The final cost of Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll’s wedding, which took place in Ashford Castle in Cong at the weekend, could be as much as €1 million.
However, the value of the star-studded nuptials to the hotel, the town and the island of Ireland is likely to be substantially more.
The story of the Co Down golfer (27) and the former PGA tour employee (29) marrying was covered in newspapers and on websites all over the world with most of the articles about what had been billed as the celebrity wedding of the year carrying multiple pictures of the castle and its environs to accompany stories heaping praise on couple’s choice of venue.
The castle on the Galway-Mayo border was given a €47 million makeover by its owners two years ago, which added a spa, a pool and a cinema to its 13th century charms.
Before the weekend, it had been hoovering up accolades and last autumn Ashford Castle was named Ireland’s Best Five-Star Hotel at the AA Hospitality Awards.
Global brand
“Rory McIlroy is a global brand and his reach goes far beyond these shores so the fact that he chose Ireland as his wedding venue can only be seen as a positive,” said Alex Connolly, head of communications at Fáilte Ireland. “The fact that he chose somewhere like Ashford creates a degree of curiosity and that can be far reaching.”
According to Tourism Ireland estimates, positive media exposure about Ireland last year was worth an estimated €385 million in equivalent advertising value. If the McIlroy-Stoll union generates just a tiny percentage of that amount, its reward to the tourism sector will almost certainly outstrip its cost to the newly weds.
Tourism is Ireland’s largest indigenous sector and is worth more than €8 billion to the State annually and employs more than 220,000 people.
The Irish Tourist Industry Confederation (ITIC), the umbrella group for the tourism industry in Ireland, welcomed the positive coverage the wedding garnered. However, a spokesman for the body said it was difficult to put a cash value on it.
Luxurious destination
“Anything that shines a light on Ireland as an attractive and luxurious destination on the international market as this wedding has done is obviously to be welcomed,” ITIC chief executive Eoghan O’Mara Walsh said. “And while it would be difficult for us to quantify how our members will benefit from such a high-profile event taking place here it is very positive.”
The couple tied the knot on Saturday evening with guests at the wedding said to include Ed Sheeran, Jamie Dornan, Chris Martin and Niall Horan as well as golfers including Sergio Garcia, Pádraig Harrington and businessman and high-stakes gambler JP McManus.
Stevie Wonder and a 16-piece band provided the entertainment and the couple are said to be preparing to fly to Barbados for a 10-day honeymoon in the McManus-owned Sandy Lane resort before McIlroy resumes his golfing duties.
