By Michelle Crean

What a better way for a local business to celebrate its silver jubilee than to be named in the Top 10 places to stay in Ireland especially as they prepare to reopen after the pandemic.

Owners Kathy and Don Brosnan, who run Applecroft House in Woodlawn, were named number 6 in Ireland’s Top 10 B&Bs for 2022 by the Irish Independent 'Reader Travel Awards' while Ireland’s Best B&B was named as Dingle’s Pax House.

The couple began their business in 1997 and are very happy with the feedback from visitors who voted for their B&B, especially after two difficult years.

"I'm thrilled, especially as we're celebrating our silver jubilee this year," Kathy told the Killarney Advertiser.

The couple built their house in the early '80s and aptly named it 'Applecroft' as it was built in a field which has an orchard.

In the late '90s they opened five spacious rooms up, each with its own theme; 
‘Poet’s Corner’, ‘Past Times’, ‘The 19th Green’, ‘The Race-goer’s Club’ and ‘The Kerry Way’, for guests as Kathy, who worked in The Europe Hotel and the Great Southern Killarney for many years, had a passion to bring a great stay experience to guests visiting Killarney. They kept themselves busy planting in their two acre garden during the pandemic.

They have won numerous awards over the years and have had film crews in but this latest award is the icing on the cake for the couple who are looking forward to reopening in late March.

"It's amazing, and a bonus especially with the two years we've had. We've never experienced anything like that. It was "wow" - we were preparing to reopen on St Patrick's Day that year and all of a sudden everything closed down on the 16. It was a big shock."

Don creates amazing bread and scones which guests rave about, she added.

"I was delighted as we came tenth for breakfast and sixth for the B&B."