Licence granted ahead of reopening of iconic Nuremore Hotel
Up to 100 jobs to be created as part of the new enterprise
AN application for a hotel licence with public bar has been granted with immediate effect to the new owners of the iconic Nuremore Hotel, outside Carrickmacross in south Monaghan.
At a brief hearing before Monaghan Circuit Court today (Friday), October 17, Judge John Aylmer was told it is expected that over 100 jobs will be created as part of the new enterprise.
The court was told the premises consists of 72 bedrooms including 51 on the ground floor. Of these, 18 are ready to accommodate straight away, while the others require completion of decoration.
There were no new works that required planning permission, and the premises was fully compliant with planning regulations, Ms Doroty Collins, BL, confirmed in making the application.
The property is also compliant with fire regulations and deemed safe, subject to certain sections to be reinspected by the fire officer upon completion of internal décor.
Dennis McGettigan, group CEO of McGettigan Group, the new owners, confirmed to the court that the new trading name for the premises is to be ‘Nuremore Estate by McGettigan’s’ (it was formally known as ‘Nuremore Hotel & Country Club’).
Ms Collins stated that road signage is to be changed by the local authority to reflect the new name.
She said conveyancing of the premises from the liquidator to the applicant company had been completed on July 9, 2025. Further documentation regarding the conveyancing process was handed into court.
Ms Collins noted that the premises previously held a hotel licence with public bar, but that this had expired on September 30, 2020.
She handed up a newspaper advertisement regarding the application, and pointed out that objectors had been called upon on the last occasion the matter was before the court, but that there were none.
When asked to outline his experience in the licensing trade, Mr McGettigan said he had been in the hotel and hospitality industry all his life and had qualified in hotel management at the age of 20 years.
In reply to Ms Collins, he said he currently owned two hotels in Donegal and also ran and operated 21 bars. His family ran a total of nine hotels.
The new Nuremore operation would employ upwards of 100 people, he said, adding that it was hoped to have the whole hotel completed by December 19 of this year.
They would then be looking at the rejuvenation of the golfing facilities and other facilities, he continued.
In relation to the hotel and bar licence application, Ms Collins told Judge Aylmer that the fire officer was satisfied with the works to date but would have to inspect any further areas of the hotel to be opened.
Mr McGettigan gave his own assurance that further sections of the hotel would not be opened until the fire officer was satisfied.
Stating that he was satisfied the proofs were in order, Judge Aylmer granted the certificate accordingly.
McGettigan acquisition
The McGettigan Group was reported earlier this summer to have committed €5 million for the refurbishment and renovation of the Nuremore, which had closed in 2023. The hotel had ceased trading at that point and had been on the market with a guide price of €6M.
Last February, agent CBRE confirmed the sale of the property on behalf of Declan De Lacy, liquidator of Nubility Capital Ltd.
Sited on 160 acres of parkland including a championship golf course, the hotel was in the spotlight when it hosted Jack Charlton’s Irish soccer squad in the 1990s and was a south Monaghan landmark.
But it was wound up by order of the High Court in 2023 after the court was told it was insolvent and unable to pay debts to Revenue.
The new owners now plan to offer leisure facilities including a refreshed golf course and spa. A spokesperson for the McGettigan Group told the media this summer: "We are excited to introduce new food and beverage options, including a McGettigan's Pub, while also reinvigorating the golf course, meeting facilities, and leisure centre.”