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The history of Ballymascanlon dates back much farther than
when the house opened as a hotel in 1930 or even when the Victorian
manor house was constructed around 1850. Indeed, there has been
some form of settlement on the estate as far back as 2000BC
is when the Proleek Dolmen, also called The Giant's Load, was
estimated to have been erected. Legend has it that when one
tosses a small stone on top of the massive cap stone and it
stays that the person will be married within a year! The name
Ballymascanlon was first mentioned in historical texts around
the early 9th century. The name is derived from the Irish Baile
ma(c) Scannlain, which translates to "Town of the son of
Scanlon." The seat of the Scannlain clan was in Oriel,
todays County Louth.
Today, the hotel is set on 130 private acres of beautiful parkland
that includes an 18-hole golf course, health club and guest
gardens. All rooms are en-suite and include coffee/tea making
facilities, phone and satellite TV. The rooms and hotel itself
have been decorated to luxurious standards. Some rooms have
four-poster beds. And all rooms have views of the estate.
Using this hotel as a base for an extended stay will afford
guests easy access to local and regional amenities. Woodland
walks on the Cooley Peninsula, a short drive to Carlingford
Lough and a stones through from the Northern border are all
on the hotel doorstep.
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