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13 bedrooms
The Smugglers Inn, which is a restored Farm House, spans over 5 generations since approx 1779 when Lucille Fogarty Hunt's Great Great Grandfather moved to Waterville as a young manand settled in Murreagh. His son then moved to the village to open a butcher Shop called Fogartys. The Fogarty Family who lived in the old farmhouse which is now The Smugglers Inn. Lucille'a great grand parents and grandfather PT Fogarty wiyth grand aunts Mary, Bridget and Ellen.
The Fogartys Farmed and Slaughtered their own livestock, they produced their own Black Pudding and Corned Beef. So the love of producing good food started generations ago. The shop is still in the Fogarty Family known today as Centra in Waterville Village.
Lucille Fogarty-Hunt at the start of the renovations to The Smugglers Inn in 1979
The original Fogartys, it is said, travelled after the Soup Cart in Famine Times from Co. Tipperary. They settled in this area, Murreagh, bought a small house and Farmed the land.
When all the elders that were left in the house passed on, Henry's Grandfather, Paddy, let the house out as a Holiday Rental for a few years but then the house got into bad repair and was unlived in for many years. In the late 70's Paddy Fogarty, Henry's Grandfather, gave the old Ruin / House to his daughter Lucille and her Husband Harry. They developed the old home into a gourmet Restaurant using all local fresh produce.
Harry had been trained under the acclaimed chef Frank Hunt in the U.K. also in France and spent some time working with the P + O Cruise Liners.
The doors of the Smugglers opened on Easter Saturday 1980. It has now been taken over by Henry, their son, which is now 3 generations of chefs in the Hunt Family.
Henry worked with his Dad Harry for a number of years learning the ropes before attending Ballymaloe Cookery School and studying Hotel Management. He is widely experienced in International Cuisine having worked in The Smugglers Cove in The Grand Cayman, Bondi Beach Hotel in Sydney and in Surfers Paradise - a Greek Style Restaurant where Henry first came across one of his signature Ketafi Pastry dishes .
Henry has also worked in l'Ecrivan in Dublin, The Old School House in Ballsbridge and Halo Restaurant in The Morrison Hotel. He also has The Hilton in Switzerland, No Escapes in Chamonix and The Fat Duck with Heston Bloomenthal to add to his repertoire.
So with the history behind The Smugglers Inn and the vast experience gained by Henry in the last few years it is no wonder that The Smugglers Inn is one of the top Seafood Restaurants in all of Ireland backed by Awards from Good Food Ireland, Taste of Ireland and Georgina Campbell.
For Weddings in Waterville The Smugglers Inn have everything needed to make your wedding day the once in a lifetime celebration you have always dreamed of.
We can cater for up to 120 guests for a small, intimate wedding with views over the Golf Links Beach, or for something a little different, you can choose to have a bigger wedding in a marquee which we can adjoin on to the restaurant. This can cater for up to 250 guests.
No matter what size your wedding, our experienced team will look after each and every detail, and will be on hand from your first meeting to your wedding day to ensure that your day is perfect and your every wish becomes a reality.
