Ballygarry House was originally a family home of the Lawlor Family. It has been owned and operated by the McGillicuddy family for over 60 years. Our goal at Ballygarry House when you visit or stay with us is to invite you into our extended Ballygarry family. The McGillicuddy family first became involved in the property in the 1950’s, when it was purchased by local businessmen Gene McGillicuddy, Mick Allen and Ted Keane. It opened its doors for the first time as ‘The Manhattan Hotel’ in 1958, after extensive redevelopment.
The Manhattan was a magical place, where friends and family gathered for weddings, birthdays, homecomings and parties, for dances, socials, concerts and every other kind of celebration imaginable. Since then, the hotel has become one of the best-loved venues in the country and has long been considered the centre of Kerry’s social scene.
Gene McGillicuddy’s son, Owen, returned in 1968 after training in Switzerland, and throughout Ireland, with the Great Southern Hotel group. A passionate and dedicated hotelier, he went on to create a hotel with one of the strongest reputations in Ireland. In 1982, the hotel returned to its roots and was renamed Ballygarry House. It has always been considered critical to retain the original spirit of Ballygarry House – that is, the sense of ‘being at home’. The new hotel was built around the original features of the house, maintaining the traditions and characteristics that has always set us apart.