Some cooks know when a dish is as perfect as perfect can be. To finish dinner in Coopershill House, chef Christina McCauley served gooseberry tart with gooseberry and elderflower ice cream. It was… as perfect as perfect can be, which was just as well, as the preceding courses – smoked venison salad; garden spinach soup; roast hake; fillet of lamb; brilliant vegetables amongst which a cauliflower gratin was meticulous, then farmhouse cheeses  – were simply sublime.
It's always marvelous to see a country house reanimated by a new generation and Simon O'Hara and Christina seem set to propel Coopershill to a new level of achievement and acclaim. This has always been one of the most pristine of the Irish country houses, and the housekeeping and comfort gladden the heart. Every aspect of their endeavour articulates a straining for the perfect, from the roses on the dressing table to the precision of the turn-down, from the gleam of the cutlery to the unpretentious grace with which they both inhabit this big monolith of a house. Sligo has been dozing for the last several years, with few outstanding destinations, but you must put Coopershill on your “must go”list of destinations. Here is a house where everything shines.

Review on the Bridgestone Guide blog 8 July 2010