Our HQ in Annagry, Co. Donegal.

“The man that made time made plenty of it so why rush”. This was a common saying in the old bar that the current owners Anita McDevitt & James McDevitt of Caisleáin Óir Hotel would hear regularly growing up in their fourth generation business. It was a different pace of life, a style of business that is unfortunately dying in Ireland.

The business was founded by the current owners great grandmother Máire na Feadóg (Mary the Tin Whistler) a tough, hardy woman who was known for her musical abilities and her craic. She then passed the business on to her son Jack McCloskey who lends his name to the bar within the hotel, "Teac Jack" (Jacks House). Jack was his mother's son, musical but had the ability to put the day to loss and keep you in the bar with his conversations, craic and banter.

On the 10th of January 1978 his daughter and new son in law Anne & Dom McDevitt purchased the property from Jack and their tenure in the business began. In 2002, they supported us in developing Caisleáin Óir Hotel (Golden Castles). Named after the 1924 novel of the same name by local author Seamus Ó Grianna. Caisleáin Óir is a touching love story of Seimi Phádraig Dubh and his sweetheart Babai Mhairtin growing up at the turn of the century in the rocky peninsula of Rann na Feirste in the Rosses of Donegal.

Anita & James continue the business to this day, supported by their family and our amazing community, loyal customers and many friends.

Both college educated with a passion for business, Anita completed Culinary Arts in Killybegs, going on to gain great experience working within the country and around the world. While working for the Ritz Carlton group in Sydney Australia on the lead up to the 2000 Olympics she was offered Australian residency and fell home sick for Annagry. She returned and completed a degree in microbiology in Coleraine University but the passion for culinary excellence, her belief in the produce & potential of the area eventually won over.

James on the other hand completed his degree in Business in Hotel & Catering Management in GMIT Galway before completing a Higher Diploma in Education and Becoming a Teacher of Accounting, Business & Economics. Having taught for a while he realised where his passion was and decided to follow it. During his time in GMIT, James met his wife Michelle who also works in the hotel. As he admits himself, “do you want to speak to the man in charge or the woman that knows what's going on”. They are blessed with 2 beautiful sons, Michael & James.

It was with the combination of this wealth of experience, family and education that helped develop the business to what it is today. They are very proud of the micro destination Annagry has become and are excited and inspired by it for the future.