RTE’S STAR HUGH WALLACE AND KILDARE MANAGER CIAN O NEIL LAUNCH OSPREY HOTEL NEW RESTAURANT
The Osprey Hotel in Naas launched their new restaurant Herald & Devoy today with the help of architect and star of RTE’s Home of the Year, Hugh Wallace, Cian O’Neil, Kildare Football Manager and Kildare County Manager, Peter Carey.
The men met the team at The Osprey to enjoy a celebratory slice of cake to mark the opening of the hotels brand new 130-seater all day restaurant Herald & Devoy. World renowned architect Hugh Wallace, best known for his TV work on RTE’s Home of the Year show, lent a hand to launch the new restaurant. Hugh, who has over 30 years’ experience in the interior design and architectural industry, was drafted in to transform the Osprey’s former brasserie into the light-drenched and comfortably modern space that is Herald & Devoy. The outcome is a relaxed, airy eatery, flooded with natural light and anchored with luxurious leather booths and a stunning mosaic cocktail bar. Speaking about the project, Hugh said: “Myself and my team were delighted to be involved in this project. The Osprey Hotel is a landmark property in the heart of Kildare. The new restaurant Herald & Devoy will be a fabulous space for guests and residents alike. We wanted to create an elegant bistro feel that took its inspiration from the huge glazing that was already a hallmark feature of the property. This glazing together with the spectacular outdoor water feature inspired us to utilise reflective services and a mixture of tactile materials. We hope people will really enjoy dining here as much as we have enjoyed designing the space.”
Another well-known name involved in the venture is food consultant Hugo Arnold, known for his work on bestselling cookbooks such as the Avoca range and Wagamama’s cookbooks. He also previously worked alongside celebrity chef Richard Corrigan. Hugo developed the menu at Herald & Devoy with head chef Noel Walsh, taking inspiration from classic dishes like seafood cocktail and braised belly of pork. Hugo said: “Noel’s touch is both assured and confident with a distinctly modern edge. This is the kind of menu that suits early and mid-
week diners as much as someone looking to celebrate at the weekend. The large, airy stylish space Hugh has created brings a real sense of occasion regardless of whether you are eating a sandwich, burger, or a super large steak (or even just enjoying a cup of tea).”
Head Chef Noel Walsh is heading up the kitchen, and with 14 years of experience behind him, is excited at the prospect of creating dishes which are traditional but with a modern surprise. Noel said, “I am really looking forward to cooking our new dishes. We have spent a huge amount of time preparing our new menus which we feel have something for everyone. Many of the dishes will take a modern twist on old classics but ultimately, what we will serve will be really good food that everyone will enjoy.”
Owners of the four-star Kildare hotel, PREM Group, launched the brasserie which is part of an overall €3m investment into the Osprey. The new space will act as a café bar restaurant with an all-day menu serving coffee, sandwiches and salads as well as classic dishes like steak and crab cocktail and will offer prosecco on tap as well as craft beers. The launch of the restaurant is good news for Naas and the surrounding areas, with 15 new jobs created.
The new look restaurant and lobby area is completely open plan and contains a bar at its heart which is embellished with tiny, bronze mosaic tiles. The seating areas have been arranged to take advantage of the views of the spectacular outdoor water feature which curves around the building, allowing for a casual relaxed ambiance. Inside, Hugh Wallace and his team have expertly blended textures – smooth with rough, matt with reflective in a bid to create an elegant, modern dining space suitable for both casual use and celebrations. Various tones of blues and greys have been used to great effect to create a sophisticated but relaxed environment to eat or to enjoy a drink with friends. Private high-backed booths for dining have been upholstered in cornflower blue leather with chesterfield button detailing and have been placed along an exposed brick feature wall. Meanwhile, a complete wall of mirrors in distressed glass reflects the light streaming in from the huge glazing which wraps the complete space. At night, the dining area will be transformed as low hanging brass funnel lights will cast a warm glow throughout the restaurant to create atmosphere and drama.
Herald & Devoy aims to break the boundaries of traditional cafes and restaurants by offering a modern all-day menu. The bar opens daily and serves lunch, dinner and a large selection of wines, cocktails and craft beers and is sure to be a popular choice for elegant, informal dining for visitors and hotel residents alike.
The restaurant’s name is a tribute to John Devoy, an Irish rebel leader, as the Osprey Hotel is built on the old Devoy Barracks site, which was named after him. When Devoy moved to the US he worked for the New York Herald newspaper which has led to the name, ‘Herald & Devoy’
The PREM Group, who have owned the hotel for the past two years, are involved in various other projects in both the UK and Ireland including Tulfaris Hotel and the Cahernane Hotel. “It’s been a lot of hard work by all of our team to bring this project to fruition,” said Peter Brennan, the hotel’s General Manager. “We are thrilled with the result and look forward to welcoming our many guests, residents and friends to dine here at Herald & Devoy. We are happy to bring more choice to Naas and of course creating jobs is always a bonus”.
Herald & Devoy is now open and currently taking bookings. For more details see www.osprey.ie or call (045) 881111
