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Choosing a Venue

An Event Less Ordinary

As we all know, location counts for a lot, and when choosing a location for any event you would do well to choose a venue that sets you apart from the rest by being interesting, charming and beautiful, while offering every service that the modern business person requires and expects.

The venue that you choose for your event is crucial to the overall success of this presentation. Your chosen venue; the style that it embodies, the history associated with it and its current reputation all feed into the message that you communicate to your guests. Choosing a location that has a synergy with the represented brand is absolutely essential to the complete communication of your message. There is a wealth of unusual and interesting venues available to hire for events and, with a bit of imagination, you can transform your conference, meeting, launch or party from a mundane occurrence to a spectacular and memorable occasion. The choice of an unusual or unique venue is an easy way to capture the imagination of attendees and can help to further cement the message that you wish your guests to take away.

Here we profile venues that communicate old world charm, modern cosmopolitan Irish style, industry and success, sometimes all at once. The chicest Celtic tiger style combines the convenience of high technology and luxury with old world architecture and elegance.

Bellinter House, on the banks of the River Boyne is a stunning example of this trend. Bellinter House was built in 1750 for a wealthy Anglo-Irish landowner and is a fine example of the Georgian style of architecture, which is characterised by classic proportions, elaborate plasterwork and dramatic architectural features. In 2003 its current owners, entrepreneurs Jay Bourke, Eoin Foyle and John Reynolds, who are involved with Dublin’s Eden restaurant, POD nightclub and private club Odessa, purchased the property and impressive grounds. The three enlisted designer Pierce Tynan to incorporate contemporary design within the breathtaking original structure. As a result tall sash windows, panelled walls, magnificent fireplaces and a spectacular spiral staircase are complimented, rather than contrasted, with modern luxury, comfort and up-to-date technology. Positioned just a short drive from Dublin city and airport, Bellinter House is a convenient and hip hideaway that offers all the style and comfort that patrons of Eden, POD and Odessa have come to expect from the owners of these popular Dublin venues. This retreat offers ample opportunity to take in the country air and to relax. The Ruin building houses six treatment rooms where guests and visitors can de-stress, relax and be groomed to their hearts content. Further, the hotel also contains a compact gym and two swimming pools; an outdoor heated infinity pool and an indoor pool that overlooks the lush green countryside. As well as the swimming pools and spa, the hotel has an in-house cinema, music and film library, games room, fishing rights to the River Boyne and access to golf, riding, shooting and hunting. No luxury country idyll would be complete without delicious food. The menus at Eden at Bellinter are based on seasonal vegetables and locally produced organic meat and fresh fish. Set in a vaulted basement with natural daylight, it has 64 seats and a separate 20 seat private dining room and is a truly spectacular setting for any occasion. Service is relaxed and there is no formal dress code, so guests can kick back and relax in stylish surroundings as they enjoy distinctive flavours and delectable dishes. Further, bar food is served all day in the drawing room and weather permitting, food can be served on the terraces and lawns and barbeques and picnics can be arranged. All size of events can be accommodated, whether you require a small room or would like to book the entire house. Bellinter House has been designed to offer a level of comfort and convenience that will be a welcome incentive for any busy executive whose business takes them to this high-impact setting.

MAKE AN IMPACT WITH IRISH HISTORY

There are few venues as unique as those on offer at National Museum of Ireland. The Museum offers a number of different venues that are sure to tweak the interest of guests and will certainly ensure that your event will remain in the mind of guests for years to come. Surround your guests with the fascinating exhibits on show at the Museum of Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, which is home to an impressive display of artefacts, including weaponry, furniture, silver, ceramics, coins and glassware, as well as examples of folklore and costume. Various rooms are available, catering for a variety of group sizes and requirements. Free parking is available and the Museum is in close proximity to Heuston Train Station and the adjacent Luas stop, thus ensuring that guests can travel to your event with ease. The Museum of Archaeology & History on Kildare Street is also available for events and receptions. The museum boasts a superb location, right in the hub of Tall sash windows, panelled walls, magnificent fireplaces and a spectacular spiral staircase are complimented, rather than contrasted, with modern luxury, comfort and up-to-date technology. the city, close to many financial institutions and just a few steps from Government buildings. A number of rooms are available, including the elegant Rotunda, a 62ft high domed entrance hall with classic columns and a colonnaded entrance and the Ceramics Room, another elegant room that offers a dramatic backdrop for any event. One of the most unusual and unique venues of all is the Natural History Museum. This museum of zoological specimens creates a very particular atmosphere for your event. Your guests will marvel at the many examples of exotic and, in some cases extinct, creatures and, as a result, the event is sure to be extremely memorable! The National Museum also offers conference facilities at the museum of Country Life in Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo. Located in the grounds of Turlough Park Estate, the main house is in the High Victorian Gothic style and had been fully restored. The extensive grounds also house an artificial lake and the site of a castle that dates from Anglo Norman times. Once again, a variety of events and group sizes can be catered for.

DRINK DEEP OF GUINNESS’S RICH HERITAGE IN A SPECTACULAR SETTING

Guinness has long been one of Ireland’s most famous and best loved brands. Guinness Storehouse at St. James’s Gate is both the ancestral home of the black stuff and one of Ireland’s most unusual and spectacular conference and event venues. At this city centre location, industrial architecture combines with modern design to create a unique and intriguing range of spaces for a variety of very different events and can cater for up to 1,400 people. Recently, the Guinness Storehouse® completed the remodelling of its conference facilities. Over €200,000 has been invested into increasing the number of conference rooms and expanding and upgrading the existing facilities to cater for considerably more delegates. The new design of the Arthur Guinness Business Centre is stylish in its simplistic design. Comfort and flexibility were the key considerations taken into account in this re-development. This range of unique rooms and facilities are ideal for product launches, team building sessions, meetings and conferences and can accommodate up to 300 delegates. Banqueting facilities are offered and you can choose from an array of banqueting areas. These venues include the spectacular Arrol suite and the Rainsford Room. The Arrol Suite stretches the length of the building and provides the perfect space for large corporate events, award ceremonies, fashion shows or product launches. Alternatively, the Rainsford room is ideal for private dining. Its high windows offer inspiring views of the Brewery and beyond to Dublin, creating the most stylish and exclusive entertainment venue in the capital!

The Guinness Storehouse® is also home to the Learning Centre, a modern and stylish Dublin conference centre. The award winning architectural design, partnered with unique rooms and facilities, provides the perfect atmosphere to inspire, educate and encourage team development. And don’t forget, everyone who attends an event at Guinness Storehouse® gets to unwind at the end of the day with a complimentary pint of Guinness!