A Climate Emergency

Well we’ve finally done it. Ireland is the second country to declare a ‘Climate Emergency’. Individual action is required and while we won’t save the world on our own, we at Boyne Hill Estate believe that any action we take will hep to make up part of the solution.

Actions we have taken to date:

Over the past few months we have been eliminating all single-use plastic across our operations:

•       We’ve replaced plastic straws with paper ones

•       Our in-room complimentary water is Ballygowan in glass bottles

•        Any waste that can’t be composted or recycled goes in bio-degradable plastic bags and we have invested in a machine that compacts the cardboard to improve efficiency of waste pick ups.

•       We have installed low energy bulbs across the estate.

We are renowned for our delicious food here in Boyne Hill Estate and we buy local produce from the Boyne Valley where possible. However, we know we can improve in this area and we have longer-term sustainable ambitions for our 38 acre Estate which include:

•       Reducing food waste

•       Introducing more meat-free menu options

•       Growing as much of our own food where possible to reduce food transport.

To date, we have planted a range of berry bushes; raspberry; strawberries; blueberries; goji berries as well as tomatoes, potatoes and rhubarb. These are all in our Victorian Walled garden. We will add to these over the coming months and years. This ‘Farm to Table’ approach is something which we are very excited about and I walk through the garden every day to check on their progress… let’s just say a watched plant doesn’t grow! Our Chef is also waiting patiently for a planned herb garden so we hope to get started on that before the end of the summer.

We also hope to partner the local bee-keepers association in Navan to see if we can get our own bee-hives and start producing some honey to go with Chef’s delicious home-made brown bread…yum!

Cider-making is also an option we are pursuing as we have a range of apple trees in our walled-garden some of which are rare breeds.

I could go on and on outlining our plans to make Boyne Hill Estate one of the ‘Best Private Venues in Ireland' but let’s just leave it there for the moment…. 

Triona (Owner and planner extraordinaire!)

Doing Our Bit For The Environment

Over the last 16 months, Boynehill house has invested heavily in making its operations more efficient and reducing its Carbon footprint. Apart from installing more efficient heating systems across the Estate and eliminating single use plastics where possible, the company is continually looking for ways to reduce its impact on the environment. Commenting on the rationale for these and other positive actions being taken at Boynehill Estate, Owner and CEO, Caitriona Power says: “I think sometimes as individuals we can feel that the scale of the environmental issues we face are overwhelming, but if small companies such as ours do their bit to reduce the negative impact that they have on the environment then, these small steps can combine to have a broader effect with more positive global outcomes.”

Outlining some of these steps Caitriona goes on to say: “As part of an ongoing 500k upgrade and refurbishment programme, which kicked off in 2017, we have improved our energy efficiency drastically by upgrading the existing heating systems. In the 35 courtyard rooms we have swapped traditional convection heaters for A+ rated infrared heating panels. All rooms have their own thermostats but most importantly we can control the heating system remotely so once our guests have checked-out we are no longer wasting energy by heating empty rooms. This system is also very cost efficient.  

“When it came to the Mansion House, heat retention was one of the biggest issues we faced. The Georgian house is spread over 4 stories, with 8 en-suite bedrooms, 2 large reception rooms, a bar and basement. The issue for us here was the heat escaping through the old sash windows. Before tackling the heat we decided to employ Energlaze to fit all existing windows with heat retaining glass, while doing that they refurbished the sashes and we now have all working traditional sash windows. According to their sales pitch “the double glazing is 82% better than the single gazing, eliminating draughts and cold spots”. Before replacing the glass in these sash windows, it was sometimes colder in the house than it was outside!

Caitriona continues; “We then went on to strip out the existing old and inefficient oil boiler and replace it with an up-to-date system with controls on each radiator. The house is now divided into zones and allows us to control the heating remotely avoiding unnecessary and wasteful heating of the house when it is empty.” 

“Apart from making significant investment into improving our heating systems we are making smaller changes across all our operations, such as;  changing all our lights to low energy bulbs and when replacing any electrical appliances we look for the most modern and energy efficient option. Caitriona concludes by saying; “All in all we feel that over the last 16 months we have made great strides towards lowering our energy emissions but we are constantly looking for more ways to reduce our energy output and benefit from lower heating costs”.

Read the Boynehill Estate blog next month which takes a look at how they are eliminating all single-use plastic from our estate and improving our waste management system.

Best Time Of Year To Get Married

The Wedding Planner at Boyne Hill tells us her favourite time of the year to host a wedding.

When is your favourite time of the year to get married?

Obviously in my line of work I love weddings all year round, but my favourite time of the year is October/November particularly on the estate here at Boyne Hill House.

Why?

The list is endless but to mention a few:

Our 36 acres is planted with an enormous variety of trees and they are most spectacular at that time as the colours of the leaves are changing. The driveway looks its’ best when it gets covered with a blanket of gold, bronze, brown and blonde leaves as they drop from the trees.

Everytime I drive along it, it reminds me of pictures we often see of Maine or Canada. With so much wooded areas in Ireland, I don’t think we fully realise or advertise how beautiful our countryside gets at that time of year half enough!

I also think getting married at that time of year is much more relaxed. There’s less pressure all around – It’s outside the hectic summer months so there’s more availability and even the guests appear to be more ready to party.

Decoration-wise; there is so much that can be done, and it costs very little to make each wedding different and memorable: You’ve richer autumnal colours to choose from with quirky additions like the funny-shaped muli-coloured, mini-pumpkins which are now widely available – even in Lidl!. There is also greater value on packages at this of year to get married.

What are the advantages of having a wedding in October/November?

Planning a wedding

Usually there is less pressure on days between Thursday and Sundays which means you are choosing your preferred date as opposed to picking a date based on what is available at the venue of your choice.

Booking suppliers is easier and they often offer discounted rates.

Wedding dress shopping

There are so many amazing dresses for this time of the year, you don’t have to worry about the dress being too heavy or how warm you will be. There’s also the chance to indulge yourself with a fab wrap or jacket over the dress. There’s a much bigger range of party and dressy accessories available this time of year such as winter capes, faux furs, hats and gloves. I always advise my brides to go a little crazy maybe even adding some sparkles to the out-fit!

No matter what the style of dress, there’s always the opportunity to liven up the photos with some addition like a hat; cape or even colorful welly-boots, I could spend the day talking about the options available.

Decorating the venue

This is my favourite part and I always recommend “bringing the outside in”. You can be so creative! I love the idea of tree trunks as centre pieces for tables, with/or without berries, and tiny jars with candles hanging off the branches. You would be surprised at how effective fruit or vegetables can be on tables at this time of the year, and how amazing and unique they can look. The list is endless, and this is an area I love discussing with couples.

I think there is something so romantic about arriving to wedding during day-light and as it goes dark, it becomes all about the fairy lights, candles and lanterns... It’s magical!

Photography

The best aspect of a winter wedding here in Boynehill House, is that you can get very different images depending on the time of day; from capturing the early morning frost and maybe even some wildlife on the grass through to river views in the crisp winter sunlight and fairy lit trees in the dark. Summer wedding don’t really allow for the proper viewing or photographing of the special areas around the estate that are lit up. I think there are so many photo opportunities missed out on during a summer wedding.

You can also have different contrast images that only work well for a winter wedding – full colour, B&W, sepia to name a few.  Your photographer will have so many ideas for images for this time of year.

Honeymoon

It the perfect time of year to go on a once in a life time holiday ensuring you get great weather! For amazing holidays that are unique, We find Sinead.lonergan@travelcounsellors.com amazing for honeymoons.

Is there one particular reason why you think this is the best time of year to get married?

I shouldn’t really be saying this but, overall, I think the atmosphere at night-time is amazing, the party atmosphere and dancing, seems to start earlier and guests come-together quicker. I think the main reason for this is, during a summer wedding, guests sometimes sit outside until it gets dark, so as it is darks after the meal in October /November, it’s all about the party and dancing.

What about discounts at venues ?

Yes, another great reason to get married, Boyne Hill House and most venues offer a discount and I feel the package price offered are amazing value, so more money for the honeymoon. If you are looking for November wedding ideas on a budget, we are the perfect place to start. 😊

How does the food at Boyne Hill House differ in Summer versa Winter?

This is another area you can go crazy and be unique. There are plenty of winter wedding menu options to explore.

My favourites

In terms of wedding reception food ideas: This time of year calls for some hot chocolate; or hot port or whiskeys on arrival. It is also a good idea to pair the welcome drink with something like freshly baked cookies still warm from the oven. If it is very cold, there is nothing like a small cup of soup to warm you up.

Menu

We love exploring wedding menu ideas with our  wedding couples . Here in Boynehill we specialise in a hearty warm starter, e.g., our chefs’ Beef & Guinness croquette. I haven’t seen it being served anywhere else, and it is exactly what you want when there is a chill in the air! You can also choose a good old-fashioned dessert at this time of the year, such as an Apple crumble with custard, in saying that, the chef at Boyne Hill is French and his apple crumble with a French twist is delicious !

I find guests get hungrier quicker at this time of year, so for the midnight feast, our home-made burgers and chips are a great hit, followed by tea/coffee and sandwiches before bedtime, which is usually early morning at Boyne Hill House .

Breakfast is my favourite meal any-time of year but especially here at Boynehill House. Apart from the very tasty big full Irish breakfast and home-made breads served each morning to our delicate guests, from September onwards our chef adds his home-made porridge and all the toppings, stewed fruits and pancakes. … yum!

So, if I asked you after October /November, what is your next preferred time of the year?

That’ll definitely have to be…. Christmas!

If you wish to have your wedding in an exclusive Irish Country House in country Meath,  contact Boyne Hill House now on (046) 903 1247 or email us on info@boynehillhouse.ie , I would love to  meet and have a chat about more ideas I have for this time of the year !