Successive governments passed up the opportunity to acquire Adare Manor for the State during the 1980s despite the urging of a senior minister who claimed in 1980 that it was going “for a song” at IR£1m. Adare Manor, a 19th-century building with a 1,000-acre estate, had been the home of the Dunraven family for more than 200 years when it was formally placed on the market in 1981. It said Adare Manor was not among a list of selected properties which contained gardens of outstanding quality that should be acquired by the State if their future ever came under threat. He said he could not agree to make funds available to purchase Adare Manor given the financial situation of the country at the time. A standard room in Adare Manor cost up to IR£160 per night in high season with the price of a suite up to IR£230.

Source: Irish Examiner December 30, 2019 05:03 UTC