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About Slieve Aughty Centre

About Slieve Aughty Centre2021-09-27T10:30:03+00:00

About Slieve Aughty Centre

How it all began…

In 1978, Esther and Hugo Zyderlaan moved to Ireland from Holland, seeking to live sustainably on the land. The first piece of land they bought consisted of 8 rugged acres with a small shed and a partially crumbled wall, the site where The Three Towers now stands. The first development on the land was Esther’s passion: the organic garden. The 2nd thing the Zyderlaan’s did was purchase a few goats and set up a small but successful dairy. They sold yoghurt and cheese in the Galway Market where Hugo now holds one of the oldest stalls still in operation.

In the beginning family and friends came and stayed and Esther’s daughter developed a talent and passion for horses. The family farm house, which the Zyderlaan’s built by hand, housed the first guests and continued to do so until 2006. In the mid 1980’s, the decision was made to stop the dairy operations and concentrate on horses. Esther gradually purchased more land and was awarded a grant from the Irish Horse Board to build her first set of stables. In 1986 the Slieve Aughty Riding Centre was born.

Steadily, the business grew and a need for more accommodation was recognised. Esther began developing her idea to expand to non-equestrian customers and her vision of a retreat where people could connect with nature and healthy living started to expand. The design for The Three Towers Eco House & Organic Kitchen was created and construction began in 2006. Soon after, the economy took a turn for the worse and the project came to a halt. For the next three years Esther worked tirelessly to keep her business afloat and after many sleepless nights, discovered that the 75% grant aid programme available from GRD (Galway Rural Development). After a tough application process, Esther was awarded the grant aid in 2012 and work on the building continued.

With its doors open to weddings, parties, workshops, organic dining and corporate events, the centre provides a rural escape for friends, families, groups and couples of all ages.

Today Slieve Aughty Centre is an eco-friendly equestrian and activity leisure  centre set on 17 acres of rugged Galway land. Guests have miles of trails for walking, cycling, horse riding and exploring nature as well as a stunning location for rejuvenation, relaxation and celebration!

 

Latest News

The Magic of Christmas

2018 is nearly finished and we are getting ready for Santa to arrive.  This year, the Christmas Festival has undergone a makeover, with our award winning Santa returning to meet in a new chalet with groups of children. In a world of bog corporations and Black Friday, small businesses like ours are feeling a bit bah humbug about Christmas.  It is impossible to compete, and while the big guys get huge tax breaks and become billionaires in days, SME’s are struggling to meet the demands of high taxes, rates, inspections and certifications.  So what do we want from Santa this year?  Shop, eat and celebrate local!  And you can start by booking any of the following at Slieve Aughty Centre:

 

Eat Together for TIAFI

Eat Together for TIAFI

Every year the Three Towers invites guests to join us for a night of unique and delicious Syrian food, served traditionally.  All proceeds go to TIAFI, a charity based in Izmir, Turkey helping Syrian Refugee women & kids without means build up their lives again.

TIAFI stands for Turkish and International Assistance for Integration. This is a great project and set up by Ann O’Rourke from Waterford.

Esther was inspired by Ann O’Rourke and travelled to Izmir in November 2017 to visit the Day-Centre and help in the kitchen.  Since then, every year in the beginning of November we come together and eat Syrian food on a long table.

‘If you are more fortunate than others, it is better to built a longer table then a higher fence’

All proceeds go to TIAFI. Find out more about Ann O’Rourke’s inspiring work, or make a donation!  Click here…

This year we cooked:

Quinoa-kale salad,

Bulgur Salad,(Eetch)

Home made Hummus and pita bread,

Kebab Hindi (meatballs in Tomato Sauce)

Some of the recipes came from Rada Assi, from Alleppo.

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