Five hundred acres of parkland surround Dromoland Castle in County Clare, with the sixteenth-century building reflected across its lake and approached along a wooded drive. Rooms and suites preserve carved timber, patterned fabrics and antique furniture without losing the warmth of a country house. The Earl of Thomond restaurant, cocktail bar and drawing rooms occupy the historic interiors, joined by a spa, indoor pool and an eighteen-hole golf course across the estate. Falconry, archery and lakeside walks unfold beyond the castellated façade, where lawns fall away towards mature woodland.