HISTORY OF THE CLIFF HOUSE HOTEL IN WATERFORD
The Cliff House Hotel has been in existence in Ardmore, Waterford since the early 1930’s and was a family run hotel up until its rebuilding and re-opening in 2008 under its present owners. The Hotel was originally a private house. It was acquired by a Mr Kelly, who was a teacher from Connemara. He and his wife (a sister of the Fear Mor, the Head of The Irish College at Ring near Dungarvan) saw an opportunity to take advantage of the beginnings of a tourist trade and started the Hotel business on the premises around 1900.
The hotel was originally called Kelly’s Hotel. Mrs Kelly was Frank Nugent’s aunt. Frank Nugent came to Ardmore, Waterford on 21st June 1936, and took over the Hotel from his aunt. It was he who changed the name to The Cliff House Hotel. In 1954 Cliff Hotel Terms were as follows:-
9 guineas per week
B&B 21/-
Lunch 6/-
Tea 6/6
Bedrooms 13/-
Double Bedrooms 9/- Single 13/-.
He operated through the War years until his death in December 1983. Before rural electrification he provided electricity for the Hotel by means of a wind generator. The grounds were terraced with flower gardens and lawns. There was a well appointed tennis court with plenty of competition during the summer months. A pathway and steps led down to a natural swimming pool where Frank Nugent had erected a diving board.
Over the years there were many well known guests, including Vincent O’Brien (the famous race horse trainer), Cardinal Murphy O’Connor and President Hillary (whose nephew is married to Frank Nugent’s niece).
Michael Reagan was a guest during his father’s Presidency of the USA. Eugene Redmond and his family spent their annual holidays in The Cliff House Hotel. Mr Redmond was Secretary of The Department of Finance at the time. It was his signature we saw on the old Irish bank notes.
When the famous author and playwright Hugh Leonard visited the well known author Molly Keane, who had a house in Ardmore, they lunched in the Cliff.
Frank’s son Aidan and his wife Lesley took over the business in Easter 1984 and continued until 1992 when they sold it as a thriving concern to the Irwin family.
The hotel was then bought a number of years later by the O’Callaghan family from Mitchelstown who have been coming to their Ardmore holiday home for two generations.
Read an article on the history of the Cliff House Hotel in Waterford
