Patrick and Miriam Mulcahy of Ballinwillin House Farm in Mitchelstown, Co Cork have received the 2019 Innovation in Hospitality accolade at the Irish Hotel Awards.
Now in its third year, the annual awards took place in Galway with over 300 guests representing hospitality professionals from across Ireland. The couple, who purchased the 18th-century Ballinwillin House in 1985, have developed the property to create the only combined organic farmed venison, wild boar and goat farm in Ireland and the UK. Their meat products are enjoyed every morning by guests who overnight in the Ballinwillin boutique B&B and are used by many of the best chefs in Ireland. The Ballinwillin brand is synonymous with great taste and superior quality and has received many prestigious awards over the years including the Georgina Campbell Irish Breakfast award.
The latest addition to the Mulcahys’ impressive hospitality portfolio, which includes a vineyard in Hungary, is the life-changing Ballinwillin RetrEAT which provides small groups with the perfect escape from the stresses of modern day life. Guests immerse themselves in a unique residential experience where the focus is on nourishing the body and mind. The RetrEAT is hosted by Patrick, affectionately known as The Mindful Farmer, who has been practising meditation and mindfulness from as young as eight years of age growing up on a farm in rural Ireland. He has continued to use the techniques he developed in his childhood to manage the challenges of running multiple businesses and his idyllic 80 acres estate is home to a “Thinking Path” and a beautiful holistic garden with areas devoted to meditation, mindfulness and forgiveness.
(Patrick & Miriam Mulcahy, Ballinwillin House, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork.
Photo: Donal O’ Leary)
As an advocate for wellness and mental health, Patrick is passionate about sharing his experiences and knowledge and has been invited to speak at schools and events such as the Blas nah Eireann/Irish Food Awards, Limerick’s Pigtown Festival and most recently the Hearsay International Audio Arts Festival. Last month he travelled to New York to meet event organisers, luxury tour operators and journalists to promote the Ballinwillin RetrEAT and is expected to return to the USA later this year.
“The RetrEATs at Ballinwillin have attracted substantial interest from individuals and companies across the Atlantic as well as the corporate market here at home,” Patrick said. He continued:
“It is refreshing to see more and more people recognising the need to adopt daily self care exercises and in particular the indigenous and international companies who are committed to the importance of safeguarding and nurturing their top executives’ wellbeing. Supporting your team in this area may not only generate positive benefits for individuals personally but the impact professionally may be massive in terms of creativity and productivity.”
For dates of upcoming RetrEATs or to inquire about a tailored RetrEAT for your team, please visit www.ballinwillinhouse.
Main Image Cred: Joleen Cronin
