Our Story

Smiling guest leans at open cottage window framed by green foliage and hanging geraniums, view into cosy dining area and table setting

It Started With A Vision

In 1948, Myrtle and Ivan Allen bought the Ballymaloe estate with the vision of turning it into a mixed farm. For the next 16 years, they raised their family while working their farm. As Myrtle became more and more knowledgeable about cooking, she began writing a cookery column. This passion for simple Irish cuisine led to even bigger things.

In 1964, Myrtle opened Ballymaloe House as a restaurant to pioneer the placing of local, seasonal food at the fore of everything she did. Sixty years later, the relationship of the farm to the table continues to underlie what we produce and you enjoy.

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Our People

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Rewarding Work

Join Our Team

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We are always on the lookout for talented people with the passion to work in one of the top hotels in Cork.

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Our Awards

Proud Honours

View Our Awards

Ivy-clad historic country house hotel with stone tower, courtyard dining tables and lush lawns under a blue sky

Awards are not why we do what we do, but they are why we have such a renowned reputation for quality hospitality.

See Our Successes

Three smiling hotel staff in black attire holding a framed Silver award on a branded event backdrop, elegant hospitality success scene

Top-down view of six glossy candied yellow pears in syrup in an ornate green ceramic bowl on white linen, breakfast or dessert offering

Simple Irish Cuisine

Try Our Recipes

Tray of raspberry tartlets with cream and edible flowers beside large caramel sauce bowl, desserts and fresh fruit on hotel buffet

We are passionate about simple ingredients with incredible flavour and are proud to share what we have learned, so you can enjoy it at home.

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Other Ballymaloe Businesses

The Ballymaloe Brand

Myrtle and Ivan Allen had 6 children, 22 grandchildren and 39 great-grandchildren. Many of them were lucky enough to have inherited the family gene for entrepreneurship, hard work and a genuine passion for food.
Multiple members of the family have set up extremely successful businesses under the Ballymaloe brand. Each and every one of them has been built on the same cornerstone of using sustainable practices and supporting local providers.

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