The Mustard Seed is a country house hotel in Ballingarry, Co. Limerick, ten minutes from the village of Adare. It hosts weddings for up to 65 guests, small corporate meetings, and exclusive-hire stays, and it has 18 guest rooms on site. It suits groups that want a private house rather than a conference hotel.
Seminars and company events
The hotel presents itself as a venue for small but significant meetings. The house has no car park full of other guests, no passing traffic and no urban noise, and it stands in 12 acres of private grounds. Teams can use the grounds as part of the day: the site mentions the glasshouse and the herb garden as places to hold a session outdoors.
The meetings page gives no room name or capacity, so the number of delegates and the layout should be confirmed with the hotel by email or phone. The hotel offers corporate rates for overnight accommodation, which makes a residential meeting possible with the 18 rooms.
Weddings and receptions
The Mustard Seed is licensed for civil marriage ceremonies, so the ceremony and the reception can take place in the same building. Wedding meals range from an intimate dinner for two to a banquet for up to 65 guests. The hotel favors smaller weddings, with family and friends gathered around good food in the house and gardens.
The size of the property makes it possible to take the whole house. The site says the venue can be made exclusively yours from arrival until check-out. There is a wedding enquiry form on the website.
Rooms and capacities
The only stated event capacity is 65 guests for a wedding banquet. The site names no individual reception or meeting room. For a meeting, ask for the room, the seating layout and the number of people it takes before you commit to a date.
Accommodation
The house has 18 guest rooms in several categories: Standard, Superior, Deluxe Rooms and Deluxe Suites. Two rooms are on the ground floor. A Mews Apartment sits in the courtyard, and some rooms accept dogs. With exclusive hire, a group can fill the house.
Catering
The restaurant is central to the house, and the kitchen garden and orchard supply it. Classic dinner is served, and lunch is available by arrangement. A drinks reception can be arranged for events. Menus for weddings and meetings are agreed with the hotel.
History and setting
The house is also known as Echo Lodge and has a Victorian character inside. It sits on a hill above Ballingarry village, in the middle of the Limerick countryside. It is the only Ireland's Blue Book property in rural Limerick.
Getting there
Ballingarry is about 2 hours from Dublin by road: take the M7, then the M20 around Limerick city and the N20 toward Cork, and exit for Croom, then follow signs for Ballingarry. Limerick city is 20 minutes away, and Shannon Airport is 40 minutes by car.
