Dundrum House, built in the early eighteenth century, was the centre of a fine estate once owned by a famous Irish Family; the O'Dwyers of Kilnamanagh. During the terrible period of Cromwellian occupation and confiscation of Ireland in the seventeenth century, Phillip O'Dwyer was the proprietor of the estate at Dundrum; he captured Cashel with his followers in 1641.

This attack on Cashel opened up a campaign in Munster and after a number of battles Phillip O'Dwyer of Dundrum House was sentenced to death. He cheated the gallows however, by dying before the completion of the Cromwellian conquest. The O'Dwyer estate was confiscated and Robert Maude Esq. was given all of Phillip's land including the O'Dwyer Manor and Castle of Dundrum.

The Maude family was of Norman origin and they had conquered Flinstone for William the Conqueror in 1066. The Maude family at Dundrum rose to great eminence, attending to the rank of Viscounts Hawarden and Earls of Montalt in the peerage of the United Kingdom. The family has produced many distinguished soldiers including the famous general Maude, who fought a series of brilliant campaigns in the First World War.

In 1730 the Maude family built Dundrum House with 2400 acres. In 1844 the house was described as a capacious structure standing in the centre of one of the most expensive wooded parks in the country. In 1909, when Dundrum House demesne was put on the open market they were acquired by a religious order, who later established a Domestic Science College. Up to recently the building was used as a noviciate and a retreat house.

Having being acquired by Austin & Mary Crowe in 1978, with extensive renovation and restoration, Dundrum House was opened as a hotel in 1981. In April 2014 the property went into receivership and KPMG took over the management of the Resort. Following a fire in September 2015 during which the Hotel Ballroom and Kitchens were damaged, the Hotel building was closed to guests and visitors. The Golf Course, Venue Clubhouse Bar & Restaurant, Dundrum House Leisure Club and the Holm Oak Holiday Homes & Golf Lodges all remained open after the fire, and continue to operate as normal to this day.

The Resort was acquired, in March 2016, by Steelworks Investments Ltd. A multi-million euro refurbishment of the Hotel is planned with an estimate that the rebuild and refurbishment will commence in early 2019, with a view to reopening in 2020.  Steelworks Investments Ltd look forward to restoring the property back to one of Ireland’s leading Resort properties.  In the meantime, while many aspects of the property are currently closed for refurbishment, the Golf Club and Venue Clubhouse, remain open and operate as normal all year round.