The beehives of Ashford Castle have been buzzing with activity recently, as the bees of Ashford Castle Estate have been busy making fresh Irish honey from the nectar of Cong’s local flowers and plants. Hives of native black bees have been encouraged to make the castle grounds their home, and have been taken care of by our wonderful team members since their arrival. The first batch of honey has been bottled by beekeeper Steve Watson Oughterard.

Ashford Castle Estate Honey stacked

At Red Carnation Hotels, we go to great lengths to minimise our impact on the environment. By installing hives across our hotels, we not only preserve the precious honeybee, we also contribute to the pollination of surrounding ecosystems. Each hive enriches an area of up to three miles around it, in turn dramatically reducing our food miles. The hives are part of our commitment to using local ingredients and to preserving our wonderful environment.

Ashford Castle Estate Honey labels

Our sustainably harvested honey is used every day in our Ashford Castle and The Lodge at Ashford Castle kitchens. Ashford Castle Estate Honey is also offered to our beloved guests during breakfast service. It’s now possible to purchase a bottle of Irish honey from Mrs Tea's Boutique & Bakery; a charming keepsake which will enable you to carry the memories you’ve made during your stay in County Mayo back to your very own kitchen.

Did you know that honey boasts a number of natural benefits? It's antibacterial, moisturising and has anti-ageing properties. Try these benefits for yourself with our homemade face mask using honey, oats and yoghurt.