Glossip: THE GLOSS Magazine's Very Special Summer Lunch At Ballyfin Demesne

THE GLOSS hosted a private lunch and garden tour event at this exclusive estate in Co Laois …

On Tuesday July 23rd, THE GLOSS celebrated summer with a very special event: Lunch and Private Garden Tour at Ballyfin Demesne. The 19^th-century Ballyfin has been a bastion of privacy and exclusivity since it opened as a hotel in 2011 after eight years of historical renovation by its American owners, the discerning Chicago-based couple Fred and Kay Krehbiel.

Sarah McDonnell, Editor, THE GLOSS Magazine, Peter White, General Manager, Ballyfin Demesne, and Jane McDonnell, Publisher, THE GLOSS Magazine.

The imposing gates to this 614-acre private estate and the closely guarded doors of this grand Regency mansion meant that its guests were assured of precious peace and privacy at all times. With just 20 bedrooms, Ballyfin was designed to be special. In 2019, George and Amal Clooney took over the five-star property for a reunion of George’s Irish cousins and Kim Kardashian and Kanye West stayed overnight at Ballyfin on their honeymoon.

But even inner sanctums can be accessed when the time is right. The sun was breaking through the clouds as readers of THE GLOSS and members of THE GLOSS x Goodbody Investment Club wound their way up the long avenue to Ballyfin, taking in the breathtaking surroundings, where they were warmly greeted by the Ballyfin team and welcomed to experience firsthand the hotel’s uniquely Irish country-house grandeur.

After champagne was served in The Gold Room, guests sat down to lunch in the Dining Room where founders of THE GLOSS, Publisher Jane McDonnell and Editor Sarah McDonnell welcomed guests, and introduced Peter White, General Manager of Ballyfin to provide a brief history of the estate.

Sarah McDonnell, Jane McDonnell and Peter White.

Since it launched back in 2006, THE GLOSS has hosted lots of events, many in unique and wonderful venues. But, as Jane McDonnell said: “When we dreamed up this event, little did we know that this very month Ballyfin would be named Number 1 Resort Hotel in Ireland and the UK at the Travel & Leisure World’s Best Awards.” So, with Ballyfin having won the hotel equivalent of an Oscar, THE GLOSS and guests joined in congratulating Peter and his team, the global accolade a testament to Ballyfin’s exceptional service and unparalleled guest experience.

Peter White and Richard Picard-Edwards.

Lunch, by Head Chef Richard Picard-Edwards was exceptionally delicious: the main course of Roasted Fillet of Turbot, Stuffed Courgette Flower, Tenderstem Broccoli, Peas and Broad Beans, Fig Leaf was accompanied by Irish wines, The Old Roots Rigel, Riesling, 2022 and The Old Roots Perkad, Pinot Blanc, 2022, and followed by a picture-perfect dessert of Blackcurrant Parfait and Sorbet with wildflowers. Richard Picard-Edwards works closely with Head Gardener Kayleigh Keenan to create menus that feature vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers from the garden – almost nothing, except meat and fish, is supplied from outside Ballyfin. It is no wonder that this year Ballyfin has earned a place in The Michelin Guide.

Kayleigh Keenan.

The Slieve Bloom mountains provided a wonderful backdrop for the tour of Ballyfin’s delightful walled gardens by Kayleigh Keenan. This young Head Gardener is a passionate and effective custodian and visionary of the Demesne’s eight acres of walled gardens and more than 600 acres of parkland. She and her team support the estate’s kitchens with seasonal produce all year round, and ensure that vases in the house are freshly filled with cut flowers, bulbs, greenery and colour, and that there are logs for the open fires. She runs a sustainable, organically managed operation and is meticulous about minimising waste and promoting biodiversity. From pressing apple juice from the fruit of hundreds of apple trees to planting 15,000 tulip bulbs each spring, Kayleigh’s tour of the magnificent gardens, and her extraordinary knowledge, was truly inspiring.

Before departing, guests were able to explore more of the house, including the magnificent Richard Turner-designed conservatory, an architectural gem that has been painstakingly restored.

Before his unexpected passing in 2021, Ballyfin Demesne’s Fred Krehbiel served on the boards of numerous corporations and nonprofits, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chicago White Sox, but Ballyfin must have been his most ambitious endeavour. He is survived by his wife Kay and sons Liam and Jay.

Click into the gallery to see the guests who attended.