DOWNTOWN board member Rory McCreesh puts plans in motion to build a luxurious, sustainable hotel and spa in his hometown of County Armagh, Ireland.
BY MIKE HAMMER
RENDERINGS BY RUSSELL PICCIONE
Longtime DOWNTOWN board member Rory McCreesh lived through the worst of times in Northern Ireland — and now he’s relentlessly working to bring back the best.
The respected New York builder and founder of the renowned and innovative Duce Construction Corporation was born and raised in Northern Ireland during the height of “The Troubles” — experiencing first-hand the horror and losses that have torn the Irish people apart for over a century.
Mercifully, the tensions between the Protestant and Catholics have cooled in recent years, most notable due to the peace agreement (Good Friday Agreement) signed in 1998 with the help of America and nominated special envoy Senator George J Mitchell. McCreesh believes now is the time for “Shean House,” as everyone deserves to experience the majestic beauty of this area in a luxurious, sustainable hotel never dreamed of before!
McCreesh has revived his dream to build an environmentally friendly desti- nation spa hotel in the heart of his home village Forkhill in County Armagh, an area with unspoiled landscapes, outstanding beauty, and being Ireland’s first and oldest county (Orchard County) Armagh is rich in history, legends, as well as home to the first St Patrick’s Cathedral. The “Shean” name refers to the road crossing the river in town, and existing farmhouse. Estimat- ed completion of Shean House is slated for 2027.
“It’s a dream I’ve had for 33 years — but “The Troubles” made me believe it would never happen,” he explains.
Few understood that reality more than Rory, growing up losing friends, nearly losing his own life and suffering the loss of his innocent 15-year-old cousin to an IRA car bomb intended for invading British soldiers in 1974 .
Still the dream was strong. McCreesh went ahead and drew up plans for a small boutique hotel with state-of-the-art ac- commodations to celebrate Irish design and craftsmanship in a stunning natural setting for visitors seeking unparalleled beauty of the Celtic countryside.
But The Troubles forced him to set aside those plans — and a change of plan was to renovate and extend his parents retire- ment home in bucolic Forkhill — right in the heart of South Armagh.
As the years went by and the dreams faded, Duce CC moved its operation from Brooklyn to Manhattan NYC, during which time McCreesh believed the Shean House plans were lost during the move.
Another tragedy — the loss of both his parents to COVID 19 in 2020 and 2021 — brought him back to his home in sadness, only to discover something to restore a smile to his face.
“I thought the plans for Shean House were gone forever,” he recalls. “After they passed away. I was home alone in 2022 in their farmhouse and saw a tube peeking out from above the kitchen cabinets and there they were!
“It was like discovering the Dead Sea Scrolls. I was thrilled!,” exclaimed McCreesh.
The excitement of the discovery lead to the possibility of reviving the dream and soon he was updating and redesigning his vision for what he has now deemed “Shean House Spa Hotel.”
Years ago, the idea was embraced by local officials who thought it would be a great way to restore the image of the area, but the realities of a war on the streets were too much. Now, with those horrors confined to history’s dust heap, he has been inspired to bring back the best to his home village.
The sprawling 40-room property will include a plushy designed lobby reception, lounge and patio, a gourmet restaurant, an outdoor cafe in the summer months, a gastropub, a speakeasy, a shop, a roof deck, a car park with 80 parking spaces, a function room and an elaborate event space. Plans also include for a high-end spa and fitness center.
Shean House will provide unique exquisite day trip activities to celebrate the beauty of the spa’s surroundings. There will be a range of recreational activities for guests to enjoy given its strategic location within Armagh’s Greenbelt and next to Slieve Gullion, renowned as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Guests will have the choice of nature walks and hiking trails passing by the remains of stone circles, ringforts and hillforts that are impressive monuments of ancient Ireland.
But just as important, the philosophy of Shean House Spa Hotel will be commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. The property will minimize its ecological foot- print by implementing energy-efficient prac- tices, recycling programs, and supporting local communities and businesses.
McCreesh says there is local excitement for the project because it will draw people back to one of the most beautiful places on earth — and stow away the baggage that came with horrific conflict.
“This is rich, unspoiled and beautiful country,” says McCreesh, who grew up in the lush, rolling hills of Forkhill in the southeastern corner of Northern Ireland.
“Shean translated means ‘Fairy mounds/hills’ which is what the land looks like,” explains McCreesh.
Forkhill lies equidistant between Dublin and Belfast, ancient and magical, presenting a future of unprecedented luxury destination.
“Nothing like this has ever existed in this area before,” McCreesh says. “The high-end facility is like nothing anyone has ever seen here. The food will be unparalleled. But one thing that’s ALWAYS been here is the beauty — and the combination of the three will be unbeatable.”
“It’s my dream and my home,” McCreesh continues, “but the result will be a historic treat for everyone.” DTM