Currarevagh House

An oasis of privacy for guests in an idyllic, undisturbed natural environment, providing exceptional personal service with a high standard of accommodation

Ok, so we know we are very good at finding great places to stay for tourists from home and abroad.  But even we have to pat ourselves on the back for this particular discovery! This is ‘stop the world I want to get off and stay here forever’ territory.  And when you decide to stop your busy world here at Currarevagh House – you won’t be in a hurry to return to that world any time soon.  This place will suck you in, and before you know it you’ll even begin to imagine it’s your own home.  Yes we promise you will.

The house was built originally in 1842 by the great great great great Grandfather of the current owners the Hodgson family.  It’s now looked after by the latest generation – Lucy and Henry Hodgson, who uphold all the family tradition they have inherited in this wonderful property.  The emphasis here is on a personal service far removed from the typical ‘hotel’ feel.  At Currarevagh it’s all about making you feel right at home in this home.  And what a home! This majestic house is a very grand place, where you can chill out, walk, fish, sail on the Lough, dine like a royal, and become part of the family very quickly.  It is testament to the customary personal service on the night we paid a visit, there was a guest in residence who has been coming here annually for fifty years – that’s a long time to be coming back to the same place so you might understand what we’re getting at here!

Henry looks after front of house.  This charming man, perfect gentleman and totally professional hotelier provides an almost ethereal service for his guests.  This is his home with wife Lucy and their two children.  But he makes sure you feel like it’s your home too during your stay.  You’ll be welcomed warmly and shown into the comfortable and well proportioned sitting room with its graceful bay windows looking out over the peaceful scene of the gardens and Lough.  You’ll be invited to enjoy some tea and home baked cookies on your arrival, or a reviving pot of coffee served in classic Cona coffee pots.  The family has a small collection of these original 1950’s glass coffee making pots, heated by paraffin candles so your coffee stays piping hot at the table.  Back in the day, a complete set of them always adorned the tables after dinner at Currarevagh.  It’s a tradition the present owners have kept alive and one that really matches the feel of the house.  The décor feels as if time has stood still.  Original old paintings adorn the walls, the furniture is antique, some of it going back through the generations, the old barometer used by Henry’s grandfather still takes pride of place on the mantelpiece over the fire in the entrance hall, and the quiet library is packed with books collected over the years.  Of course there is a tv in there if you really want to switch on to the rest of the planet.  But our guess is you won’t.  Who cares, in this atmosphere?

At dinner Lucy Hodgson takes the helm in the kitchen.  This lady is nothing if not meticulous in sourcing her ingredients.  She’s been known to forage while taking the children for a walk in the afternoons and whatever she finds may well end up on the menu that evening.  Her trips on our visit revealed a host of young wild garlic and sorrel shooting up in the woodlands that surround the house.  Her mother had on a recent visit dropped off a bag of baby Jerusalem artichokes too, grown in her garden.  All these home grown goodies are treated with respect, and served simply in the formal dining room.  It’s one menu for all in the evenings, but of course dietary requirements are catered for too.  We started with McGeough’s Air Cured Pork with Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes, Beetroot and Caramelised Apple.  The fillet of local Rossaveal Brill was delicately poached in red wine with a dice of carrots, onions and leeks, in the classic French style. Braised Leek and Wood Sorrel accompanied, with a gorgeous bowl of mustard mash. Silver service here - the waitress comes around with the main course on a silver platter and serves you at the table.  Henry brings on the big bowl of mash afterwards. Of course there are always seconds.  It’s that kind of place.  If you’ve room left, you can enjoy the dessert of the evening, on this particular menu it was a Dark Chocolate Marie with spring rhubarb and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and crunchy Ginger Shortbread.  The cheese course is a ceremony – again the board is brought to the table and you choose the ones you want.  St Killian Brie, Cashel Blue, and St. Tola goat’s cheese are all here, all in perfect condition, served with simple water biscuits so you can appreciate the full tastes.  Then comes the coffee or tea, which you can take in the sitting room by the fire.  And some after dinner drinks if you wish - a cognac or port as a nightcap. It’s bliss, what more can we say?

A good night’s rest is guaranteed in one of the bedrooms here.  Beds are cloudlike and dressed with Donegal rugs.  En suite bathrooms are spacious. Ceilings are high and proportions are generous in all rooms.  Views are over the Lough or the Benlevy Mountains.  No tv though – you are here to enjoy the tranquillity!  If you get thirsty, you can quench with water from the Currarevagh Spring, beautifully bottled and left on the dresser in your room.  In the morning, a country house breakfast starts the day.  Begin with an old fashioned half grapefruit, segmented for you but left in the skin and sprinkled with a little sugar if you like.  Enjoy the homemade scones, breads and pastries.  You might even try those cheeses again, or indulge in a creamy bowl of porridge with honey.  You just have to have some Kedgeree before your Full Irish.  Finnerty’s sausages and bacon with farm eggs and tomatoes pack the plates.  Then it’s off for a drive through the leafy lanes of Connemara, a stroll by the Lough, or a walk in the peaceful grounds and woodlands.  If the weather’s damp, you’ll find a selection of wax jackets and wellingtons in the entrance hall.  Home from home, as we said earlier. 

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Contact Details

To Contact a Member Directly, please click on the email or website below

Glann Road Oughterard Co Galway
+353 (0) 91 552312
Email: info@currarevagh.com
Web: www.currarevagh.com

 

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