The Abbey Manor Hotel in Dromahair, Leitrim was opened in 2004 by then Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy. It closed in 2009/10 and now belongs to NAMA. The hotel is a listed building with a beautiful front that faces on to the Main Street in the village. Since closing minimal attempts have been made to secure the premises. It is broken into repeatedly and this has left it open to vandalism, burglary and the elements.
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| Innishfree Suite |
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| The Abbey Manor Hotel |
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| Carpet Moss |
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| Plaque |
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| Innishfree Suite Window |
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Chairs
I have made two visits to the hotel, I was able to walk in through a broken door that led straight into the Innishfree Suite. This is a new extension to the building, done in 2003. Bad winters have led to a partial collapse in the ceiling and this has left the function room in a very poor state. Mushrooms and moss grow out the carpet and mould covers the walls. There is a pervading smell of damp. Chairs sit stacked and rotting away.
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| Laid for Dinner |
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| Pub with undulating floor |
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| Best Before 2009 |
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| Bar Window with Newspapers |
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View from the Ledge, Into the Foyer
There is a Marie Celeste like quality to this derelict boutique hotel. It is as if one day business ceased trading, the staff left and the place was locked up. In the dining room tables are set for dinner, waiting for customers that will never come. Behind the bar there are packets of Cheese Moments and Scampi Flavoured Fries that went out of date in 2009.
I was sure the bar must still be in use, it looked in such good condition. That was until I walked over the wooden floor and saw that dampness had caused it to lift up into ridges.
It can be hard in places to see that the hotel is derelict, though the dead plants are a giveaway. |
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| Reception |
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| Foyer with Dead Plants |
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| Hallway with Fire Extinguisher |
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| View from Derelict Hotel to Derelict Hostel |
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Painting
On my second visit, I brought a friend with me. We weren't in the building long before we stumbled upon a burglar robbing paintings! We could see him through a glass door standing on a chair and unscrewing something from the wall. I called out a greeting and he did not answer. I tried to talk to him a few more times but he froze to the spot and tried to sink into the wall. That was when we realised he was up to no good, so we quietly left.
Manorhamilton Gardi were not too interested in coming out to investigate when we reported the burglary.
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| Honeymoon Suite |
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Squatters Paradise
We returned to the hotel. The thief had gone in his blue Northern reg jeep. He left the paintings behind him - for now.
All around the hotel is evidence of burglary and vandalism. All the copper has been stolen; water tanks have been ripped out. The Honeymoon Suite has been vandalised and faeces smeared all over the bathroom.
Staff at the local Londis were shocked to hear what was happening. They thought the building had been secured after break-ins and drug dealing from the hotel were dealt with last year.
Considering that the hotel has been closed for 2 years and left largely unsecured; I'm surprised that it is still in such a good condition. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for it, especially if it is left the way it is. |
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| Vandalised ISPCC |
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Tea and Coffee
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The Abbey Manor Hotel, Dromahair.
Who will manage this National Asset?
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This is fascinating Sarah!
ReplyDeleteThis is where i Live I Didnt know half the stuff that was going on in this place! Disgusting!
ReplyDeleteSo very sad.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful Hotel left to die.
What a waste...
ReplyDeleteI'm gob smacked at these photo's! to think it has been left to rot after being a part of Dromahair for so long!
ReplyDeleteThis situation is not exclusive to Dromahair. Derelict spaces litter Ireland and since the financial collapse the buildings are becoming much bigger and grander. The Abbey Manor Hotel is definitely one of the more shocking places I hve visited.
ReplyDeleteI am so saddened by this. I had my wedding reception there and it was a perfect and magical day, the staff were so wonderful and the whole hotel radiated happiness. My son was conceived in the honeymoon suite too, I can't believe how devastated the place is now. I wish I could change this.
ReplyDeleteDromahair resident,
ReplyDeleteWell done Sarah on this subject- couldn't agree more with you on this subject. Leitrim Co Co should be ashamed of itself. The Abbey Manor hotel is a listed building and is an architectural and historical asset to the village, county and our country. It should be protected. It is shameful to see it in such dis-repair. Leitrim Co Co officials should take a walk like you did and see it with their own eyes!
I am dismayed and angry seeing the photos of the once beautiful Abbey Manor Hotel. Being a local Dromahair person it annoys me everyday to see various vans and cars and gangs of youths congregate at the rear of the building- to rob, loot, loiter, destroy and damage one of the villages premier buildings. The Garda siochana's response to your call is also very disturbing- are they insinuating that it is alright that young people are drinking there all the time! How worrying for our future if this conduct is condoned by our police force. However, this reaction isn't a first as I know of others who have made similar reports about the same building and the response has been less than helpful to the public!!!! I believe that Dromahair locals must arrange a public meeting to discuss the Abbey Manor situation and put pressure on our Co Council to act. Again, well done on highlighting this sorry story.
ReplyDeleteWell done Sarah, keep up the good work . Shame on all of us, we know the price of everything and the value of nothing!
ReplyDeleteSad, very sad !..........
ReplyDeleteWith reference to the Local Garda in Dromahair Community .Well they are local in name only as they live in Sligo and spend much of their time driving the official car for Breakfast dinner and Tea They seldom leave the seat of the car or so called Barricks ,people are asked do they ever go on foot Patrol or are they scared .Dromahair is a small community consequently the Garda should know each and every resident good and shady but Locals have no confidence in the Law . Crime is not been report anymore the response the reporter got in the local supermarket is typical ,a blind eye. What are the views of the Minister of justice and Garda Commissioner to protecting People and Property ,well sadly it does not exist here In Dromahair and More Garda is not the answer, one efficient Garda to mix with the community would give the local people Peace again Sad times lovely people
ReplyDeletevery Sad my husbands mother & father had their wedding reception in this hotel back in the 50's, and we have attended so many fantastic events in the hotel is this what this country has come too. As someone has said it's not just Dromahair I am sure this is replicated in many town's and villages throughout Ireland, where will it end..
ReplyDeleteGreat work Sarah, well done!
ReplyDeleteMy good lady don't you realise you were breaking the Law by entering a premises without the owners invitation or consent especially knowing that the owners have problems, this action does nothing but add to the misery our state is in. I expect there will be more action on this matter
ReplyDeleteMarie Celeste was also what came to my mind.
ReplyDeleteWe had a Christening Dinner here for my Nephew a few short years ago and it was a fine establishment.
The photos almost provide a microcosm of where the Nation is now; Opulent and Impressive with the cool progression of rot and mildew just below the surface.
Sad, sad...
Just to clarify - I had permission from the Gardi to enter the building. I was told that the building now belongs to NAMA, which means it belongs to the state. I post these pictures to reflect what is happening all over this country in order to raise awareness, and hopefully to get a positive outcome for the Abbey Manor Hotel.
ReplyDeleteSarah, you were well entitled to enter the building. Ignore the begrudging comments. The begrudger's reference to the "poor owners and their problems" is laughable! The Abbey Manor Hotel was owned by 13 different developers- 10 of these developers have never even set foot in Dromahair let alone the Abbey Manor! A couple of these"poor owners" are now resident abroad one in the Middle East!!!!!!! - poor owners!!!!! The tax payer is now left paying for this mess- you and I. I would urge the "begrudger" to focus his attention on the real villains here and not someone who is trying to do something positive in this village and the country. This property should be handed over to the people of Dromahair to be used in a creative and positive manner.
ReplyDeleteHear hear. Well said. "Poor owners" my *&^%. They never tried to market the hotel properly, no wonder it went belly-up. It was, in my opinion, a tax write off for them in the first place! ~A once native Dromahair-ian and regular returner~
DeleteSarah, you are very welcome in dromahaire, there are many more derelict buildings owned by developers on the main st in dromahaire , three of them beside the hotel ! We need help now!
ReplyDeleteIs Sarah an Angel from above or a Phoenix rising from the ashes of Developers and Lawyers.Artists have a reputation of being eerie some of us are worried of the moss they may gather if Sarah gets paid for her work then there is a lot of work out there for the Arts ,,Visitor to north west with previous experience
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, it's an absolute trajedy that it has been left to rot. If only someone had the wherewithall to invest in it, it could be something so good not just for Dromahair but County Leitrim. It is truly a beautiful building which adds to the village but the slow decay and dereliction is really beginning to have an impact on those who care. Well done for highlighting the issue, more please!
ReplyDeleteWow! I am truely shocked! As a young local of this village I wasn't even aware that it had been broken into so regularly! I can safely say I for one have not been inside the premises since its closing and the photos are really shocking. It really does look like people decided to just up and leave some day, flower pots, set tables, everything just left! What a waste! Even things from the building such as furniture are going to down right waste when they could be put to some form of good, i.e. charities or families in need but no of course Leitirm CoCo would hate to do anything that actually involved effort or work! How does so many people freely walk in and out of it squatting there and stealing, without anyone noticing! It doesn't sound right, and the community is to blame just as much for letting these things go unnoticed. I agree there should be a community meeting as to what can be done about this and what better place to have it then in the hotel itself, if possible, so that the locals (including the council) can actually see & understand the waste of a once beautiful and well maintained historic building! If the community oulled together then surely something sould be done, perhaps starting with a alarm system! Thanks Sarah for bringing the reality of this home.
ReplyDeleteSarah you are truely a credit to your family. I have read your comments on the state of repair of the hotel and that of the people, and yes, it is terrible that this has been allowed to happen. I actually had my wedding there and it was a fantastic day, not only because of the beautiful hotel but the welcome that was recieved from the staff (most of whom were from the village or surrounding area). While it should be brought back to a useable standard, you couldn't expect the local Coco to take the financial responsibility of repairing the hotel (bearing in mind that this would include using our hard earned taxes also). Therefore, this would leave outside development company again, as there probably wouldn't be anyone locally that would have the interest and the money available to do what is required. I myself (a non-local) have previously had an interest in taking on the project of reopening the hotel. I felt that it would have been an extemely long process, not only due to the financial requirements but the effort required to re-establish the business again to make it a profitable and viable project for myself. I also found on my numerous visits to the village that while most of the locals have been very welcoming to people from outside thier community, some are still as closed as ever. This is upsetting as i had thought we had grown as a country. And unfortunately, while the majority of the people in the area are kind hearted people, some of the locals are unwelcome to change. They would probably agree that the hotel should be restored, but would expect to have a say in the restoration without having any concern for the pressure require by an individual or company actually spending the money and doing the work. I apologise if this offends some of the people contributing to your website. I do not want to offend, but this is my opinion based on my experiences. I hope you have success on your cause and you do end up getting the building restored to its former glory (no matter what it eventualy gets used for).
ReplyDeleteSo sad. My aunt had her wedding reception there in August 1947 when it was one of the very few hotels around - it then known as Geters Hotel after the German family that owned it 9i have lots of photos). My mother remembers cycling out there and having afternoon tea - that may be even earlier. I remember it too as a child in the 1960s - having lunch and then going to a walk in the garden and up to the abbey which has a grave of a holy man from which people used to take abit of soil as a cure.
ReplyDeleteOn the cure referred to - the strict rule was that the soil was to be returned.
ReplyDeleteWho now owns the propety and how much would it likely cost to buy it in its current state? I would be interested in speaking to the owners, any idea how to contact them? This needs to be bought soon otherwise it will just get worse and then cost a fotune to renovate.
ReplyDeleteIt looks still in decent shape and worth trying to save. Shame that it has an extension as it is not in character to the main building.
One would be insane to get involved I believe There were six owners in Twenty years all good business people, with the costs of County Rates, Electricity ,water charges, general maintenance and staff the unit is too small.Might as well buy Crevelea Abbey and take visitors on tour. .Bury your momey in a green field one day it may grow. says a wise Irish Paddy
ReplyDeleteVery powerful and to think I was just at a wedding at this hotel only a year before it closed. So sad...
ReplyDeleteYou might be interested in this link on artists who created an art project out of a derelict village:
http://documentaryheaven.com/the-ghostvillage-project/
Thanks everyone for looking at the blog and all your comments. This post has had a massive response. I'm happy that my project has reached such a wide audience and its very interesting to see the response from it.
ReplyDeleteIt's obvious that the Abbey Manor belongs in the hearts of the people of Dromahair. There is a sense of local ownership and responsibility for it. An action group has been set up on Facebook called Save the Abbey Manor Hotel. This seems a good place to go if you want to do something positive about the hotel. There is talk of a public meeting, if this happens I would be very interested to come along and document what happens.
Things have already improved for the hotel, it is now much more secure, so the interior should remain largely intact for a good while to come.
There is an awful lot to be said for the Power of the People!
The Abbey Manor Hotel does indeed belong in the hearts of the people of Dromahair. Your photographs made us realise just how close we are to losing it. Our campaign is in it's infancy, but we believe we have a fighting chance of saving this historic building as an amenity for our village. We'd be delighted to have you on board to record our progress. Updates will be posted on our Facebook page as things unfold. Wish us luck!
ReplyDeletesarah. unfortunately you efforts are wasted! i think altough you highlighted this matter people will say your a credit and typically being irish take no action. because the country is in recession there will be nobody willing to or able to renovate this hotel and thats the bottom line! its location is poor also as there is little or no business for a large hotel in dromahair! altough its a lovely place with the lake and castle. the roads are terrible!!!! and a bad infrastructure does not attract as many visitors/tourism as it would if roads weren't so windy and dangerous!
ReplyDeletei agree with the last comment... i think government funding is not realistic to use it as a local amenity. as funds are simply not available in a recession....
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the penultimate comment. I am a foreing tourist who has been holidaying very recently in a cottaqge in Dromahair. What really enchanted us of this beautiful town and surroundings was the lack of "good" infrastructures. Wider roads, for example, would result in the loss of the attractive and charm of the area for tourists like us.
ReplyDeleteDon´t bring the "wrong progress" to Dromahair.
The Abbey Manor hotel in good hands (not speculators)would be excelent news for the town.
hi, i think the comment before the last two is sharp, but it makes sense in fairness. business will and never has been attracted to enchanting places with little or poor infrastructure which in effect creates little or no economic activity. the hotel in decay sad as it may be has no future in my opinion and should be knocked down as it will only attract criminals
ReplyDeleteI feel sick, shock'd & very sad... What a great country we live in, well done the Goverment, you should all step forward & take a bow, sorry forgot your faceless!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame to see so many pessimistic souls out there. Recession or not, there is always the possibility that this lovely Hotel can be saved, with local goodwill and a bit of energy. We ARE taking action, and would ask that everyone row in behind us in our efforts. Nothng ventured, nothing gained!
ReplyDeletehi. i think the last comment altough positive and encouraging is complete guff & unrealistic jargon....local goodwill?? how does large funds come from that?? energy? people will not take on a job of that magnitude unless there being paid! did u see the photo's???? This would be a major project needing large funding and tradesmen in abundance!
ReplyDeleteI saw the photos. I've seen inside the hotel. And I decided to do something about it. Other people have joined me because they want to do something about it too. Call it guff if you will, but we'll give it our best shot. If you want to join us, visit our Facebook page, or email savetheabbeymanor@gmail.com. If you don't, that's fine. But at least don't belittle our efforts.
ReplyDeleteI worked the the Abbey Manor for 12 months & It is so sad to see the inside of the hotel & the state it is being left in.
ReplyDeleteHeard about this hotel on Ocean Fm Just had a look at the pictures, so sad that it has been left to rot. Old buildings have so much character, it's a shame to see them abandoned & vandalized. Hope you folk in Dromahair manage to get permission to save it. (Donegal woman living in north Leitrim)
ReplyDeletehi im not trying to belittle anyones efforts. i think what your doing is admirable. however im voicing my opinion thats all. altough it may seem negative to you its not meant to . im just advising you of my opinion based on what i see. ps i have worked in a high capacity for BECHTEL(Top construction co. in USA). You shouldnt put up a site like this if your not willing to hear peoples opinions whether positive or negative
ReplyDeleteJust to clarify. Everyone's comments have been included on my Derelict Nation site. I make no comment either in agreement or disagreement to what people say. I put up my photographic work and let people make their own response.
ReplyDeleteI think the comments you are refering to are from the Save the Abbey Manor Hotel action group. That group does not run this blog. They were set up in response to this post though.
sarah, thank you for explaining this. i should have directed my opinion toward (save the abbey manor).I think you are an intelligent girl with a lot to offer & I think whether your efforts will create genuine promise to save this hotel or not i say Bravo to you :)
ReplyDeleteGreat work Sarah. Plenty of subject matter for you here in Galway city - try Baily Point, Salthill, finished circa 2001; 50% unoccupied apartments, huge footprint of ground floor commercial spaces derelict, an unopened cinema underground (now rotting) three extensive sublevels of never-used carpark, facade visibly crumbling...
ReplyDeleteMichael O'Brien, Galway
Thanks Michael. That place sounds really interesting. Especially the underground cinema. Must get down to Galway soon.
ReplyDeletegreat photos, reminds me off the Ard Ri hotel in waterford several years ago. got even worse as time went on see here http://aspectphotography.net/blog/2010/05/ard-ri-hotel-waterford-taken-in-january-2010/. media and local efforts at least made a clean and secure possible here also. i'd imagine both sites are some years away from a proper revival unfortunatly.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures and that blog are incredible. Looks like Eastern Europe after the war in the early 90's. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, beautiful pictures. It's important to capture these places before they disappear or are repurposed. Just wondering if you are aware of globalurbex dot com. We are a friendly community who are interested in exploring abandoned or seldom seen places. We share pictures and stories of our visits on the forum and follow a strict 'take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints policy'.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, I feel really sick. I just stumbled on your site while trying to show a friend where i used to live! We owned the hotel in the early to mid 80's and have very fond memories from Dromahair. I also remember living in the "Hostel", which was also part of the hotel at the time. Dont know if it still is. Very sad.
ReplyDeleteThat must have been an awful shock. Did you not know what had happened to it? The locals of Dromahair are trying to get it opened again, but they are not having much luck. There is a campaign on Facebook called Save the Abbey Manor Hotel. Its run by Bernie Linnane McBride. They have regular meetings. I'm sure they would be very interested to hear from you.
DeleteThe hostel was derelict before the hotel. I was able to go in it once but I didn't have my camera with me. It has since been boarded up.
sarah sarah sarah sarah.... come everyone... sarah sarah sarah :)
ReplyDeleteI was conceived in the Abbey Hotel nearly 60 years ago and have a place in my heart for this once beautiful building. The only contribution I can make is a promise to share my future lottery win to bring it back to it's former glory. Weddings are big business nowadays and it wouldn't be long before it was making a profit after plenty of media coverage. One celebrity marriage could start the ball rolling...........
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable post Sarah, thank you. I'm a Leitrim native myself, can't believe this place, the pictures are so eerie. Thanks for this x
ReplyDelete