Case Studies of Successful Environmentally Friendly Tourism Operators

Below is a list of successful tourim operators who are conducting their work in an environmentally friendly manner and attracting visitors at the same time. These case studies show that nearly all organisations can take simple steps to improve their environmental performance and to capitalise on the beautiful nature of our country.

Eco Retreat: Ard Nahoo, Co Leitrim

The owners of Ard Nahoo, an award-winning eco-retreat, have been active in conserving Loch Nahoo as a habitat and have opposed a proposal to use the area for forestry which would deter the visiting Whooper Swans. Ard Nahoo offers its visitors alternative living and healthcare packages that include indulging in vegetarian dishes made from organic and locally sourced ingredients, hill walking, yoga, and the chance to stay in one of their three eco cabins, each made from Holly, Willow and Hawthorn. They are currently campaigning to have the area designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA).

Ard Nahoo in Dromahair, Co. Leitrim takes its name from Loch Nahoo, a turlough in the Leitrim mountains and winter habitat to the Whooper Swans. To make guests to the resort aware of the wildlife around them, Ard Nahoo has created its own wildlife pond and nature trail.  Guests are provided with information sheets detailing the medicinal, culinary and historical significance of native trees.

Noeleen Tyrrell, owner of Ard Nahoo, says: “The land in this part of Co. Leitrim is sparse and unsuitable for farming but its poverty is its beauty. The woodland and hedgerows are largely untouched and home to a wealth of birds and small mammals.”

Ard Nahoo is highly conscious of the tendency for businesses to engage in ‘greenwashing’ and operates under green principles in terms of energy consumption, recycling and using natural produce.  It holds the EU award for environmental quality – the EU Flower. 

Ballynahinch Castle, Connemara, Co. Galway

The owners of Ballynahinch Castle Hotel in Connemara believe that protecting local fisheries and woodland is integral to the success of their business.  They are at the forefront of the campaign to protect the wild fisheries of Connemara. There are 40 rooms in total and guests can choose between a classic, superior or luxury room or suite.

Twenty years ago Ballynahinch Castle established a co-operative of stakeholders in the fishing industry to ensure that a concerted plan of habitat renewal and enhancement was undertaken.  The cooperative lobbied and challenged the Salmon farming industry to highlight the detrimental effects of parasites from fish farms on wild salmon and sea trout.  They have also successfully campaigned to have drift nets removed from Irish seas.

Ballynahinch Castle is currently undertaking a native woodland management program involving the removal of invasive rhododendrons and the planting of over 1000 hardwood trees. They are also participating in a study with Trinity College Dublin on the effects of climate change on Irish hardwoods. This is a long term project that will span the next 30 years. Guests are encouraged to make their own contribution to the estate’s woodlands by planting a tree.

Simon Ashe, Estate and Fishery Manager says: “At Ballynahinch Castle we view ourselves very much as custodians of this beautiful environment. The woodlands and river have been here for generations. Our duty is to ensure that we exploit this wonderful resource without damaging it, to help restore any damage done, and to protect it against external forces.”

Trinity Island Lodge, Co. Cavan

The owner of the three-bedroom Trinity Island Lodge, Tom O’Dowd, has promoted biodiversity at their location on the banks of Lough Oughter by replanting a greenfield area with 200 broadleaf trees, creating a pond to attract bird life, particularly swans, and by erecting bird boxes. Trinity Island Lodge sits on 150 acres of native Irish woodland and is surrounded by 5km of lake shore walkways.  The island is inhabited by a variety of local wild life and over 50 species of native and migratory birds.
Lough Oughter is a particularly important site for wintering and breeding birds. An internationally important population of Whooper Swan is based in the area and the site has one of the highest breeding concentrations of Great Crested Grebe in Ireland. The site also supports populations of Greenland White Fronted Geese, Mute Swans, Widgeon, and Curlew. The Otter, an endangered species, is also found in Lough Oughter.

“We encourage guests to enjoy but respect the natural environment by providing information in different languages and promoting a ‘leave no trace’ policy to ensure the environment is not disturbed,” says Tom O’Dowd.

The guesthouse uses a wind turbine and solar panels to produce energy and is nearly self-sufficient. It is found within the Greenbox - Ireland's first integrated ecotourism area.

The island is within the Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark. As the park shares a border with Co. Cavan and Co. Fermanagh it is the first international geopark.  Lakes are a dominant feature of the landscape, many of which have formed in glacial valleys or in hollows between glacial deposits.

Gregans Castle Hotel, Co. Clare

Gregans Castle Hotel along with Clare County Council, Shannon Development Authority and a number of other local businesses are seeking to have the Burren’s unique eco-system officially recognised and to have the area designated as an eco-tourism destination, similar to the ‘Greenbox’ in the North-west.
Guests can choose between four different categories of rooms to stay in; Classic, Superior, Junior Suite and Premier Suite, all offering views of the surrounding landscape.

Simon Haden, owner of Gregans Castle Hotel, says: “The Burren offers a great opportunity for developing eco-tourism activities and there is a definite demand for such activities amongst visitors.  We are fortunate to already have a good infrastructure in place in terms of tourist accommodation and facilities.”

At Gregans Castle Hotel, the owners have been working on their own conservation projects for many years.  A woodland area of approximately four acres has been planted and a pond has been created providing habitats for red squirrels, bats and a variety of birds.

The hotel is working towards obtaining the EU Flower, the EU label which recognises environmental sustainability.  One of the initiatives Gregans has undertaken is installing a peat moss purafil system to treat waste water.  The filtered water is dispersed into a percolation area which has proved an ideal environment for 200 Scarlet Willow trees whose dense root system absorbs the excess water.

“Tourism and the environment go hand in hand.  I believe that tourism relies on the environment and it is up to the industry to take a proactive approach to conservation,” says Simon Haden.

The Old Rectory, Co. Leitrim

The Old Rectory Guest House in Co Leitrim is working to promote the environment by taking measures to conserve existing habitats and to foster new ones. 

The 4-bedroom guest house is one of the first in Ireland to be awarded the EU Flower in recognition of promotion of environmental and sustainable practices. In line with the EU Flower standards, guests are provided with information on nature walks as well as on the local landscape, biodiversity and conservation measures in the area. 

Owner Patrick Curran says: “Here at The Old Rectory we are endeavouring to conserve natural habitats by maintaining meadows, keeping the use of fertilisers and pesticides to a minimum, conserving dry stone walls and by engaging in tree planting.”

55,000 trees have been planted on the 55 acre farm. Patrick and his wife, Julie, are also active in promoting conservation in their local community within primary schools and on the Tidy Towns Committee.