80 jobs at Blarney Golf Resort at risk after closure
There are fears for the future of up to 80 jobs at a popular hotel and golf resort in Cork.
Staff at the Blarney Golf Resort, close to the famous tourist village, have been called to a meeting on Friday following the sudden and indefinite closure of its leisure centre, gym, and pool.
While it is understood that the hotel has closed for a few weeks in January in previous years — a traditionally quiet time of the year in the hospitality industry — its leisure centre, pool, and gym always remained open.
Staff have contacted leisure club members and those with various fitness or swimming lessons booked to inform them of the centre’s indefinite closure and to tell them that any money owed will be refunded.
It is not clear what impact there may be on the hotel, on its bookings, or on the operation of the golf club. Hotel management was not available for comment yesterday.
Local Fine Gael councillor Damian Boylan said his thoughts are with the staff as they face an uncertain future.
The property, set on almost 170 acres about 6km west of Blarney village, was developed at a cost of between €30m-€40m.
Built at the height of the property boom, it includes a 61-bedroom four-star hotel with a bar, restaurant, conference and banqueting facilities, a fully-equipped leisure centre with a 20m pool, children’s pool, sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and gym with several hundred members.
Its 18-hole, par-71 championship golf course was designed by US golf legend and 1995 British Open winner John Daly. It also includes 38 golf lodges.
However, the property fell into receivership after AIB looked to reclaim the loans it had made to develop the property and it was put up for sale for just over €12m in mid-2012.
No credible offers emerged and by September of that year, the price was slashed to €3.9m, before being cut further.
It was 2014 before the property was snapped up for a reported €2.5m by veteran Northern Irish businessman and investor Tom O’Gorman, who made his fortune in oil exploration and mining.
At the time, Mr O’Gorman said he bought the resort as an investment and he planned to continue to operate it as a hotel and golf resort, with plans for further investment.
He was later involved in the acquisition of other hotels, including the Hotel Clybaun in Galway.
