The Institution of Irish Tea at Dromoland Castle

By Madelyn Miller, the TravelLady

In The Portrait of a Lady Henry James said, “Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.

That is certainly true in Ireland. Dromoland Castle Hotel serves “Mrs. White’s Afternoon Tea” in the Gallery between 3pm and 5:30 every afternoon. (And if you are staying there and enjoy the bountiful breakfast, you won’t even be hungry until then.)

There is a selection of finger sandwiches, cream cakes and pastries, traditional rich fruit cake, warm wholemeal and fruit scones served with clotted cream and preserves and the hot beverage of your choice.

These is a great selections of teas: Irish breakfast tea from Ceylon,
Earl Grey (Darjeeling with the aroma of Bergamot), Green Leaf Darjeeling, Mokalbarie Assam Black Tea, Jungpana (Darjeelng, second flush), and Morgentaufro Sencha, Japan. There are also lemon, peppermint and red berry teas plus verbenan, camomille, jasmine and Roibosh fruit teas.

You can order the whole tea for 23 euros. But why not order the “Champagne Afternoon Tea” which includes all of the above with a glass of Champagne for 35 euros.

Dromoland Castle, a five-star property, was the ancestral seat of the O’Briens, and dates to the 16th Century. Reminders of the Castle’s historic past include wood and stone carvings, paneling, and original oil paintings. Dromoland has an 18-hole championship golf course, two tennis courts, gardens, a bar and lounge, and a gift shop.

Madelyn Miller is a travel and food writer who has traveled with Shirley Fong-Torres several times. They last met in Hawaii when they judged the Kona Coffee Festival.

Read Madelyn's stories on www.travellady.com, www.carladynews.com, www.chocolateatlas.com, www.cocktailatlas.com, www.coffeeatlas.com and www.TeaAtlas.com

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