Not very sure if this was already discussed, but here's my experience.
I was going to stay in Lisdoonvarna for a few days this April, but only managed to stay there for a night and had to stay in Ennis for the rest of my very short stay in Ireland. I headed for Abbey Tourist Hostel immediately after getting off the bus, only to find it'd been closed. I'd never stayed elsewhere in the town, and the tourist information centre was already closed in the evening, so I ended up staying in an expensive double room in a B&B just by myself.
I was very glad to know Custy's, Brogan's and Enzo's were still in business as usual, but the closure of the hostel caused great inconveniecen to me. I heard it closed last summer or autumn and it might be reopened this summer. Does anyone know if it will really come back?
I stayed there a few years ago and whilst I'm very amenable to hostelling in principle and in practice, I must say I didn't like the crowd that seemed to be permanently in residence at the time. You'd be looking over your shoulder all the time to see that nothing went missing if you know what I mean. Never been back since.
Well, really sad for me to hear bout that...I hope it reopens in summer...it's my very favourite hostel in Ireland and for me it's been always a great place to stay having some peaceful and music-full days there in anys...I will be back, no doubt!
Marianne, one of the owners of the hostel, told me by letter that the hostel will be closed at least until spring 2008 for renovation. The hostel website and email have been suspended until the hostel is re-opened, but she and Brian are currently operating the Kinlay House in Dublin: www.kinlaydublin.ie.
Yes, one of the staff got jailed after brutally raping a French girl in the hostel and Flemish guy living there had his brain bashed in with a fire extinguisher on the premises. In fairness some years ago now. Nice.
i liked brian and marianne. i liked some of the staff well enough. it was some of the people staying/living/and/or hanging around there that gave one that icky feeling of unease.....i have to say, i had an icky feeing of unease quite a bit here & there in ennis, though said i.f.o.u. had zero to do with the music, the musicians, custys, all of which i liked and hope to get to enjoy again one of these days.....
Thanks for the heads-up re. this hostel as I'm just about to begin research on the next edtion of the Rough Guide to Ireland which won't be published until 2008.
If anyone's heading to Ennis this year, then I can recommend two reasonably priced B&Bs. Banner Lodge on Market Street is above a pub, but don't let that put you off as the rooms seem to be pretty well insulated from sound emanating from below. Alternatively, there's Cloneen on Clon Road, by the roundabout at the very bottom of Francis Street. Both of these should cost around €32 pp for a double room, but neither charges expensive rates for single occupancy.
Guess this is my opening (I'm a newbie here)...hope to spend a month on the west coast (what do you prefer, Eire or Ireland?) this fall, looking for interesting geology and music and inexpensive lodgings for a week at a time. I play double strung lever harps, small one will go with me. I understand a bit about session etiquette and harps, won't intrude, but can accompany at a good clip once I have the chords! Would love to have recommendations, thanks.
well....to be fair, despite some icky impressions of some of the folks hanging around there, i would stay at the abbey again, having liked the owners and my rooms. it's just not open.
A cheap place to stay near Lisdoonvarna is The Boghill hostel. See http://www.boghill.com , the owner Sonja O'Brien is a fiddler, they also do ITM workshops.
www.rowantreehostel.ie
Hi everyone!! The Rowan Tree Hostel (Old Abbey Tourist Hostel) has reopened its doors on the 17th of March, 2009.
A brief description: The Rowan Tree Hostel, in the heart of Ennis and on the site of the former Abbey Tourist Hostel has undergone a major restoration to transform the 17th century Georgian building back to its former glory offering you a hostel that is fresh and funky.
All the facilities are brand new and include a fully-equipped self-catering kitchen, recreational lounges and free WIFI and Internet access. We offer a variety of rooms, many with private ensuite.
Dorms from €16.00 – Private rooms from €22.00
Ennis is a vibrant town renowned for its lively pubs and traditional Irish music. Only 20 minutes from Shannon Airport, it is the ideal base to discover County Clare, The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher.
Services & Facilities
• Open all year, staffed 24 hours, no curfew, no lockout
• Licensed Café Bar (from July 2009)
• Fully-equipped self-catering kitchen and dining room
• Chill out lounges
• Bed linen provided
• FREE WIFI internet access
• FREE continental breakfast
• Self-serve laundry facilities (from July 2009)
• Luggage lockers & security boxes
• International pay phones
• Bureau de change
• All major credit cards accepted
We look forward to welcoming you soon!!!
www.rowantreehostel.ie
The Rowan Tree Hostel
Address: Harmony Row and Club Bridge
Tel: 00353-65-6868687
Fax: 00353-65-6868672
email: info@rowantreehostel.ie
Web: www.rowantreehostel.ie
Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Not very sure if this was already discussed, but here's my experience.
I was going to stay in Lisdoonvarna for a few days this April, but only managed to stay there for a night and had to stay in Ennis for the rest of my very short stay in Ireland. I headed for Abbey Tourist Hostel immediately after getting off the bus, only to find it'd been closed. I'd never stayed elsewhere in the town, and the tourist information centre was already closed in the evening, so I ended up staying in an expensive double room in a B&B just by myself.
I was very glad to know Custy's, Brogan's and Enzo's were still in business as usual, but the closure of the hostel caused great inconveniecen to me. I heard it closed last summer or autumn and it might be reopened this summer. Does anyone know if it will really come back?
# Posted on June 14th 2007 by slainte
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
I stayed there a few years ago and whilst I'm very amenable to hostelling in principle and in practice, I must say I didn't like the crowd that seemed to be permanently in residence at the time. You'd be looking over your shoulder all the time to see that nothing went missing if you know what I mean. Never been back since.
# Posted on June 14th 2007 by the wounded hussar
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Well, really sad for me to hear bout that...I hope it reopens in summer...it's my very favourite hostel in Ireland and for me it's been always a great place to stay having some peaceful and music-full days there in anys...I will be back, no doubt!
# Posted on June 14th 2007 by VOKEPASA
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Marianne, one of the owners of the hostel, told me by letter that the hostel will be closed at least until spring 2008 for renovation. The hostel website and email have been suspended until the hostel is re-opened, but she and Brian are currently operating the Kinlay House in Dublin: www.kinlaydublin.ie.
# Posted on June 14th 2007 by jtrout
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Yeah, a couple of very unfriendly and unhelpful people were in charge of the hostel at one time. But they were gone next time I was back there.
# Posted on June 14th 2007 by slainte
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Yes, one of the staff got jailed after brutally raping a French girl in the hostel and Flemish guy living there had his brain bashed in with a fire extinguisher on the premises. In fairness some years ago now. Nice.
# Posted on June 14th 2007 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
i liked brian and marianne. i liked some of the staff well enough. it was some of the people staying/living/and/or hanging around there that gave one that icky feeling of unease.....i have to say, i had an icky feeing of unease quite a bit here & there in ennis, though said i.f.o.u. had zero to do with the music, the musicians, custys, all of which i liked and hope to get to enjoy again one of these days.....
# Posted on June 14th 2007 by ceemonster
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Thanks for the heads-up re. this hostel as I'm just about to begin research on the next edtion of the Rough Guide to Ireland which won't be published until 2008.
If anyone's heading to Ennis this year, then I can recommend two reasonably priced B&Bs. Banner Lodge on Market Street is above a pub, but don't let that put you off as the rooms seem to be pretty well insulated from sound emanating from below. Alternatively, there's Cloneen on Clon Road, by the roundabout at the very bottom of Francis Street. Both of these should cost around €32 pp for a double room, but neither charges expensive rates for single occupancy.
# Posted on June 14th 2007 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
ha, banner lodge has been full the times i've tried, but thanks for that reminder....
# Posted on June 15th 2007 by ceemonster
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Put off by being lodged above a bar???
# Posted on June 15th 2007 by lukegarry
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
not a-tall....i wanted to stay there. it was full.
# Posted on June 15th 2007 by ceemonster
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Thaks for all the valuable info. Hope many people planning to visit Ennis will read this.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by slainte
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
Guess this is my opening (I'm a newbie here)...hope to spend a month on the west coast (what do you prefer, Eire or Ireland?) this fall, looking for interesting geology and music and inexpensive lodgings for a week at a time. I play double strung lever harps, small one will go with me. I understand a bit about session etiquette and harps, won't intrude, but can accompany at a good clip once I have the chords! Would love to have recommendations, thanks.
# Posted on June 17th 2007 by khandro
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
well....to be fair, despite some icky impressions of some of the folks hanging around there, i would stay at the abbey again, having liked the owners and my rooms. it's just not open.
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by ceemonster
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
A cheap place to stay near Lisdoonvarna is The Boghill hostel. See http://www.boghill.com , the owner Sonja O'Brien is a fiddler, they also do ITM workshops.
# Posted on June 18th 2007 by paddy25
Re: Abbey Tourist Hostel in Ennis
www.rowantreehostel.ie
Hi everyone!! The Rowan Tree Hostel (Old Abbey Tourist Hostel) has reopened its doors on the 17th of March, 2009.
A brief description: The Rowan Tree Hostel, in the heart of Ennis and on the site of the former Abbey Tourist Hostel has undergone a major restoration to transform the 17th century Georgian building back to its former glory offering you a hostel that is fresh and funky.
All the facilities are brand new and include a fully-equipped self-catering kitchen, recreational lounges and free WIFI and Internet access. We offer a variety of rooms, many with private ensuite.
Dorms from €16.00 – Private rooms from €22.00
Ennis is a vibrant town renowned for its lively pubs and traditional Irish music. Only 20 minutes from Shannon Airport, it is the ideal base to discover County Clare, The Burren and the Cliffs of Moher.
Services & Facilities
• Open all year, staffed 24 hours, no curfew, no lockout
• Licensed Café Bar (from July 2009)
• Fully-equipped self-catering kitchen and dining room
• Chill out lounges
• Bed linen provided
• FREE WIFI internet access
• FREE continental breakfast
• Self-serve laundry facilities (from July 2009)
• Luggage lockers & security boxes
• International pay phones
• Bureau de change
• All major credit cards accepted
We look forward to welcoming you soon!!!
www.rowantreehostel.ie
# Posted on May 4th 2009 by Rowan Tree Hostel
Rowan Tree Hostel
The Rowan Tree Hostel
Address: Harmony Row and Club Bridge
Tel: 00353-65-6868687
Fax: 00353-65-6868672
email: info@rowantreehostel.ie
Web: www.rowantreehostel.ie
New owners: Brian and Marianne
# Posted on May 4th 2009 by Rowan Tree Hostel