Ryder Cup is the best thing to ever happen to the village' - Adare celebrates €170m coup

A Limerick village is savouring the sporting equivalent of winning the EuroMillions.

Adare traders and locals admitted the village had secured a priceless double victory by clinching the right to host the 2026 Ryder Cup - with a €170m spin-off economic boost matched by a guarantee to have the village's long-awaited bypass fast-tracked.

Adare Manor will also have its reputation copper-fastened as one of the top golf courses in the world.

"It is a very proud day for everyone here," JP McManus said at Adare Manor.

"I am very pleased, particularly for the team here at Adare who have worked so hard and have taken such ownership of this project."

The hosting of the 2026 Ryder Cup has been made possible in part thanks to a state commitment to spend an estimated €50m on Adare and the event, including the bypass construction cost.

Adare Manor will foot the entire cost of making the course suitable for the US-European golf event broadcast biennially to more than 370 million homes worldwide.

The McManus family funded the lavish refurbishment of the former Dunraven estate - with the cost of the luxury manor redesign and expansion estimated at around €100m when it re-opened in early 2018.

The five-star golf resort now boasts 104 luxury bedrooms and a lavish new ballroom capable of hosting 350 guests.

It employs 580 staff with 50 alone employed on its golf course, which has already become a firm favourite with US holidaymakers.

For the Limerick billionaire and avid golfer, it was the culmination of a lifelong dream to bring the Ryder Cup to his native county.

Adare Manor CEO Colm Hannon said the resort had already received calls about bookings for September 2026.

"It is very exciting and we are absolutely delighted by the Ryder Cup confirmation," he said.

"It is a great day for Adare, a great day for the Limerick region and a great day for Ireland.

"This has been a work in progress for a long time and today was when it all came together.

"The real benefit of the Ryder Cup is the lead-in to the event in seven years' time and that everyone involved from sporting to tourism groups get together to ensure we reap the full potential benefits of this great event."

In Adare village, locals were thrilled about the economic benefits the Ryder Cup would bring and by the news that their long-delayed road bypass would be fast-tracked.

Adare village is on the main Limerick-Killarney road and heavy traffic regularly causes local congestion headaches.

Boutique operator Aisling Maher said business in the village had definitely soared over the past few years.

"Everyone who came into the shop today was excited about it," she said.

"If it brings 250,000 to 300,000 golf fans to Adare, it could be the best thing to have ever happened to the village."

"It is absolutely fantastic for the village," Adare boutique owner Kay Mulcaire said.

"Not only in terms of the business that it will bring in, but also the fact that the bypass will finally be sorted out."

Ms Mulcaire - who operates Marccain and Isobel boutiques in Adare - said there was enormous excitement locally about the 2026 event.

"It's a boost that hopefully will deliver both business and jobs."

Henry Vokes operates one of Adare's most famous stores, which has been in business for almost 80 years on the village's Main Street.

"It is a great day for the village. Since the manor has been refurbished and re-opened by JP McManus the local economy has really benefited," he said.

"But the real benefit of the Ryder Cup could well be getting the bypass finally sorted out, easing traffic through the village and hopefully getting parking issues addressed locally.

"But it is a good day for Adare."

George Stacpoole, who operates Stacpoole's antiques and cafe, said it was "a marvellous boost" for the area.

"I have been operating the business here for almost 38 years," he said.

"The manor has been a tremendous boost for the village and the local economy over recent years.

"The Ryder Cup will be another massive boost for Adare."

George joked that, at 82 years of age, his priority now will be ensuring he is fit and able to see the Ryder Cup in seven years time when he will be 89.

"The numbers in the village have definitely soared since the Manor was opened," he said.