Smarmore Castle Drug & Alcohol Rehab
A Historic Setting for Recovery
Smarmore Castle is a private addiction treatment clinic set in a tranquil 15-acre estate in County Louth. A fine period house steeped in history and charm, it incorporates a medieval tower, dating back to 1320. Today, this peaceful, historic setting has been thoughtfully restored to provide a safe and welcoming environment where people can focus on their recovery with dignity and privacy.
The natural beauty and calm of the surroundings of the Irish countryside play an important role in the healing process. Patients often tell us that being away from the pressures and triggers of everyday life helped them find the space to reflect, grow, and begin to rebuild their lives.
Located just 45 minutes north of Dublin and 1.5 hours south of Belfast, Smarmore Castle offers expert care in a setting that feels truly restorative.
What Makes Us Different
- Family-owned clinic, established in 2015
- Trusted by HSE, VHI, and major international insurers
- Fully accredited by CHKS and ISO 9001
- Onsite detoxt and residential treatment programme, pool and fitness centre
- Located in a restored 1320s castle, surrounded by private woodlands and gardens
Our Story
A Family-Run Clinic with a Legacy of Compassionate Addiction Treatment
When Peter and Dr Margaret Ann McCann witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of addiction on families in the late 1970s, they knew that compassionate, evidence-based treatment could change lives. That belief drove them to establish pioneering addiction treatment centres in the UK in the 1980s before bringing their expertise to Ireland.
A Foundation Built on Experience
Peter’s journey began at Hazelden in the United States, the world’s most pioneering addiction treatment centre, where he discovered that recovery wasn’t just about medical treatment, but about rebuilding hope, dignity, and purpose. This experience shaped his vision when he went on to establish Clouds House in England in 1983 and Castle Craig in Scotland in 1988, each building on the insights gained and the lives transformed.
From Vision to Reality
Building on the success of Castle Craig, the McCann family brought their internationally respected model to Ireland, creating the country’s first clinic to offer structured, residential addiction treatment, combining cutting-edge care with the compassionate approach that recovery deserves.
A Growing Legacy of Care
Since opening our doors in 2015, Smarmore Castle has grown into one of Ireland’s most respected addiction treatment clinics. Still led by members of the McCann family, we maintain a personal, hands-on approach while serving patients from across Ireland, Northern Ireland, and beyond as part of the Castle Health network.
Behind every statistic is a person who walked through our doors seeking help, and a family who got their loved one back. This human reality drives everything we do.
Our Experienced Team
At Smarmore Castle, patients are welcomed by a team who believe that recovery begins with compassion, respect, and professional integrity. We strive to create a safe, supportive environment where each person feels understood and cared for throughout their recovery journey.
Our programme is led by our Medical Director, Dr Orlagh McCambridge, Consultant Psychiatrist, and Clinic Manager Keith Cassidy. They work closely with a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, therapists, and support staff who share a deep commitment to helping people heal from addiction and related mental health challenges.
As a team, we value collaboration, empathy, and evidence-based practice. Together, we support patients facing not only addiction but also co-occurring issues such as trauma, depression, anxiety, bereavement, and burnout.
Our Mission Statement
At Smarmore Castle, we provide compassionate care to those suffering from alcoholism and other addictions, by treating the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of the disease.
Our clinic and its staff are committed to offering skilled professional medical, nursing and therapeutic services to patients and their families.
We strive continually to demonstrate high standards of excellence, in the services we offer, to ensure that patients and their needs are at the centre of what we do and to create an environment where everyone is treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
Our staff are dedicated to assisting those who seek our help to achieve stable abstinence, empowering them, so they may enjoy a fulfilling, sober, meaningful and productive life in recovery.
Our Vision
Every person with an addiction who comes through the doors of Smarmore Castle has the chance to start their recovery journey and turn their lives around. We help change the lives of not just our residents, but their loved ones – wives, husbands, parents, children, friends.
At Smarmore Castle, our vision of ‘recovery’ goes beyond helping patients when they are here; we want to help them forge their very best life with the therapeutic tools they need to stay abstinent and live fulfilled lives in recovery. This is as true today as it was in 1983 when our founders, Peter and Dr Margaret McCann founded their first addiction treatment centre in the UK.
Read more about the Smarmore Castle Treatment Model.
Clinical Excellence and Quality
As a leading addiction and mental health clinic in Ireland, Smarmore Castle is committed to delivering safe, confidential, professional, and effective care. We are independently inspected by CHKS and ISO 9001 certified, and we integrate high standards of clinical governance across every part of our service.
Our team works collaboratively to review and improve our care – from detox and therapy to continuing support after treatment.
Ireland-Based, Internationally Trusted
People come to Smarmore Castle from across Ireland and Europe because of our clinical excellence, experienced team, and the supportive, therapeutic environment offered at Smarmore Castle. We are proud to be a recognised provider off addiction rehab with VHI and other major insurers, and a trusted provider of residential addiction treatment for the HSE.
Thought Leadership
Our team of experts are regularly called upon by the Irish media to comment on the issue of addiction and recovery in Ireland.
Part of the Castle Health Group
Smarmore Castle is part of Castle Health Group – an international network of clinics specialising in addiction and mental health treatment. Castle Health was founded by the McCann family, pioneers in residential rehab care since 1983, Castle Health brings together decades of experience in helping people recover.
- Castle Craig, Scotland: Scotland’s first rehab, (est. 1988), renowned for its residential addiction treatment model, is set on a 50-acre estate near Edinburgh.
- CATCH Recovery: Providing outpatient therapy and continuing care in Dublin and the UK, including online services.
- Castle Craig Netherlands: Outpatient and referral services across the Netherlands, operating as a recognised mental health provider since 2008.
- Stockholms beroendeklinik: Offering outpatient addiction care in Sweden and Scandinavia.
Together, our group supports hundreds of people each year through high-quality, medically-led and compassionate care with the aim of fostering long-term recovery.
Smarmore Castle Location
Find Us
041 986 5080
info@smarmorecastle.ie
Smarmore Castle Clinic, near Ardee, County Louth, Ireland A92 YY22