Durhamstown Castle

They say your Wedding Day is the best day of your life, and I have to admit, before we were married, we found this ideology hard to fathom. However, now that we are wed, we can confirm that for us, this is entirely accurate! This was made possible, because we chose Durhamstown! During the planning process, we became aware early on, that our Venue was most important to us. We wanted the day to feel magical and other worldly, yet at the same time have a relaxed atmosphere. Durhamstown offered the perfect combination of the two plus so much more. Sue and Dave, along with their team were friendly, welcoming and most accommodating. They made us feel important, respected our individuality and supported us in making our vision of the day a reality. As we both work in the wedding industry, we knew what we wanted and didn't want. We didn't want to feel like we were being rushed through the motions of the day, we wanted to have the time and space to really take it all in and enjoy it. Exclusive access to the venue (no other non-wedding guests), along with the option of hiring the castle for the full weekend for your nearest and dearest, offered us this much needed time and space. The Venue is so versatile with a multitude of ceremony space options. Luckily we got a scorcher of a day in August and so were married on the front lawn, with the main house itself as the backdrop. It was truly magnificent. The Menu offered is well considered .We trusted Sue and Dave with the choice of wine and they did not disappoint, it was delicious. On day 2 of the weekend we had a very relaxed BBQ in the garden with a smaller group of guests, this allowed us time to explore the venue further and make use of the grounds where the kids enjoyed playing. A safe open space for kids to let off steam, helps thier parents to relax, and that they did, which was an excellent feeling. Overall, We couldn't have wished for more. Our only regret is that it was over too soon and we wish we could have stayed longer. We hope to return to see Sue and Dave again in future and we wish them every success, because what they have created in their dear old Durhamstown is nothing short of magical. All our Love, The Cassidys

Durhamstown is an amazing place, and our wedding weekend was an absolute dream! We were there in the summer, with 50 guests (which felt absolutely perfect) and we had our ceremony outside under the stretch tent, which was beautiful. I don't want to just repeat what the other reviews have already said, about how great Sue and Dave are, and the food, and the house, and the staff, and the barn and the flexibility, and pretty much everything... but they are right! The biggest thing, for us, was the fantastic freedom we had in Durhamstown. We had 50 guests in total, and ~25 of them were able to stay with us on-site for 3 nights between the castle itself and the two other houses. This gave both families their own individual space, as well as the shared common space of the main castle/house (and its incredible kitchen) where we could all come together. Around the house and the garden there are so many different places to sit or talk or whatever, so many little "areas" for your guests to find and enjoy, and each of them has so much of its own character. It's not a hotel, there aren't staff everywhere looking at you, and that really changes the atmosphere into something easy and relaxed and informal. Everyone in our families mentioned this as a huge plus, and as something different. I've never been to another wedding like it - it's a different kind of luxury to have that freedom. We couldn't have asked for anything more, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

We feel like we had the best wedding ever. No higher praise can I give than that I reckon! Like so many couples, the pandemic wreaked havoc on our original plans of having around 120 guests for our wedding, which was originally slated for July 2020 and then moved to July 2021. Dave and Sue were so chilled out about moving our original date, there was no fuss at all – in fact, they were so human and just full of good humour throughout the entire wedding planning process. I think that was a large part of why we enjoyed our time collaborating with Durhamstown Castle so much. We never felt like just like another number or a customer to be squeezed for cash – you will truly feel at home there. The castle offers many spaces inside and out for the wedding ceremony and reception, including an intimate dining room, a big barn, a sheep shed and amazing gardens with the option of a stretch tent and picnic tables. If you want to let your imagination run wild with decorations and entertainment – you absolutely can! Equally, you can let the rustic beauty of the venue and its surroundings speak for themselves. There’s no big need to spend oodles on big flowers and centrepieces to gussy up the place when it looks this good au natural, so if your decoration budget is a bit tight, this is well worth bearing in mind. For us, the menu was a big draw. I’m sure much has been written on this front in previous reviews, but suffice to say, if you’re a fan of Ottolenghi or the like, you will not be disappointed. Durhamstown offers beautiful, natural dishes that stand out from the usual wedding fare – though there are classics to be had as well. We opted for a fabulous Courgette & Parmesan soup, Shakshuka, Yemeni salad, Hake and Beef. The melanzane, asparagus and tarte tatin were also big hits! All the wines we had were fab as well. Prices for wine and the all-important pints on the night were reasonable (certainly compared to some other venue’s price lists). Sue and Dave offered plenty of scope to customise every aspect of the food and drinks which we really did appreciate. We stayed two nights and had a small rehearsal dinner the night before, which we would highly recommend, in order to take full advantage of the amazing castle and its many rooms. We also booked a late checkout for the Sunday, which was very much worth the extra few bob. Aside from the delightful owners, the castle staff were all extremely friendly, helpful and attentive and they absolutely deserve a shout out. The atmosphere they created was super relaxed and upbeat – very helpful to soothe any wedding nerves! The entire day from start to finish ran extremely smoothly. On that note, I have to say a MASSIVE thanks to Sue for accommodating my Dad’s highly unorthodox and last-minute request to bring along the family dog and tortoise – Sue, you’re a star! Dad felt like the lord of the manor sitting out in his little enclosed garden in the courtyard; it made me so happy to see how relaxed he was. It’s a perfect example of the care taken by Sue and Dave and their crew. They love hosting, and it shows. Thank you so much to everybody at Durhamstown for giving us our wonderful wedding. TL;DR: If you’re looking for a naturally stunning venue that is off the beaten track and serves up DELICIOUS food, you can’t go wrong with Durhamstown.

We fell in love with the Durhamstown Castle at first sight, it had an ideal venue for us: small, elegant but cosy, perfect for 20-30 people. Sue and David, the owners, were extremely helpful all the way through. We had a delightful wedding dinner, everything was just perfect.

We had our wedding here in December 2019. Sue and Dave were so accommodation throughout the process and we fell in love with them as much as the venue. Its very etheral and suited everything we hoped for. If you want an old word dreamy place with great food and great wine I recommend it here. We hope to come back to celebrate an anniversary sometime. NOt to mention us being allow have our dogs at the wedding which was so important to us and many couplpes nowaday.

We got married back in September and we honestly couldn't recommend Durhamstown Castle any higher. We didn't want a typical hotel ballroom wedding, and the barn was the absolute perfect place for our reception, and filled beautifully with our 80 guests. We had the castle for the full weekend, so that our nearest and dearest could stay with us (which is just what we wanted - it has capacity for 27 people to stay the night, but if you're looking for on-site accommodation for a bigger party then Durhamstown isn't for you - but none of our guests had any difficulty sourcing accommodation close by!) Sue and Dave were honestly so so friendly, helpful and relaxed, we felt like they were completely on the same page as us when it came to hosting a low key and relaxed wedding full of laughter and empty of stress. The food is AMAZING - we had a lamb tagine and salmon as our main courses, antipasti and a Yemeni salad for starters and lemon tart or brownie for dessert - all were stunning and everyone is still telling us how good the food was and how different to usual wedding fare. We were a little late arriving from the church, so they pushed back the start time of dinner by 15 minutes without any trouble. And even when Conor and I had to go to take our portraits during the drinks reception, one of the catering staff spotted us and brought us over a plate of canapés (including plenty of veggie options for our photographer!) Even settling the bill at breakfast time the following day, Sue and Dave arrived with a bottle of bubbly and some gorgeous cakes that Ruby made (that we enjoyed on our balcony in the Europe on our honeymoon, by the way, and I'm still dreaming about them!) Honestly, organising our wedding could not have been more low stress, and the day could not have been more beautiful. Durhamstown is visually stunning - the barn as is barely needs any more dressing, but they let us do whatever we wanted the day before, and arranged the tables to fit our numbers without even a mention of it. If you're looking for a more laid back option, and hate chair covers, and want your food to be different and home made, and to have stunning and different surroundings, (and all at really unbelievable pricing, considering everything they did for us), don't hesitate to go and take a look, and I guarantee you won't regret it. Sue & Dave, thank you for everything

The most used words our guests used to describe our day was “relaxed” and “different” (one guest even described it as “magical”!). I wish I could take the praise but this atmosphere was a true reflection of the owners Sue & Dave. They were a pleasure to deal with from start to finish. If you are looking for a rustic reception barn, this one is the genuine article! Aisling looks after the decorating and does an amazing job for adding all those small extra touches that truly transform the space. One word to describe the food "Delicious"! Our wedding day couldn’t have gone any better and I really loved this venue. Overall comments about this venue; country setting with a fantastic rustic reception barn, fantastic food and fantastic owners. Thank you again to everyone at Durhamstown Castle

We had a fantastic weekend at Durhamstown Castle from start to finish. We were married in the barn as the weather was a wee bit unsettled but managed to do part of the ceremony on the front lawn as well. We had the entire run of the house without any intrusion apart from helpful advice. The food was absolutely perfect as were the hosts Sue and Dave and their staff, no airs or graces, their laid back nature put you right at ease and it was a pleasure to be able to have had our wedding in their beautiful home. We had 120 guests who all sang their praises also, Thanks Sue, Dave, and all your staff GRMMA !

Durhamstown castle is an amazing venue. The house is eclectic & welcoming and the great barn is a beautiful space to throw a party with old stone walls & wooden roof beams. The grounds of the castle are gorgeous, wonderful old trees, ivy & rustic outbuildings. Dave & Sue are a pleasure to deal with, very welcoming & genuine and Roly the dog would steal your heart! The food on the day was top class. It's not your standard meat & 2 veg fare and was a big part of the reason we had our wedding there. The day went smoothly & we got so many compliments on how fin & relaxed it was. I highly recommend Durhamstown castle as a great venue

If you are looking for a country chic, relaxed venue this is for you. Sue and her team provide excellent service and welcome you into their home. It was a dream wedding and everyone loved it. My goal for my wedding was to have a very relaxed vibe and more of a weekend family and friends get away marked with a short ceremony! Our expectations were met and then some. Thank you to Sue and Dave for the lifetime of memories

We had the most perfect wedding, thanks to Sue & Dave and the staff at Durhamstown Castle. Sue & Dave were fantastic throughout the whole process allowing us to have our own unique day. The food was truly amazing, we really had no complaints. We stayed there for the whole weekend with family & friends, enjoying all the castle has to offer. We were really made to feel at home. We can't thank Sue & Dave enough for all they did. Durhamstown Castle is the perfect wedding venue, you really will not be disappointed.

My husband and I want to say a huge thank you to Sue, Dave and Ruby for the absolute amazing time we had in Durhamstown Castle for our wedding. On first arriving in Durhamstown, we knew that this was the venue for us. We wanted an exclusive venue where both our families could stay the night before the wedding as well as the night of the wedding. From the beautiful grounds, the homely and laid back feel, the unique and quirky bedrooms in the house and the impressive kitchen in the main house, Durhamstown ticked all the boxes. The rustic barn with it's stone walls, beautiful wooden tables and chairs and banqueting style dining created a wonderful and relaxed atmosphere. All our guests had an absolute ball. Also thanks to Emma for helping the day to run seamlessly and to the friendly and helpful staff. We would thoroughly recommend Durhamstown for great food, relaxed atmosphere and a great party.

We couldn't have picked a better venue to have our very own bespoke wedding. I feel in love with Durhamstown from the moment I drove up the drive way. Our initial plan was to have an intimate wedding ceremony and evening with our immediate family, and a big party later on in the week with our friends but after seeing the barn first hand we just had to make full use of the venue. Dave, Sue & Ruby were very accommodating in letting us decorate the barn and were extremely helpful whenever we need anything. It was a very bespoke wedding and it turned out to be a magical day and night. Literally nothing could have gone better. All the food was incredible, from our dinner in the castle, the evening food for our friends and family, to the gorgeous breakfast in the morning. If you're looking for that bit of magic in your venue I couldn't recommended this place anymore. A special thanks to Dave for preparing 2 bedrooms late into the next morning for our guests that needed a last minute place to stay. He waited hand and foot on us.

Mahalo to Sue, Dave & Ruby for making our wedding the most memorable and perfect day! Durhamstown Castle was the ideal venue, as it was near Dublin, making it relatively easy for all of our international visitors to locate. A much more authentic experience is provided by the venue than most others we could find. We booked the venue without even seeing it because Sue and Dave were so responsive, flexible and easy going. We wanted a laid back event, that felt more like home when our visitors arrived. They were also able to suggest Annie Byrne from Aislinn Events to help us plan (as we were planning the entire thing out of the country). Fortunately, Annie, Sue & Dave coordinated seamlessly and made the magic happen. The castle itself was perfect for our needs, as it was large enough to house our wedding party for a few days. Sue, Dave, and Ruby made some of the tastiest food in Ireland, plus the presentation and execution were effortless. The great barn held our increased number on the day, and we were able to get 140 people comfortably for dinner and dancing. There is nothing we would change about our wedding, everything was spot on. Communication and service were excellent and the experience was incredibly personalized. We recommend Durhamstown Castle - 10 stars!!

We are so incredibly happy that we booked Durhamstown Castle for our destination wedding this past July. The venue is even more beautiful in person, just like a fairy-tale. I thought the pictures looked stunning when I started booking everything so far away in Florida, but we were blown away when we came over and saw it for the first time to do a taste testing. Speaking of the food...I still dream about that food. Sue, Dave, and their entire team treated us with great kindness, respect, and patience during the entire process. We felt like family and right at home the instant we walked through that striking doorway. Our guests still bring up what an amazing time they had and how perfectly everything turned out. We would recommend Durhamstown Castle without hesitation and would go back in a heartbeat.

On first meeting Sue and Dave we were welcomed into the heart of their stunning home with aromas from the castle kitchen that instantly won our hearts. We knew there and then that Durhamstown was for us. We wanted a personal unique stylish wedding where we treated our guests to exceptional food in a beautiful venue steeped in history and culture and truely bespoke along with a stamp of our creative personalities shining through. Sue and Dave are very artistic and creative both in and out of the kitchen so they totally made us feel at home and provided us with that extra inch of flexibility as opposed to most wedding venues who are more restricted and conveyor belt in style - if you are after a truely unique personal wedding then look no further. Durhamstown is a gem of a venue with the old house on site next to the great barn, which was spectacular on our wedding day, set amongst glorious grounds tucked away in Bohermeen. It really is irelands best kept secret for weddings.

"Thanks Sue and Dave for this wonderful wedding in your stunning castle. For us definitely the best alternative wedding venue in the whole of Ireland and so easy to get to from Dublin ! Less than an hours drive and we were transported to this idyllic setting . The grounds are full of mature trees and the castle itself is full or wonders. Dave , Sue , Ruby and their team are so welcoming and genuine (not to mention the delicious food!) the house has plenty of space to accommodate everyone and we felt so at home and relaxed. If we could we would get married there every year !! Layla and Torsten