Dining in the Gweedore Court Hotel

I was part of a group visiting the hotel to try its facilities.  I love Donegal but had never visited Gweedore so it was about time I did.  We were transported from Belfast to Donegal by Feda O’Donnell Coaches and stopped along the way to pick up a few extra members of the party.  On our way to the hotel, we stopped at Glenveagh Castle for a guided tour.  This is a beautiful mansion which was built in the 1870’s and is situated in the stunning Gleveagh National Park.  It’s well worth a visit if you are in the area.

When we arrived at the Gweedore Court, we were warmly greeted by the team who presented us with the most refreshing non alcoholic cocktails and a buffet style afternoon tea.  Delicate finger sandwiches, crisps, scones with jam & cream and pretty macarons were all wolfed down by a grateful group of travellers.

Fully replete, we checked into our rooms before heading to the Serenity spa for a treatment.  I am a big fan of a bit of pampering so I couldn’t wait for this.  Once in my robe, I was shown to the communal relaxation room and handed a most welcome glass of wine while I waited for my treatment.  The spa boasts five luxurious treatment rooms including a private romantic couple’s room and I have to say my Elemis facial was a real treat.  The therapist even added a little shoulder massage with hot stones as she could feel the tension in my shoulders (I know what you are thinking- who could be tense during a lovely outing like that!)

After a quick freshen up, it was time to meet the others in the bar for a pre-dinner drink.  I have never knowingly turned down a drink so made a mad dash to join the others in the PJD bar where the staff ensured that our thirsts were thoroughly quenched!  A few drinks down we were ready for dinner and headed to the An Chúirt restaurant to sample the food prepared by head chef Lydia Rodgers and her team.

A quick read of the menu showed that we were in for a treat.  Six courses of local produce! (should have worn something with an elasticated waist)  First up was Tian of Crab and Smoked Salmon Gazpacho.  This was so beautifully presented it almost looked too good to eat but as smoked salmon is one of my favourite ingredients, I tucked in.  Next up was Fish Soup Bouillabaisse, served with Rouille Gruyere Toast.  This dish had a bit of theatre to it as the soup was poured over the fish at the table and the Gruyere toast was deconstructed into melba toast, Rouille sauce and Gruyere cheese that we put together at our places.  It certainly was a talking point.  I will confess that I am not a fan of fish soup so this was not to my taste but I was impressed by the service and the attention to detail.

Our next course was lemon sorbet which was liberally doused with champagne (as if we needed any more booze!) and this was a lovely way to cleanse the palette for the  next course.  Our main was Fillet of Steak, Fois Gras with Potato Terrine, Mushroom Grating and Truffle Jus.  I am not a fan of Fois Gras but apart from that, this dish was the star of the show for me.  The steak was tender and the potatoes were delicious.  I had never had mushrooms in a gratin before but they actually worked really well and the jus, pulled the whole dish together.

For pudding we were served a trio of desserts.   A chocolate brownie, cream slice and a fruit mousse made for lovely contrasting sweets- definitely something for everyone.  I generally don’t have a sweet tooth but a little taste of these was lovely after the richness of the main.  By this stage a few waist buttons were being undone but we still managed a cheese course.  I adore cheese so was delighted to see a selection appearing with crackers, chutney, celery and grapes- the perfect way to end any meal.

Having consumed six courses, I don’t think any of us considered that we would ever eat again so I consider it a minor miracle that we managed to tuck into a full Irish breakfast in the morning before hitting the road back to Belfast!

If you are considering a visit to Donegal, I would recommend Gweedore.  It’s a beautiful part of the world with old Irish customs, traditional music, theatre, Gaelic games and the Irish language playing a central role in the lives of the local people. This, along with its scenery and beautiful beaches, has made the area a popular destination to visit and the Gweedore Court Hotel has to be the jewel in its crown!

A huge thank you to Michelle McTernan for the kind invitation.