£10m luxury hotel and spa planned for Killeavy Castle
Plans for a multi-million pound luxury hotel and spa have been revealed for the Killeavy Castle Estate in South Armagh, Northern Ireland.
Invest Northern has granted nearly £1m to Jaramas Investments NI, which owns the estate, to support the development.
The project will involve the restoration of the Grade A-listed castle for use as a guest house and meeting venue; the development of a courtyard of Grade B-listed outbuildings into a 40-bedroom boutique hotel and spa; and the construction of a permanent marquee as a special events suite adjacent to the castle.
The former walled garden on the estate will also be restored to contain a café, with nature treks and walks offered to make the most of the nearby Slieve Gullion Forest Park.
Killeavy Castle was bought for £1.2m at a public auction in 2013 by Australian couple Mick Boyle and his wife Robin, after it remained unoccupied for more than a decade and fell into a derelict state.
Progress on the project is well underway and the hotel is on track to be open by late 2018.
Mick Boyle, owner of Jaramas Investments NI, said: "We want to create a distinct visitor attraction that maximises the heritage and beauty of the Killeavy Castle Estate and makes a positive contribution to the local community. Support from Invest NI and Newry, Mourne and Down District will make a vital contribution in enabling us to undertake the extensive building and restoration works.
Invest Northern Ireland's chief executive Alastair Hamilton added: "This is an exciting investment in South Armagh which will provide a valuable boost to the tourism infrastructure in the region."
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