Our History
The Dingle Skellig Hotel was built on the site of the Coastguard Station in Dingle which was burned down in 1922. The hotel was newly constructed and first opened its doors on July 14th 1968, and was officially launched on September 25th 1968.
The hotel was owned by Óstáin na hÉireann Teoranta who’s directors were William Opperman, Robert Creedon, Brendan Jeffers, Cathal Mac Gabhann and Gearóid Mac Seoin. Mr Jeffers was also the architect of the hotel, and Mr Mac Gabhann was also General Manager of Gaeltarra Éireann (now Údarás na Gaeltachta).
The hotel began as a 48 bedroom hotel, all ensuite with dining space for 200 people, by Easter 1969 the hotel had added extra bedrooms bringing it up to 80 ensuite guest rooms. Gearóid Mac Seoin, Director, stated that the hotel was the first of several his company would build in Gaeltacht areas.
The Hotel was the first Gaeltacht Hotel to be built under a new policy the Department of the Gaeltacht introduced for the development of tourism in Gaeltacht areas. The grant support of the hotel stipulated the hiring of Irish speakers and the use of Irish in signage and advertising. Much of the advertising of the time for the hotel included the fact that the hotel was the first Irish speaking Grade A hotel in the Gaeltacht as well as being the only one of its kind in Ireland.
The hotel also featured an outdoor pool and a souvenir shop with items produced in the Gaeltacht – making it ‘Ireland’s most Irish Hotel.
You can read our history while staying, on display in our ‘Breeches Room’ named after the Breeches Buoy life saving technique used by the Coastguard.