Kenmare is near unmatched when it comes to perfect Irish towns. Just beyond the border where West Cork tips into Kerry, it sits at the gateway of the legendary Ring of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula on the Wild Atlantic Way. Tourists first found their way here in numbers from 1890 with the arrival of a branch line, courtesy of the Great Southern & Western Railway Company, that opened up the town. Park Hotel Kenmare opened in 1897 to accommodate them. Born as a stop-off for affluent travellers doing the Grand Tour of Europe, “the Park” – as it is colloquially known – soon established its reputation as one of Ireland’s great hotels.
Sadly no one comes by train any longer; the branch line closed in 1959. Yet the Park has remained a much-loved destination, its somewhat institutional appearance softened by the excellence of its service, its homely comforts and the surrounding countryside.
Landline Edge, 2017, by Sean Scully, in the dining room © Linda Brownlee. Courtesy of Sean Scully/Lisson Gallery
There was consternation when its long-time custodians, the brothers and hospitality legends Francis and John Brennan, put the 46-bedroom hotel on the market in 2023. Its acquisition, by California-based Irish entrepreneur Bryan Meehan and his wife Tara, begged many questions. The biggest: could the Park withstand the vision of new owners – a couple with no experience as hoteliers – and still retain its old-world charms?
