Off Topic Thread 3.0

dregin · 08-06-2017 10:41AM

Popped the question last weekend and the planning is now in full swing. We're swinging in the direction of Connacht, as the better half's family are from Mayo.

Two possible locations so far are The Lodge at Ashford Castle and Markree Castle in Sligo. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on either of these?

We're also looking for suggestions of "alternative" venues in the area. We like the idea of vintage buildings like old barns renovated to house the reception.

Any help appreciated massively. Thanks!

awec · 08-06-2017 10:44AM

Congrats dregin. Another good man down.

b.gud · 08-06-2017 10:52AM

dregin wrote: »

Popped the question last weekend and the planning is now in full swing. We're swinging in the direction of Connacht, as the better half's family are from Mayo.

Two possible locations so far are The Lodge at Ashford Castle and Markree Castle in Sligo. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on either of these?

We're also looking for suggestions of "alternative" venues in the area. We like the idea of vintage buildings like old barns renovated to house the reception.

Any help appreciated massively. Thanks!

Congrats dregin.

Never been there as a wedding venue but the lodge is very nice. Also check out the Glenlo Abbey in Galway it would be a similar kind of style and has an abbey where you can have the ceremony on the day.

In terms of alternative wedding venues we looked at Mount Druid. We were really impressed by the venue

Buer · 08-06-2017 10:52AM

dregin wrote: »

Popped the question last weekend and the planning is now in full swing. We're swinging in the direction of Connacht, as the better half's family are from Mayo.

Two possible locations so far are The Lodge at Ashford Castle and Markree Castle in Sligo. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on either of these?

We're also looking for suggestions of "alternative" venues in the area. We like the idea of vintage buildings like old barns renovated to house the reception.

Any help appreciated massively. Thanks!

Congrats, enjoy the early stages. It's the most exciting and enjoyable before the actual work/planning really kicks in.

Haven't been to The Lodge. Too respectable for the likes of me.

Markree is nice. Limited accommodation but has the old castle feel to it certainly and does the trick for a nice drink by the fire. Decent sized estate and is close to the N4 so access is handy enough. Food is decent; don't recall it as being spectacular.

If you're going for that type of venue in that area of the country, Beleek Castle in Mayo would be another one similar enough. Probably slightly smaller again but the food was excellent. They do a banquet style wedding with lots of candles etc. Looks like a bloody Meatloaf video but does look well, I must say.

irishbucsfan · 08-06-2017 10:52AM

dregin wrote: »

Popped the question last weekend and the planning is now in full swing. We're swinging in the direction of Connacht, as the better half's family are from Mayo.

Two possible locations so far are The Lodge at Ashford Castle and Markree Castle in Sligo. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on either of these?

We're also looking for suggestions of "alternative" venues in the area. We like the idea of vintage buildings like old barns renovated to house the reception.

Any help appreciated massively. Thanks!

Have indeed been to both many times. Both are excellent, I'd say Ashford castle is maybe better for a wedding but either are fine destinations.

I threw my own christening in Markree castle, must have been a pretty heavy night because I don't remember any of it. But I've been there since and confirmed it's a fine destination.

irishbucsfan · 08-06-2017 10:54AM

I've just been onto Sligogram there and supposedly they've just done a big 20 million euro renovation on Markree Castle and its weddings only now. So maybe better or worse than I remember.

dregin · 08-06-2017 11:06AM

b.gud wrote: »

Congrats dregin.

Never been there as a wedding venue but the lodge is very nice. Also check out the Glenlo Abbey in Galway it would be a similar kind of style and has an abbey where you can have the ceremony on the day.

In terms of alternative wedding venues we looked at Mount Druid. We were really impressed by the venue

Thanks! I was actually best man for a wedding in Mount Druid. It was really great and we were initially considering looking into it, but there'd be a fair few guests who wouldn't be too into the self catering aspect of staying there and it's too much of a drive from where we'd be having the wedding (church in Bohola, hopefully). Hoping to keep the post-wedding-drive to less than an hour.

b.gud · 08-06-2017 11:11AM

dregin wrote: »

Thanks! I was actually best man for a wedding in Mount Druid. It was really great and we were initially considering looking into it, but there'd be a fair few guests who wouldn't be too into the self catering aspect of staying there and it's too much of a drive from where we'd be having the wedding (church in Bohola, hopefully). Hoping to keep the post-wedding-drive to less than an hour.

Yeah it was the same reason that we decided against it in the end, we were really impressed with the venue itself.

awec · 08-06-2017 11:19AM

Just go look at loads of places and then go with whatever one your soon-to-be wife picks.

dregin · 08-06-2017 11:50AM

awec wrote: »

Just go look at loads of places and then go with whatever one your soon-to-be wife picks.

Just want to limit ourselves instead of driving the length and breadth of Connacht

08-06-2017 03:29PM

For anyone interested in the senate testimony of fired FBI Director Comey Live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-iTpIqZrU

Bazzo · 08-06-2017 03:42PM

Something tells me it won't be anywhere near as interesting as everyone seems to think it will be. Trump probably did some wildly inappropriate things because he is a clueless moron but I doubt there'll be anything more substantial than that.

08-06-2017 03:45PM

Bazzo wrote: »

Something tells me it won't be anywhere near as interesting as everyone seems to think it will be. Trump probably did some wildly inappropriate things because he is a clueless moron but I doubt there'll be anything more substantial than that.

It's already been very direct. Some new details already.

Zzippy · 08-06-2017 07:57PM

dregin wrote: »

Popped the question last weekend and the planning is now in full swing. We're swinging in the direction of Connacht, as the better half's family are from Mayo.

Two possible locations so far are The Lodge at Ashford Castle and Markree Castle in Sligo. Does anyone have any experience/opinions on either of these?

We're also looking for suggestions of "alternative" venues in the area. We like the idea of vintage buildings like old barns renovated to house the reception.

Any help appreciated massively. Thanks!

Congrats! Welcome to doing what you're told for the rest of your life

We checked out the Lodge at Ashford but the room was a bit cramped, and they wanted €15 a bottle corkage, or pay €25 a bottle for their plonk, no bargaining or discount, so we got the vibe they would be difficult to deal with. Having said that have heard good things about weddings there since.
Have you considered Mount Falcon? Beautiful venue, short drive from Bohola. Hotel and excellent self-catering available. Good few other places in Ballina, Belleek Castle is supposed to be very nice too. Mulranny Park Hotel is another nice venue a bit further away.

Neil3030 · 08-06-2017 08:45PM

What are people expecting from the UK GE? I can imagine the Tories keeping a majority but perhaps not increasing it. Labour to do enough to keep Corbyn on for another term perhaps.

awec · 08-06-2017 08:51PM

Neil3030 wrote: »

What are people expecting from the UK GE? I can imagine the Tories keeping a majority but perhaps not increasing it. Labour to do enough to keep Corbyn on for another term perhaps.

I think all the positive noises we've heard around Corbyn and Labour from opinion polls won't show in the actual result.

08-06-2017 08:51PM

Tories will pickup about 25/30 seats more. 7/8 from SNP, rest from Labour. Nothing else really changes.

Neil3030 · 08-06-2017 08:54PM

awec wrote: »

I think all the positive noises we've heard around Corbyn and Labour from opinion polls won't show in the actual result.

Do you think DUP will suffer for their Brexit support?

Buer · 08-06-2017 09:01PM

Zzippy wrote: »

Congrats! Welcome to doing what you're told for the rest of your life

We checked out the Lodge at Ashford but the room was a bit cramped, and they wanted €15 a bottle corkage, or pay €25 a bottle for their plonk, no bargaining or discount, so we got the vibe they would be difficult to deal with. Having said that have heard good things about weddings there since.
Have you considered Mount Falcon? Beautiful venue, short drive from Bohola. Hotel and excellent self-catering available. Good few other places in Ballina, Belleek Castle is supposed to be very nice too. Mulranny Park Hotel is another nice venue a bit further away.

Mount Falcon is a brilliant hotel but a wedding there had some real issues for us. You need to guarantee something like 30 rooms will be taken and they ain't too cheap. Most of our guests were from Mayo so we couldn't guarantee that when planning. Also, the function room is an extension which holds about 170 or 180 maximum. It's a strange, long low room that doesn't fit in with the rest of the building at all. They also had similar approaches to corkage. I think they might have even said they won't accommodate any outside wines. They were not great to deal with, I recall.

Mulranny is a beautiful spot. I wanted to have our wedding there but it was just that little bit too far a drive after the church given some people would come from Dublin. Nice room, amazing views, food was great. Self catering available. Plus if people are there for an extra day they can do the greenway cycle.

Beleek is one I would recommend. Can only do a small enough number of guests but it's a more unique spot. The food is great. Worth going to their restaurant if ever in the area just for their signature steak dish, The Drunken Bullock which is served doused in whiskey and set alight on a sword. If our wedding had a smaller crowd, we'd have had it there for definite.

mfceiling · 08-06-2017 09:11PM

Buer wrote: »

Worth going to their restaurant if ever in the area just for their signature steak dish, The Drunken Bullock which is served doused in whiskey and set alight on a sword.

Molloyjh in 5,4,3,2...

Rigor Mortis · 08-06-2017 09:15PM

Neil3030 wrote: »

Do you think DUP will suffer for their Brexit support?

Its hard to imagine the Unionist community sleepwalking their way into this election, after the bloody nose they got a few months back. If they do get a repeat performance, it may point to a bigger problem and will surely be Arlene's last waltz.

thomond2006 · 08-06-2017 10:05PM

The exit polls are suggesting a hung parliament.

irishbucsfan · 08-06-2017 10:06PM

0 for UKIP, great stuff

wp_rathead · 08-06-2017 10:08PM

Conservative look to be down 14 seats and 12 behind an overall majority
Labour look to be up 34 but SNP look to be down 22 seats so not sure if a coalition possible

thomond2006 · 08-06-2017 10:08PM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

0 for UKIP, great stuff

What's their purpose now?

wp_rathead · 08-06-2017 10:19PM

Also imagine the scenes if Sinn Fein joined a coalition to beat Tory and DUP

Neil3030 · 08-06-2017 10:30PM

I for one welcome our new DUP overlords.

irishbucsfan · 08-06-2017 10:32PM

wp_rathead wrote: »

Also imagine the scenes if Sinn Fein joined a coalition to beat Tory and DUP

No chance they'll send any MPs to Westminster. Under no circumstances whatsoever can I see that happening.

If that happens I'll change my avatar to a picture of Mark McCafferty's severed head.

Teferi · 08-06-2017 11:05PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

What's their purpose now?

They can drop the EU stuff and exclusively focus on the racism.

errlloyd · 08-06-2017 11:07PM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

No chance they'll send any MPs to Westminster. Under no circumstances whatsoever can I see that happening.

If that happens I'll change my avatar to a picture of Mark McCafferty's severed head.

It would be remarkable. I mean, they eventually returned to the Dail after 30 years of absenteeism. In fact, it would be absolutely ****ing ground breaking.

The only problem is that Brexit is their best shot at a united Ireland.

Off Topic Thread 3.0

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