The Ó Comáin mermaid shield
NEWHALL
House & Estate · Est. 1650
NEWHALLIreland
The House Exclusive Hire Events Experiences Wellness Story Timeline Contact
County Clare · Wild Atlantic Way

A privateIrish estate,in absolute privacy,entirely your own.

A restored 17th-century Georgian manor house on 400 acres in absolute privacy — taken on sole occupancy for corporate getaways, gatherings and events.

Enquire about hire Explore the house
The Ó Comáin mermaid shield The Seat of Clan Ó Comáin

Built by Lord Clare in 1650 on stones from Killone Castle, Newhall Estate is one of the oldest privately owned historic homes in Ireland — and, at 16,000 square feet, the largest house in County Clare. Sympathetically restored and opened by invitation, Newhall House is a place steeped in folklore, spiritual wellbeing and quiet grandeur, three kilometres from Ennis and twenty minutes from Shannon Airport.

Newhall House and walled garden at twilight
1650
Established
16,000
Sq ft mansion
12
Bedrooms
24
Guests, sleeps up to
Helipad
On the estate
20 min
From Shannon Airport
The Newhall Mermaid’s Bar
The largest house in County Clare

Sixteen thousand square feet, lovingly restored.

At 16,000 square feet, Newhall is the largest house in County Clare. Behind the 1765 Georgian façade, it has been brought back to life by skilled local craftsmen — honouring its past while quietly embracing the comforts of the present. Every room is yours to enjoy.

  • Four reception rooms
  • Ballroom & conference room
  • The Newhall Mermaid’s Bar
  • Formal dining room
  • Library & snooker room
  • Gymnasium
  • Holistic treatment room
  • Twelve bedrooms & nursery
  • Three courtyards
  • Top balcony with lake views
Exclusive Hire

The whole of Newhall, yours alone.

We offer uncompromising privacy within our gated estate — the house taken on a self-catering basis, so you have the freedom to enjoy it with your own staff, or with private chefs and a butler arranged by our in-house concierge. Whether it is a family occasion, a gathering or a corporate retreat, Newhall is entirely yours.

Package One
24
guests · 12 bedrooms
The full house — twelve appointed bedrooms, one with an en-suite nursery, three able to take a child’s single bed.
Package Two
16
guests · 8 bedrooms
Eight bedrooms for a smaller party, with the run of the reception rooms, bar and grounds.
Package Three
10
guests · 5 bedrooms
An intimate gathering — five bedrooms and the whole estate to yourselves.

Dining at Newhall

36
Ballroom / Conference
14
Formal Dining Room
8
The Main Kitchen
∞
Finger food, Mermaid’s Bar

Full Irish or continental breakfast, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner and bar packages can all be arranged. Price on application, depending on party size, season and duration.

Request a proposal
Events & Celebrations

A setting that adapts to the occasion.

Weddings and blessings, milestone birthdays and anniversaries, reunions, board retreats and creative offsites — the ballroom seats thirty-six for dinner, the reception rooms open onto the courtyards, and the whole estate becomes the backdrop.

  • Weddings & celebrations
  • Family occasions
  • Gatherings & reunions
  • Corporate & board retreats
  • Private dining
  • Film & photography
Plan an event
The drawing room at Newhall with a grand piano in the bow window
On the Estate

Experiences, curated for you.

Bespoke days on the estate and along the Wild Atlantic Way, arranged by our concierge.

Fishing & boating
On the private lake
Archery
Instruction on the lawn
Clay pigeon shooting
Estate shooting ground
Golf driving range
Warm up on site
Horse riding
Hacks through the estate
Ancient woodland walks
To the lakes & abbey
Forest bathing
Guided, unhurried
Holistic therapies
In-house treatment room
Trad & seanchaí nights
Music & storytelling
Whiskey & gin tastings
In the Mermaid’s Bar
Helicopter & luxury car
Arrivals & day trips
Guided Clare tours
Burren, Cliffs & coast
Helipad & Golf

Land on the lawn, tee off by lunch.

Newhall has its own helipad and sits within easy reach of Ireland’s greatest links and parkland courses — including three championship hosts. Twenty minutes from Shannon, with direct flights from London.

 Shannon Airport 20 min · Cork 2 hr · Dublin 2 hr 30

Golden-hour aerial of Newhall House in its parkland
County Clare
Lahinch Golf ClubWalker Cup 2026
Historic links by Old Tom Morris, Alister MacKenzie & Martin Hawtree — home of the Irish Open
27 km
Dromoland Castle Golf & Country Club
Parkland on the Dromoland Castle estate, by Ron Kirby & JB Carr
10 km
Trump International Golf Links DoonbegIrish Open 2026
Championship links by Greg Norman & Dr Martin Hawtree
38 km
Ennis Golf Club
Parkland course founded in 1907
2 km
Woodstock Golf Club
Located near Ennis
2.5 km
Shannon Golf Club
6,763-yard John D Harris design — one of Ireland’s best inland courses
23 km
East Clare Golf Club
Parkland course
29 km
Kilkee Golf Club
Links course by the Atlantic
48 km
County Limerick
Adare Manor Golf CourseRyder Cup 2027
Championship course redesigned by Tom Fazio
50 km
Adare Golf Club
A separate club, also in Adare
50 km
Newcastle West Golf Club
Parkland course
70 km
County Kerry
Tralee Golf Club
Links with stunning coastal views, designed by Arnold Palmer
140 km
Killarney Golf & Fishing Club
Parkland amidst Killarney National Park
145 km
Ring of Kerry Golf Club
Parkland with panoramic views
175 km
Waterville Golf Links
Classic links in a dramatic coastal setting
200 km
County Galway
Connemara Golf Club
Championship links — “a true Championship Links” (Tom Watson)
150 km
Newhall House across the parkland at misty dawn
In development · approved 2025

A wellness retreat, rising in the old stables.

Planning is granted to sensitively convert Newhall’s historic stables and outbuildings into a mindfulness and wellness retreat — a reception, ten studio apartments, treatment rooms, a courtyard, and a kitchen and café — hosting curated wellness gatherings within the walls of the estate.

  • Ten studio apartments
  • Treatment & therapy rooms
  • Courtyard & café
  • Retreat reception
Register interest
A Mermaid, painted by John William Waterhouse, 1900
Folklore & History

The Mermaid’s Tale

Local legend tells of a wine-loving mermaid who inhabited the tranquil waters of Killone Lake, slipping through an underground passage to indulge in the wine of the O’Brien cellars. Confronted, she fled wounded to the depths — but not without a curse upon the family: “As the mermaid moves on the sea, so shall the O’Briens fade away from this land until Killone is overgrown with wild weeds.” They say that every seven years the lake’s waters turn red in remembrance.

The O’Briens have long since passed from Killone — yet the tale endures as a cherished piece of folklore, weaving an air of mystique around lake and house alike. Beside the water stand a 12th-century abbey and the Holy Well of St John the Baptist, where pilgrims still gather each June; and at Newhall, the mermaid is honoured on the very arms of Clan Ó Comáin, its custodians today.

Killone Abbey & the Holy Well

Killone Abbey reflected in the lake
Killone Abbey & lake
The Holy Well of St John beside the lake
The Holy Well of St John
The Romanesque arch of Killone Abbey
The abbey arch
Killone Abbey above the lake
Above the lake
1190

Killone Abbey

Founded by Donal Mór O’Brien, King of Thomond, as a sanctuary for Augustinian nuns beside the lake.

1544

A royal grant

Henry VIII grants Killone and Newhall to Murrough O’Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond.

1650

Newhall is laid

The original rear range and stables are built, the estate then held by the Viscount Clare.

1764

The Georgian front

Charles MacDonnell adds the Queen Anne façade, attributed to Francis Bindon.

1920s

The Joyce years

The Joyce family of Galway make Newhall their seat — a hub of balls and fox hunts.

2016

Clan Ó Comáin

The Commane family acquire Newhall and begin its meticulous restoration.

Today

A cherished home

Restored as a cherished home and estate, held in trust for the next hundred years.

Explore the full history
Clan Commane of Newhall

From the custodians

“Along with our family, we invite you to join us on our journey to restore and redevelop Newhall House and Estate – a sanctuary of timeless elegance and natural beauty.

Newhall House, a 17th-century country estate, posed an extraordinary challenge when we took over as custodians. Our mission was to lovingly and sympathetically restore the 16,000 sq. ft. tumbledown and dilapidated house back to its former glory. The task was daunting, as the property had seen no maintenance or modernisation for over a century. The house was almost beyond repair, with gaping holes in the roof, no running water, heating, or electricity.

After extensive research and planning, and with the guidance of heritage experts and historians, we were fortunate to work with talented local craftsmen and artisans, all based in County Clare, who helped bring this vision to life. In parallel with the house restoration, significant work has been undertaken across the estate, including land reclamation and conservation efforts – an ongoing endeavour to tame and preserve the land.

Our ultimate goal is the preservation and celebration of Newhall, a place rich in Irish folklore, spiritual history, and cultural significance. Newhall truly is a magical place, one that continues to inspire and enchant all who encounter it.”

Fergus, Lord Kinfauns Maria, Lady Kinfauns

The Commane’s Fergus & Maria Kinfauns— Custodians

Fergus is Chief of the Name Ó Comáin. Clan recognised by Clans of Ireland, under the patronage of the President of Ireland. Recognition followed authentication of the clan’s antiquity and lineage. The chief is successor to the historical Chiefdom of Tulach Commáin and the Kings of Déisi Muman, the early medieval Déisi people of Munster. He leads the clan with a Privy Council, see www.ocomain.org

Investing in Irish heritage for the next 100 years

Trustees

Antóin Niall Ó Comáin
Antóin Niall Ó Comáin
Jessica-Lily Ó Comáin
Jessica-Lily Ó Comáin