Gougane Barra Hotel

Hidden away in one of Ireland's most romantic glens, on the scenic borders of County Cork and County Kerry, this is an intimate, family run hotel, set overlooking the lake of Gougane Barra and the ancient hermitage of St Finbarr.

Gougane Barra is known for its unspoilt beauty and tranquillity, but fortunately its secret isn't out just yet! The sweeping glens surrounding the Gougane Barra Lake provide the source for the River Lee, which meanders through the mountains, before reaching Cork City and the Atlantic. It was here at Gougane Barra, on an island in the lake that St Finbarr started his famous hermitage. Nearby is Ireland's first National Forest Park and the area is also an Irish speaking region or Gaeltacht.

On the shores of the lake is the Gougane Barra Hotel, which has been family run since the 19th Century and is renowned for its warmth and Irish hospitality. It's a small, intimate hotel with a homely atmosphere. The bedrooms are basic but neat and tidy and the hotel is building up a glowing reputation for its fine food, with recommendations in a number of Ireland's top dining guides.

The hotel benefits from its location amid some of Ireland's most romantic scenery. The small church built on St Finbarr's former hermitage island is a popular venue for weddings. While the surrounding unspoilt countryside is perfect for walking and cycling and guests at the hotel can take a boat out on the lake to fish for Brown Trout.

The Gougane Barra Hotel provides an excellent base for touring the scenic areas of West Cork , the Beara Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry and is accessible to the popular destinations of Cork and Killarney.