Hotels
John Doherty
The 17 best hotels in Ireland according to a ...

Condé Nast - On the steely shores of Lough Eske, with the Bluestack Mountains as a backdrop, this ranks right up there among Irish castles you can bed down in. Donegal has become one of Ireland’s worst-kept secrets in recent years, a wild and rugged county that quietly impresses with its knockout scenery – and slickly operated Lough Eske Castle plugs you right in.

The 17 best hotels in Ireland according to a local
People
John Doherty
Alastair Fullerton named executive chef at the ...

Alastair Fullerton has been appointed executive chef at the Titanic Hotel Belfast, which is part of the Harcourt Collection. 

He will oversee the 100-cover Wolff Grill restaurant, which takes its name from Titanic shipbuilders Harland & Wolff, who were previously headquartered at the 119-bedroom hotel. 

Fullerton has over 40 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, having been educated at Belfast Met before starting work under Paul Rankin in Roscoff.

Alastair Fullerton named executive chef at the Titanic Hotel Belfast
Hotels
John Doherty
Donegal is hot right now, and you can soak it ...

Food. Drink. Life - County Donegal is stepping into the international spotlight. With a steady rise in visitor numbers in recent years, Ireland’s northwestern corner is drawing global travelers in search of rugged coastlines, charming villages and open spaces far from the usual tourist trail. 

It didn’t take long for me to understand the appeal. There’s a rhythm to life up here that feels different. You’re not rushing to check sights off a list but lingering to take in the breath-taking views, pulling over because you spotted a castle ruin or a wool shop tucked into the side of the road. It’s spontaneous, a little daring and completely enchanting

Donegal is hot right now, and you can soak it all in by the sea
Hotels
John Doherty
5-star Lough Eske Castle leads the way in ...

Lough Eske Castle, County Donegal’s only five-star hotel, has taken a significant step forward in sustainable hospitality through a comprehensive suite of eco-conscious initiatives. Leading the way is the castle’s full transition to renewable energy, achieved through a long-term partnership with a leading green electricity provider. The historic estate is now powered entirely by clean, renewable energy marking a key milestone in its ongoing commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and aligning with Ireland’s national sustainability goals.

This move to renewable power is just one part of the castle’s broader mission to embed sustainability into every aspect of its operations.

5-star Lough Eske Castle leads the way in eco-luxury with sustainability overhaul
Art
John Doherty
Lucian Freud & me: The real 'Donegal Man' ...

Irish Examiner - A major exhibition of Lucian Freud's work is currently on at Titanic Belfast. Marc O'Sullivan spoke to two of the key people who were involved with the German/British painter

Pat Doherty has the distinction of having sat for three portraits – two paintings and a copperplate etching – by the legendary British painter Lucian Freud. 

Several copies of the etching feature in the exhibition, Lucian Freud’s Etchings: A Creative Collaboration, which has just launched at Titanic Belfast in partnership with the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

Lucian Freud & me: The real 'Donegal Man' on his encounters with the great artist

Belfast: The troubled city filmmakers love

Belfast: The troubled city filmmakers love

BBC - As Kenneth Branagh's film Belfast opens, Beverley D'Silva explores how cinema has captured the unique essence of Northern Ireland's capital – in all its light and shade.

Northern Ireland – and its capital Belfast – has long provided filmmakers with rich material. Shining a light on the region's political history are many powerful films about the Troubles – the sectarian conflict between mostly Protestant unionists (loyalists) who wished to remain part of the UK, and mostly Roman Catholic nationalists (republicans) who wanted Northern Ireland to become part of the Republic of Ireland.

Lough Eske Castle crowned No.2 Top Hotel in Ireland

Lough Eske Castle crowned No.2 Top Hotel in Ireland

Lough Eske Castle, outside Donegal Town, has been recognized as No. 2 in the Top Hotels in Ireland category of the Condé Nast Traveller annual Readers’ Choice Awards.

The awards are the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry and are commonly known as “the best of the best of travel.”

Dónal Cox, General Manager of Lough Eske Castle commented: “It’s a great honour to be recognised as one of the top ten hotels in Ireland by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine for the fourth year running.”

Major house building project reaches 400th completion

Major house building project reaches 400th completion

Harcourt’s 1250 home building project in southwest Dublin reaches milestone 400th completion.

The last remaining houses in the first phase of the Parklands project at Citywest have gone on sale through Hooke & MacDonald. Four hundred new starter homes have now been completed in a prime location by the Luas Saggart stop in a development which will eventually see the construction of over 1250 new starter homes.

Titanic Quarter: "We’re aiming to double investment and reach £2bn by 2035"

Titanic Quarter: "We’re aiming to double investment and reach £2bn by 2035"

Ulster Business - It’s been quieter in terms of footfall over the last year or so, but Titanic Quarter has continued to develop and build while the tourists, and many of the workers, are at home. John Mulgrew speaks to its commercial director, James Eyre, about planning to double its £600m investment in the coming decade, office demands post-Covid, bringing forward new schemes and bringing back the visitors.

While tourism may have effectively stopped for a year and many offices lay empty, all wasn’t quiet in Titanic Quarter during the pandemic.

It's the treble for Titanic Hotel Belfast

It's the treble for Titanic Hotel Belfast

Love Belfast - Three is the magic number as staff at Titanic Hotel Belfast celebrate the treble this week, having received the overall award of Ireland’s Hotel Restaurant of the Year, the regional award of Ulster Hotel Restaurant of the Year and the Great Place to Stay Quality Award. This is the second consecutive year the hotel has been recognised by the Irish Hotels Awards winning these three awards for excellence with the ‘Wolff Grill’ restaurant being judged on the standard of food and service for which it has become renowned.

Belfast: The great escape - How and why Belfast is buzzing with visitors from the Republic

Belfast: The great escape - How and why Belfast is buzzing with visitors from the Republic

Irish Independent - Belfast is fast becoming the social capital of Ireland as hotels, restaurants and pubs fill with a flood of weekend visitors from as far away as Cork and Kerry.

City centre hotels are reporting up to 80pc of their weekend trade is southerners who are flooding into the city to enjoy wining and dining with fewer restrictions. Iarnród Éireann announced yesterday that all trains to Belfast from Dublin Connolly were booked out.

Non-essential retail re-opens in Ireland

Non-essential retail re-opens in Ireland

BBC News - Non-essential retail was allowed to re-open today in the Republic of Ireland, bringing a boost for the economy in the North-West. While business leaders welcomed the move, there were also calls for the Irish government to continue to support traders as they emerge from a lengthy lockdown.

BBC News interviewed shoppers and the manager of Letterkenny Shopping Centre in the border county of Donegal for their opinion.

Dungeons & Dragons begins NI shoot

Dungeons & Dragons begins NI shoot

Principal photography is underway at Titanic Studios in Northern Ireland on Dungeons & Dragons, the much-anticipated feature adaptation based on the iconic role-playing game.

Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez star, with recent reports also naming Hugh Grant and Regé-Jean Page among the supporting cast.

Park West Home to "Best Workplaces in Ireland"

Park West Home to "Best Workplaces in Ireland"

Park West is home to two winners of the Great Place to Work Ireland awards – with Certification Europe recognised as a ‘Best Small Workplace’, and Workhuman winning two awards – Ireland’s #2 ‘Best Large Workplace’ and ‘Best Workplace for Women’.

Niamh Graham, vice-president of global HR at Workhuman said, “Our Irish workforce is made up of 45 per cent women and we have successfully and substantially increased our female demographic in technology in our Tech HQ in Park West, Dublin.

Workhuman's Irish workforce to double to 800 staff by 2023

Workhuman's Irish workforce to double to 800 staff by 2023

Irish Independent - HR tech unicorn expanding in Park West offices as revenues approach $1bn.

Workhuman, the Irish HR technology company which achieved unicorn status last year with a valuation of $1.2bn (€1bn), is planning to double its Irish workforce to 800 people by 2023.

Dungeons & Dragons to film in Belfast

Dungeons & Dragons to film in Belfast

The Knowledge - Paramount’s forthcoming feature adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons will film at Titanic Studios in Belfast, the facility that housed all eight series of Game of Thrones.

According to recent reports (Deadline and Variety), Chris Pine has been tapped to star in the feature, which is based on the iconic role-playing game from Wizards of the Coast, a company which became a subsidiary of Hasbro in the late 1990s.

Global tech firm to occupy part of Bellingham waterfront’s Granary Building

Global tech firm to occupy part of Bellingham waterfront’s Granary Building

The Bellingham Herald - A global technology company has signed a lease to occupy a major portion of the Granary Building on Bellingham’s waterfront, potentially bringing in 120 jobs.

The new company is Körber, which provides supply chain solutions for businesses around the world. According to its website, the company has around 10,000 employees in more than 100 locations.

Harcourt Developments made the official announcement at the Port Commission meeting on Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 8.

High Flyers: From country boy to a Titanic role in top hotel

High Flyers: From country boy to a Titanic role in top hotel

The Irish Times - In the High Flyers spotlight this week is Adrian McNally (50), general manager of Titanic Hotel Belfast, which has been named Northern Ireland's leading hotel by the Global Travel Awards for the third year running.

Titanic Hotel scoops World Travel Awards for third time

Titanic Hotel scoops World Travel Awards for third time

Belfast Telegraph - In the toughest of trading years for the hospitality sector, Titanic Hotel Belfast has been awarded the most sought-after title of ‘Northern Ireland’s Leading Hotel’, for the third time in a row, at the World Travel Awards 2020.

Plan your Eske-ape: Take time to relax in one of Ireland’s most sought-after and captivating luxury resorts

Plan your Eske-ape: Take time to relax in one of Ireland’s most sought-after and captivating luxury resorts

Sunday Life - IN these Covid-19 restricted times, plans are impossible to make. The R number currently denies society's movement under the second serious lockdown of this pandemic, but there will come a time again when relaxation, recreation and a romantic retreat are the relevant R words of choice.

Condé Nast Awards Lough Eske Castle

Condé Nast Awards Lough Eske Castle

Condé Nast Traveler - Harcourt’s 5-star Donegal hotel has been named the second best hotel in Ireland in the Condé Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice Awards.

The Condé Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice Awards, which were announced after the votes of more than 700,000 people around the world took part in the magazine’s annual survey were counted, ranked Lough Eske castle in County Donegal in the North West of Ireland as the second best hotel in Ireland.

'It tastes even better than I remember': Lockdown drought ends in Donegal as bars re-open

'It tastes even better than I remember': Lockdown drought ends in Donegal as bars re-open

Irish News - For Derry man Mickey McLaughlin, it was a long drought.

As he downed his first pint of draught Guinness at The Harbour Bar in Buncrana yesterday, it was everything he had been dreaming of for three months.

“The days couldn’t go in quick enough. It tastes even better than I remember,” the Creggan man said.

The Titanic is now toast of Protestant - and Catholic - Belfast

The Titanic is now toast of Protestant - and Catholic - Belfast

The Oldie - Mary Kenny loved her fully immersive experience in Ulster

It may be hard to believe, but the world’s leading tourist attraction is in… Belfast.

At least, that is the claim made by the impressive Titanic Quarter complex in Ulster’s city, site of the once-great dockyards of Harland and Wolff, where the Titanic was proudly built before her fatal voyage in April 1912.

National Workplace Wellbeing Day | Looking after your wellbeing

National Workplace Wellbeing Day | Looking after your wellbeing

Harcourt is working with all our teams spread across the globe to bring some health and wellbeing tips for National Workplace Wellbeing Day 2020. We understand that this year has presented many challenges and 2020 differs tremendously to previous years.

We want to mark this important date by reaching out and sharing useful activities and advice to offer small but positive distractions to the lives of our valued team members

Harcourt Developments embarks on anti-Covid charity drive

Harcourt Developments embarks on anti-Covid charity drive

Sunday Business Post - The building group has set up donation points at all its properties to help support frontline medical staff battling to quell the coronavirus. Harcourt Developments which owns regional shopping centres around the country, has set up donations points at each of its properties to support hospital patients and frontline medical staff during the Covid-19 crisis.