Kevin Markham
After driving through the peaceful countryside, I approached the imposing 18th century building and sprinted through the deluge to be greeted by a surprisingly 21st century entrance—a new addition created as part of an extensive multi-million Euro refurbishment project completed in 2021.
Welcomed with a warming cup of tea as I was drying out, I had only just settled into a comfortable velvet-upholstered sofa in the reception when Martin appeared. After the inevitable discussion of the weather (an essential start to any Irish conversation), we were off on a walking tour of the property, beginning with that refreshed entranceway. Martin explained that it’s been completely redesigned and also re-sited from its previous location to enhance the guest experience, “creating a real feeling of having arrived from the moment they get here”.
It was easy to see why it’s important to inspire a sense of occasion as soon as guests cross the threshold. Though new touches abound, there’s a clear desire to both highlight and respect a storied history at this grand country house dating to 1739 in its surrounding demesne of 1,100 acres—this being the ancestral seat of the Earls of Kildare and Dukes of Leinster for over 700 years, after all.
To give an idea of the weight of history here, a (very abbreviated) recounting: the Carton Estate first came into the ownership of the FitzGerald family in 1170. Fast-forward by several centuries, and the estate was lost by the FitzGeralds in the 1920s when the 3rd son of the 6th Duke sold his birthright to pay off an immense gambling debt. Jumping ahead once more, in the 2000s much of the demesne was redeveloped into two world-class parkland golf courses as the house itself transformed into a luxury hotel complex.
Even more recently, French hospitality titan Accor was the catalyst behind the just-finished revamp (with Dublin-based McCauley Daye O’Connell Architects overseeing the interior design and architecture strategy, in collaboration with Accor’s luxury Design and Technical Services team). At the same time, the property was being rebranded as Carton House, A Fairmont Managed Hotel—taking pride of place as the first and only Fairmont Hotel in Ireland. For such an historic location, there’s been a lot of change in a very short time, capped off with an upgrade to five-star status.
Touring the site, I had a behind-the-scenes peek at spaces that ranged from sophisticated to quirky to flat-out dazzling. We visited distinctive spots like The Duke’s Rest, once Carton House's Game Hanging Room and now the venue for some serious wine tasting; The Whiskey Library, the house’s original library reborn as a home to over 120 pot stills, malts, and bourbons from around the globe (Martin tells of more than one long evening spent in these cosy confines); and the liberally gilded Gold Salon, where Afternoon Tea service unfolds elegantly in the place where aristocratic visitors were once entertained.
Martin enthusiastically showcased the individual character of the different rooms, pointing out where old and new work hand-in-hand; and the all-pervading feeling of past and future effortlessly combining provides a sense of continuity throughout. “Where an antique limestone floor or original door can be preserved, cracks and all, they have been retained and restored; where modern conference facilities were needed, they have been created from the ground up.”
A building of this vintage also has many previous lives to draw upon; where it once had a working brewery, distillery, bakery they are now being repurposed and renewed. As Martin says, “We’re still thinking about the best ways to use all of these interesting spaces, and make the most of our unusual nooks and crannies”.
Walkthrough complete, we sat down to lunch in Kathleen’s Kitchen surrounded by period features like huge cast iron stoves from the 1700s in a room flooded with light, even on a gloomy afternoon. As white wine was poured and posh cheese toasties appeared alongside a well-appointed charcuterie board, we talked about how special an experience it is to be General Manager of Carton House, and the challenges of managing a large heritage property.
“It’s about how you manage your time; this is a big resort. With 169 bedrooms and suites, it’s a long journey from one end to the other. You’re managing the movement of people, and you try to match that with where our guests are. We have a network of tunnels here for our teams that run from the Carriage House all the way to the loading bay. And then there’s other areas like the spa, golf… I may not touch every area every day, but I’ll try to get to them all over the course of the week.”
Though the job keeps him running, it’s clear how invigorating and rewarding Martin finds the role, and everything that comes with it. “It’s wonderful to be a custodian of a unique place like this. To protect the heritage and character of the property, while giving guests an unforgettable experience: it’s a privilege.”