Áit Beag

To one side of the angled entrance lobby is a spacious living area which comprises of kitchen, dining and sitting room. A huge panoramic window spans one end with spectacular views down to the coast and Aran Islands beyond.

The uniquely tailored kitchen in vibrant natural wood occupies the opposite end of this minimalist space, bringing warmth and texture to the Scandi style interior.

Elegant polished terrazzo conceals underfloor heating throughout the cottage.

French doors open onto a small breakfast patio.

Sleeps up to 4 guests.

Two colourful bedrooms are to be found in the remodelled cottage across the entrance lobby.
Both enjoy sunset views out overs the Atlantic. The super king bed can be separated into two singles if required. Second bedroom has a king size bed. Custom made headboards and wardrobes are evidence of particular attention to detail.
They are separated by a charming bathroom with walk-in dual head shower.

The cottage enjoys a solitary location beneath Doonagore Castle, with views across to the celebrated Aran Islands. There is a feature garden pond, ample parking off the narrow road, and a separate utility block for laundry is located in the garden.

Kitchen Appliances

• Electric oven & ceramic hob
• Fridge
• Freezer
• Dishwasher
• Toaster
• Nespresso coffee machine

Utility Appliances

• Washing machine-dryer in utility
• Iron

Bedrooms

• Sizes – King size bed
• Sizes – Super King-size bed, Zip & Link
• Hairdryer

Tech & Entertainment

• Wi-Fi Internet
• Flat-screen TV
• Underfloor heating

• Take the ferry to the Aran Islands from Doolin Pier – Inisheer is closest and makes for a brilliant day. For the ancient cliff fortress of Dún Aengus on Inis Mór, thought to date from around 1,100 BC, a night on the island makes sense. Bikes can be hired easily once you arrive
• Walk the Doolin Cliff Path to the Cliffs of Moher – 8km along the clifftops from the village, one of the great coastal walks in Ireland. The views are breathtaking in both directions and the Cliffs themselves peak at over 200 metres. Home to the only mainland breeding colony of Atlantic Puffins in Ireland
• Cruise below the Cliffs with a boat tour – departing from Doolin Pier, seeing the cliffs from the sea is an entirely different experience. Dolphins frequently alongside
• Stand under Europe’s largest stalactite at Doolin Cave – 7.3 metres long and 60 metres underground. The farm nature trail above ground is lovely too
• Smell like a flower at the Burren Perfumery – an organic perfumery in the heart of the Burren, with a herb garden and café

• Fly with a hawk at Aillwee Birds of Prey Centre – falconry experiences and owl encounters in a dramatic Burren setting
• Rent a bike and explore – the Burren Cycleway winds through extraordinary limestone scenery
• Trek a pony through the Burren – guided rides through the karst landscape
• Catch a wave at Lahinch Surf School – the best surf beach in Clare, 25 minutes south, with lessons and board hire for all levels
• Birdie a ball at Lahinch Golf Club – one of the great links courses in Ireland, on the Atlantic coast
• Chew some local chocolate at Wilde Irish Chocolates and then more chocolate at Hazel Mountain in the Burren, with a brilliant café

Doolin punches well above its size for food and music, the village has four pubs, all with live sessions, and a growing restaurant scene worth knowing about.

• Oar Restaurant – the most acclaimed table in Doolin, with refined seasonal cooking and excellent local seafood. One of the best restaurants in Clare. Book ahead
• Homestead Cottage – a small, intimate restaurant in a traditional North Clare cottage, Michelin-recognised and generating serious buzz. Locally sourced, seasonal and genuinely special. Book well ahead
• The Ivy Cottage – right on Fisher Street, consistently one of the top-rated spots in the village. Cosy, warm atmosphere, fresh seafood and good value. Walk-in only
• Russell’s Seafood Bar, a newer addition to Doolin that has quickly become a local favourite. Excellent fresh fish, relaxed atmosphere
• McGann’s Pub – the heartbeat of the village. Hearty food, excellent trad sessions most nights, a great Guinness and a warm welcome. Get in before the music starts for a table
• McDermott’s Pub – outstanding traditional music, free of charge, most evenings. A genuinely local pub beloved by musicians passing through. The lamb shank is well regarded
• Gus O’Connor’s – music since 1832, oysters, mussels, Guinness beef stew and a pint. The essential Doolin experience
• Curtin’s Roadside Tavern, Lisdoonvarna about 10 minutes away, one of the most talked-about pubs in the county. Somewhat hidden, always worth finding

Áit Beag sits in the townland of Doonagore, just above the coastal village of Doolin, one of the most celebrated small villages in Ireland for traditional music. The cottage is named simply “small place” in Irish, and the setting matches: a quiet lane, the sound of the Atlantic below, and Doonagore Castle visible above.

Doonagore Castle, the round tower house that dominates the skyline above the cottage, is now a completely restored private home but it carries a dark history. In 1588, survivors of the Spanish Armada who made landfall on this coast were executed here on the orders of the local sheriff, one of the more brutal episodes of that catastrophic episode in Spanish history.

Doolin is a short walk away, the capital of traditional Irish music, with four pubs hosting live sessions almost every night of the year, and four or more in the summer months. County Clare is particularly home to the concertina, and skilled musicians stop here as they pass through. The village is also the departure point for ferries to the Aran Islands, three islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, with the famous cliff fortress of Dún Aengus on Inis Mór the jewel among them.

The Cliffs of Moher, visible from the lane outside, are Ireland’s most celebrated natural landmark, 200 metres of vertical rock confronting the Atlantic, home to the only mainland breeding colony of Atlantic Puffins in Ireland. Big wave surfers travel by jet-ski from Doolin to ride Aileens, a wave at the cliff base that can reach over 35 feet. For most surfers, Lahinch, 25 minutes south, is the spot.

The Burren begins on the doorstep, a strange and beautiful karst landscape of limestone pavements divided by deep crevices that harbour an impossible mixture of arctic, Mediterranean and alpine plants. This is Ireland’s most significant cave area, with more than 35 miles of surveyed passages. Poulnabrone Dolmen, the most photographed prehistoric monument in Ireland, is a short drive, the bones of 18 adults and 6 children were found inside, dating to around 3,600 BC. J.R.R. Tolkien, who spent time in Ballyvaughan in the late 1940s as an external examiner for University of Galway, is said to have drawn inspiration for The Lord of the Rings from this landscape.

Lisdoonvarna, the nearest town, is home to one of Europe’s largest matchmaking festivals each September, over 40,000 hopefuls descend on the spa town for a month of romance and revelry. It’s also where you’ll find the Burren Smokehouse, one of the best places in Ireland to buy smoked wild Atlantic salmon.

County Clare has a rich festival calendar, keep an eye on the Father Ted Festival in Kilmihil in April/May. Much of the iconic sitcom was filmed in north Clare and the area around Doolin, and the festival is as joyfully surreal as the show itself.