The Candlelight Inn

The Candlelight Inn was built as a private house and at the time prior to it's conversion to a hotel it was owned by the well known tenor from Waterford, Willie Watt.

It was bought in late 1967 by Michael O'Dwyer, who had previously owned successful hotels and restaurants in Dublin. Michael had moved to his homeland of Kilkenny a few years previously, where he had planned to open a hotel or restaurant, but after a serious car accident he decided to move to new pastures.

Michael converted the house to a hotel by splitting the large bedrooms in two and building on a bar and restaurant at the front. The following year he would build a heated swimming pool in front, which was the only one in Dunmore and would be open to the public.

The Candlelight Inn opened for business in 1968 and was managed by Michael and Patricia O'Dwyer until they sold it to Charlie and Antoinette Boland in 1976.