Set in the stunning Killiney Hills, the exquisite Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel has been the setting for Ireland’s most glamorous weddings since 1971. The famous establishment celebrates its 40th birthday this year, and has been sharing some of the hotel staff and guests’ memories on its commemorative blog.
The photos above show the staff awaiting the arrival of guests for a wedding reception. Even the dogs are waiting patiently!
In March of 1971 Paddy Fitzpatrick had just bought what was then Killiney Castle. This was Paddy’s first hotel and he was eager to begin rennovation plans to turn it into the four star Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel. However, Paddy had committed to fulfilling the weddings that were booked by the previous owners. One of these weddings was that of Mary McHugh.
Here’s a copy of the bill from Mary’s wedding reception:
No mention of a wine reception, but a bottle of brandy and half a bottle of whiskey were put on the tab!
Mary wasn’t aware of the renovations until her mother went up to see about putting the name cards on the tables (yes, they had name cards on the tables back then!). The renovations were already under way, but the Fitzpatricks did their best to facilitate Mary and her guests. “It was a great day regardless of the mishmash” recalls Mary.
You can read more about Mary’s story and the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel’s 40th birthday on their dedicated blog.
Aw, that’s such a cool thing to still have.