Rathclaren House

Rathclaren House

Rathclaren House

Rathclaren House

Gracious Georgian living in the heart of West Cork

Book This Home

County Cork

This classic regency rectory has been sensitively modernised and is situated in its own extensive grounds with pastoral views south to the Courtmacsherry estuary and the ocean beyond. Generous rooms, large windows and classic period detailing, plus the versatility of split accommodation augment the magic of this home.
Half way twixt the West Cork Meccas of Kinsale and Clonakilty and just 40 minutes from Cork International Airport, this is perfect spot for a multi-generational gathering.

 

The Main House

Refined Regency Living

Through the entrance gate a sweeping drive leads up via 6 acres of mature private gardens planted with flourishing examples of rhododendron, and azalea to the main entrance at the side of the house.

A decidedly quaint hall door welcomes you to the reception hall, both splendid and spacious, with access to multiple rooms and a graceful staircase leading to the bedrooms.

AT A GLANCE

  • Sleeps
    Up to 11 guests
    including the annex
    From € 6,500 per week
  • MAIN HOUSE
    Bedrooms

    Two double bedrooms – 1 ensuite
    One single bedroom
    Family bathroom
  • Other Rooms
    Two reception rooms, Study
    Family Kitchen / breakfast room
    Entrance Hall, Utility room
  • ANNEX
    Bedrooms

    Three double bedrooms – 1 ensuite
    Bathroom
  • Other Rooms
    Living room, Kitchenette
  • Features
    Open Fire places, wood burning stoves
    Large private gardens
  • Availability
    High season Weekly only: Saturday to Saturday
    Weekends: Friday to Monday
    Midweek: Monday to Friday
  • Restrictions
    Children over 10 are welcome
    Sorry, pets are not permitted
  • CHECK HERE

The two very large drawing reception rooms lead off one side of the hall. Divided by lofty double doors, the rooms span the southern façade of the house and share wonderful views of the garden through beautifully proportioned Georgian windows.

Marble fireplaces, sumptuous sofas, vintage furniture and Persian carpeted wide floorboards, evoke the understated elegance of Georgian living.

Also off the hallway, through classic double doors, is a snug oak-panelled study; book lined and with a large open fire-place.

Beyond the study, is a large dining room that can seat ten in comfort.
This bright room is a recent addition, and features a dazzling glazed roof light, controllable by way of push button automated blinds.

There is also access from here to the lawns for the summer months.

Facilities & Ameneties

Kitchen Appliances

• Aga oil range with 4 ovens and 4 gas rings
• Electric Oven>br>
• Fridge-freezer
• Dishwasher
• Twin sinks
• Toaster
• Microwave

Utility Appliances

• Washing machine
• Spin dryer
• Iron

Bedrooms

• Sizes – Two double beds, Three King-size and one Single
• 2 Hairdryers

Tech & Entertainment

• Wi-Fi Internet
• Flat-screen TV

Other

• Good selection of books
• Barbecue
• Croquet set

Off the northern side of the hallway, there is a generous, modern, well-appointed kitchen and breakfast room.

The budding gourmet will delight in the substantial oil-fired range (AGA) with four ovens supported by a four-ring gas hob. The preparation island has a second handy sink.

As an informal dining room, the breakfast area caters comfortably for six around a circular table. Two French doors give out onto the courtyard with access to the converted stable that is the Annex.

Leading off the kitchen is a large utility room containing washer and drier.

Bedrooms

The two main double bedrooms lead off the landing and overlook the lawns. Softly lit by grand south facing windows, they are both spacious and sumptuous.

The master bedroom incorporates a luminous en-suite bathroom, with an elegant double ended slipper bath, shower cubicle and marble lined double basins.

Across the landing is a neat family bathroom with double ended bath.

A small but delightful bedroom, perfect for kids, is at the end of the landing with windows that look out to the stable block annex.

The Annex

A modest pea-gravelled courtyard is all that lies between the main house and the converted stables, most easily reached through the breakfast room’s French doors.
This is a stand-alone apartment, albeit with a bantam kitchen – and it is wheelchair friendly.

On the ground floor is a sizeable sitting room with a wood burning stove and a large flat screen TV.

Just off that is the small pantry kitchenette.

Adjacent to the sitting room is a charming double bedroom with en suite bathroom.

The bathroom has a walk-in shower and twin pedestal basins. It is also equipped with support for elderly guests.

Two bedrooms and a large bathroom are accessed from an upstairs corridor that runs the length of the stable building.

The pretty panelled bathroom is shared, and has a double ended bath, shower cubicle and twin sinks.

 

Provisional Booking Form

2023 Holiday Breaks

Easter weekend Friday 7th April to Wednesday 12th April € 8,500
Halloween Friday 27th October to Wednesday 1st November € 8,500
Christmas break Saturday 23rd to Thursday 28th December € 8,500
New Year break Friday 29th to Wednesday 3rd January € 8,500
NB. 5 night minimum stay.

Mid-week bookings run from Monday PM till Friday AM – 4 nights
Weekend breaks run from Friday PM till Monday AM – 3 nights
Important – A Week’s booking runs from Saturday to Saturday

A refundable breakages deposit payable with the rental amount will be refunded within seven days of departure.

 

Rates Table

  Per week Weekend Mid-week
October to May € 6,500 € 4,500 € 4,500
June to September € 8,500 Not Available Not Available

Select your Dates

AVAILABLE BOOKED

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  • Please note all booking requests are subject to 24 hour approval.
  • Once your provisional booking has been placed, the UIH team will verify it, answer any specific queries you may have, and request a deposit to lock in your dates.
  • Please note if your provisional booking is not confirmed and the deposit paid within 3 days it will expire.
  • If your preferred dates are not available, click here to review alternate options.
  • For additional information please contact us on +353 85 860 0027
Available
Booked
Pending
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Out & About

 

West Cork is inundated with fantastic food, dramatic vistas, coastal adventures and historical treasures.

We just can’t list them all, so here are a few of our favourites…

 

The English Market – Cork City. Failte Ireland

 

Guitar Festival Clonakilty, mid-September

 
The famous West Cork Music Festival at Bantry (held in June) is just 45 minutes away.

 

The Locality

 

 

Immediately behind the house is the seventeenth century church which until recently was served by Rathclaren’s rector.

Kilbrittain is the nearest village. Its castle, is thought to date from 1035 and remains a family home to this day – reputed to be one of the oldest inhabited castles in Ireland.
Annually in August, Kilbrittain Village hosts a Family Festival which draws large crowds.

In the winter of 2009, an 18-metre (59 ft) fin whale became stranded on a beach in Courtmacsherry Bay. The Lifeboat laboured without success to get the whale back into the sea, and it subsequently died. The skeleton is now on display in a small park to the east of Kilbrittain village.

Timoleague, (10 mins) at the head of the bay, has a ruined abbey dating back to the 13th century. The town is notable for its Brown Pudding sausage – but also has a long tradition of Bee-keeping and obviously honey. Here is also the nearest petrol station with a small Centra supermarket.

On the far side of the bay is the picturesque fishing village of Courtmacsherry – a short 15 minute trip along the water’s edge. Busy during the summer months the village is a centre for sea anglers, whale and dolphin watching tours, plus an array of water sports and skills courses.
It is also home to one of the first and one of the busiest lifeboat stations in the country.

The multi award winning historical town of Clonakilty, 25 minutes away, has quirky shops, cafes and pubs featuring live music sessions, as well as some fine restaurants.
The town is known for its black pudding which is made to a secret spice recipe since the 1880s, but also produces other fine treats such as craft beers, chocolate and gin.

Clonakilty Distillery

image Failte Ireland

Off course these waters are a familiar haunt for Whales and Dolphins, and there are a number of experienced local boatmen offering guided trips to get up close and personal with them – an unforgettable experience.

About 10 minutes east of the house is Ballinspittle. In the summer of 1985, the town received international attention when inhabitants claimed to have witnessed a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary moving spontaneously. As news of the phenomenon spread, thousands of pilgrims and spectators flocked to the site – many claiming the same experience.

The bustling market town of Bandon, 15 minutes to the north, is the largest town in the region, and stages a Saturday morning farmers market.
Graham Norton, BBC chat show host, lived in Bandon and attended Bandon Grammar School.
The town is host to a 3 day Music Festival Jun Bank Holiday.

Kinsale town, extolled by Conde Nast as one of Ireland’s most beautiful towns, is the Southern limit of the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s 2,500km route that follows the coast to Inishowen, in the North.

Wild Atlantic Way
Click here to find out more…

Just 20km away, the genuinely picturesque town has a long and chequered history as a strategic port, but it’s current status as ‘The Gourmet Capital of Ireland’ derives from the quality of its acclaimed restaurants, of which there are many.

The are also the remains of two impressive forts built by the English to protect the narrow entrance from the sea. The 17th-century pentagonal bastion of James Fort, and its successor, Charles Fort on the opposite side of the estuary, which is one of the finest surviving examples of a star-shaped fort from the period. Charles Fort continued to be used by the British Army until February 1922.

In 1915 on a trip from New York to Liverpool, the luxury passenger steamship Lusitania was torpedoed by a German U-boat 18 km off the Old Head of Kinsale. Taking 18 minutes to sink, there were only 764 survivors.

Old Head of Kinsale

image Failte Ireland

The loss of 128 Americans in the tragedy is thought to have contributed to their active involvement in WW2, however a number of controversies and conspiracy theories relating to the disaster persist to this day. A museum and memorial garden at the Signal Tower on the Old Head, commemorate the event.

Garretstown Beach

image Failte Ireland

There are myriad of sandy swimming beaches dotted along the coastline – at least 7 nearby – so we’ll leave it to you to explore here.

How to get there – Car advised..

By Air: Flights to Cork, Kerry, Dublin or Shannon airports.
Cork Airport – about 40 mins from the house.
Kerry Airport – about one hour 50mins from the house.
Dublin Airport – about 3 and a half hours from the house
Shannon Airport – approx 2 and a half hours from house.

By Sea: Ferry crossings
Dublin City Port/Holyhead has a fast crossing and is about 3 and a half hours from the house.
Rosslare Harbour for Ferries to South Wales is just over 3 hours from house.

Map

Hazelwood

Hazelwood

Hazelwood

Simply Bewitching

Book This Home

County Donegal

This lovingly restored 19th Century stone house, full of traditional and quirky Irish artefacts and with luxurious attention to detail, sits in extensive mature grounds and has an astounding view over the beautiful blue-flag beach of Culdaff.
Wild, windy and rugged, Inishowen is the most northerly part of Ireland – a hauntingly beautiful wilderness, still, within a stone’s throw of the buzzing attractions of our Northern Ireland neighbours.

 

No place like home…

At the centre of the house, in what was the original structure, is a lofty, terracotta dining room. It retains much of the original cooking hearth complete with swinging pot crane and various cooking irons from a long-gone era.

A wonderful communal room for the evenings, with an oak table and seating for eight.

AT A GLANCE

  • Sleeps
    Up to 7 guests
    From €1,600 per week
  • Bedrooms
    One double bedroom – ensuite
    Two twin and one single bedrooms
    Family bathroom
  • Other Rooms
    Sitting room, Dining room
    Family kItchen
    Annex – Games room
    Utility outbuilding
  • Features
    Open Fire place, Wood stove
    Central heating, Patio, Ocean views
  • Contempo
    concealed TV, WiFi internet,
    Good Cell phone reception
  • Availability
    High season Weekly only: Saturday to Saturday
    Midweek: Monday to Friday
  • Restrictions
    Children over 12 are welcome
    Well behaved pets are permitted
  • CHECK HERE

The latched doors, liscannor flagstone floor and small square curtained windows, preserve the Irish heritage evident throughout the home.

​A step down from the dining room is an amply appointed kitchen.
Colourful, contemporary, and of eclectic design, it’s also an ideal breakfast room.

Preparation surfaces are stainless steel, with a tall fridge concealed behind lofty press doors.

There is a door from here directly onto the front driveway – a handy entrance.

Facilities & Ameneties

Kitchen Appliances

• 4 Ring gas hob
• Twin electric Oven
• Fridge-freezer
• Dishwasher
• Twin Toaster
• Microwave

Utility Appliances

• Washing machine
• Tumble dryer
• Iron

Bedrooms

• Sizes – One double bed, four single beds
• Cabin bed
• Hairdryer

Tech & Entertainment

• Wi-Fi Internet
• Concealed TV in sitting room
• CD stereo player

Other

• Good selection of books
• Table tennis table
• Foosball table
• Some board games & music cds

In contrast, the sitting room appended to the opposite end of the house, is filled with light from the south facing windows that line one side, all the while framing that striking vista of Culdaff beach and the headland beyond.

Mustard in colour, and furnished with deeply comfortable sofas and a woodburning stove, the room also has French doors opening onto a stone flagged patio, for those special barbecue days.

The owner has a passion for quality recycled or repurposed furnishings, evident in fittings such as the truly efficient heating radiators, wash handbasins, vintage furniture and artworks.

 

Bedrooms

The master bedroom is of generous size and bookends the kitchen end of the house.

The ensuite features a commodious walk-in wet room shower.

At its centre, an archetypal wrought iron and brass knob bedstead overlooked by a brooding of bird pictures.

Directly off the dining room, there is a whimsical box bedroom paneled in a pale watery teal with views to the beach. The snug, cabin bed is as cosy as it is unique.

Off the passageway that threads through the house, a steeply meandering stairway leads to a long loft bedroom, furnished with a pair of traditional iron beds.

Timber sheeted and long, a charming feature is the novel interior window that overlooks the dining room.

There is a delightful bedroom in soft terracotta, with twin wrought iron and brass bedsteads and a duo of windows accessed from the central passageway.

The spacious family bathroom, also off the passageway, has a quirky bath dressed in rusticated stone tiles, a wet-room style walk-in shower and classic vintage sink.

Outside

The accomplished stonework of the house extends to the Rapunzel-tower entrance columns.

An expansive banked lawn falls away to a heavily shrubbed woodland in the front, where the stunning Culdaff beach view is the hero.

 

Out-buildings at the rear have been re-purposed to serve as a utility room, with an unexpected spacious games room above.

Provisional Booking Form

2023 Holiday Breaks

Easter weekend Friday 7th April to Monday 10th April € 2,500
Halloween Friday 27th October to Wednesday 1st November € 2,500
Christmas break Saturday 23rd to Thursday 28th December € 2,500
New Year break Saturday 30th to Tuesday 2nd January € 2,500

This Home is normally only let by the week, except as follows:
Mid-Week bookings run from Monday PM till Friday AM – 4 nights
Weekend breaks are not currently available
Important – A Week’s booking runs from Saturday to Saturday

A refundable breakages deposit payable with the rental amount will be refunded within seven days of departure.

 

Rates Table

  Per week Mid-week
October to May € 2,000 € 1,600
June to September € 2,500 Not Available

Select your Dates

AVAILABLE BOOKED

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  • Please note all booking requests are subject to 24 hour approval.
  • Once your provisional booking has been placed, the UIH team will verify it, answer any specific queries you may have, and request a deposit to lock in your dates.
  • Please note if your provisional booking is not confirmed and the deposit paid within 3 days it will expire.
  • If your preferred dates are not available, click here to review alternate options.
  • For additional information please contact us on +353 85 860 0027
Available
Booked
Pending
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Out & About

 

Not only is Inishowen a fascinating and historical peninsula, with endless, empty sandy beaches and great golf, but for food and music it is unrivalled…

Here are some of our favourites…

 

The Locality

 

 

On the way you will drive through Culdaff, which is the nearest village to the house. It has 3 pubs, a restaurant and a coffee shop. Impossible to ignore is the magnificent Culdaff beach which the cottage looks out onto. Lifeguards are on duty in the summer months making it brilliant for swimmers and surfers. The eastern end has rocky coves and a children’s play area.
Boats may be chartered at Bunagee Pier, just down from the house – very popular with anglers and dolphin watchers alike.

Wild Atlantic Way
Click here to find out more…

The market town of Cardonagh – 15 minutes by car – is where you will find a more comprehensive selection of shops, pubs and cafes; see also the famous 7th century St. Patricks Cross.

Inishowen is the largest peninsula on the island of Ireland, and is the starting (or ending) point of the Wild Atlantic Way. Far enough north, and with very little light pollution, you may catch occasional glimpses of the plasma light show that is the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. There are several websites that do forecasts of when views can be expected.

Just a 25-minute drive northwards is Banba’s Crown – the tip of Malin Head and the most northerly point of mainland Ireland. It is statistically the sunniest part of Ireland and also the windiest. Parts of the Star Wars movies were filmed in this other-worldly landscape.
There is said to be the highest concentration of shipwrecks in the world off the headland, which attracts both divers and fishermen alike. The German U-boat fleet was scuttled here at the end of World War II. A short ramble from the car park is a deep and narrow subterranean cavern known as Hells Hole.

More about Malin here

Inishowen has many historical monuments, dating back to early settlements, including the ruins of several castles, and the circular 7th century dry-stone fort at Grianán Aileach, which is probably the best known. Built some 250m above sea level, it is a windy and exposed place with breathtaking views. The 5m high walls consist of three terraces and accommodation was provided by wooden structures built against them.

Buncrana, half an hour away the second most populous town in County Donegal, after Letterkenny, and the largest in Inishowen. the historic home of the O’Doherty clan, and a major centre for the textile industry in County Donegal. The town is well known for its live music pubs. The renowned Fruit of the Loom clothing plant was a large source of employment in the town before it moved its operations overseas in 2006.

Golf Vacations are extremely popular in Donegal with its many fine courses. The most famous is Ballyliffin Golf Club, home to 2 championship 18-hole courses and just 20 minutes away.

10 minutes west from the house brings you to the inlet that is Trawbreaga Bay.
This is a Wildlife Sanctuary which is an important landfall for migrating geese and other birds.
At the narrow mouth of the bay is the fine sandy beach known as Five Fingers Strand. It is backed by ancient sand dunes which are amongst the highest in Europe – some reaching 30 metres high all held together by tough marram grass that prevents wind erosion.

Five Fingers Strand

The wonderful Kinnagoe Beach is a short trip south from the house, and it is here that in 1588 the Spanish Armada ship ‘La Trinidad Valencera’ was wrecked and lay undiscovered until 1971.

The peninsula is renowned for its traditional musicians and singers, so it will be difficult to avoid coming across a session in one of the pubs or hotels of an evening.

Derry City, the second largest in Northern Ireland after Belfast, is under an hour away by car. Built in the early 1600’s, it is the only surviving example of a complete walled city in Ireland, and one of the finest in Europe.It is one of the few cities in Europe that never saw its fortifications breached, withstanding several sieges and has a complex and troubled history.

Visiting The North of Ireland in the summer months you can avoid Derry altogether and save yourself a good half an hour by using the Lough Foyle Car ferry

The Inishowen 100 tourist route is an approximately 100-mile signposted scenic drive around the peninsula. Here is a link  to illustrate what you can expect in more detail.

Cycling is extremely popular in County Donegal, and the annual Inishowen 100 attracts hundreds of entrants every August.

How to get there – Car advised..

By Air: Flights to Dublin, Belfast or Donegal airports.
Belfast Airport – is about 2 hours away
Donegal Airport – is also about 2 hours away
Dublin Airport – just under 4 hours from the house

By Sea: Ferry crossings
Belfast Port is just over 2 hours away with ferries to Liverpool and Scotland
Dublin City Port/Holyhead has a fast crossing and is just over 4 hours from the house
Rosslare Harbour for Ferries to South Wales is just under 6 hours from the house.

Map

An Cúlú

An Cúlú

An Cúlú

Clifftop Cottage re-imagined

Book This Home

County Donegal

Confidently perched on a coastal precipice with spectacular views over Donegal Bay, this elemental cottage has been extended and transformed into a luxurious Atlantic retreat.

Its chic contemporary interior merges seamlessly with an opulent floating deck that features integrated seating, firepit and spa.

An Cúlú featured on the RTE program My Bungalow Bliss presented by Hugh Wallace and designed by McCabe Architects.

 

Smart design in Donegal

The canary-yellow traditional stable-door entrance leads through the original cottage into an entirely unexpected elegant open-plan living area annexed to the rear.

Full height glazed panoramic walls define the south-eastern elevation of the home, with remarkable views spanning Inver beach, the Atlantic Ocean and all the way around to Benbulben in county Sligo.

The dining area is sandwiched between the handle-less kitchen and the sitting room, in a continuous extension of monochrome black and white, and furnished with fully upholstered high stools.

AT A GLANCE

  • Sleeps
    Up to 8 guests
    From € 2,950 per week
  • Bedrooms
    Two double bedrooms – 1 ensuite
    One double bunk room – sleeps 4
    Bathroom
  • Other Rooms
    Open plan Living room, Dining room
    Kitchen
    Utility room
  • Features
    Extensive Patio, Jacuzzi Spa, outdoor hot Shower
    Sunken Firepit with seating
    BBQ and Pizza Oven
  • Contempo
    Flat screen TV, fast WiFi internet
    Good Cell phone reception
    Underfloor heating
  • Availability
    High season Weekly only: Saturday to Saturday
    Weekends: Friday to Monday
    Midweek: Monday to Friday
  • Restrictions
    Children over 6 are welcome
    Sorry, pets are not permitted
  • CHECK HERE

The television and its companion electric cassette fire are recessed into a satin black gable end, with more of the impeccable detailing and choice of materials that is a mark of this property.

Two large sections of patio door slide away from the corner of the sitting room to access a stylish glazed-balustrade balcony that almost spans the width of the bungalow.

Facilities & Ameneties

Kitchen Appliances

• Electric cooker with twin ovens
• Ceramic hob with built in extractor
• American Fridge-freezer
• Dishwasher
• Microwave
• Toaster
• Nespresso coffee machine

Utility Appliances

• Washing machine
• Spin dryer
• Iron

Bedrooms

• Sizes – King-size bed, double bed
• and two double bunks (sleeps 4)
• Hairdryer

Tech & Entertainment

• Fibre Wi-Fi Internet
• Flat-screen smart TV

Other

• Outdoor Jacuzzi Spa
• Patio with Sunken firepit area
• Hot outdoor shower
• Selection of books

Outside


The comprehensive multi-level patio area extending south-west of the cottage, and reminiscent of a cruise liner, incorporates some really exquisite features in addition to barbecue al-fresco dining.

To add a stretch into the evenings, an innovative and spacious outdoor sunken seating area wraps around a welcome firepit and provides some wind shelter.

Just a few hundred metres away, there is a secluded beach, and when you return, there is an inspired outdoor hot shower to flush away the sand…

There is also a sloping lawn with ample parking to the front.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms remain in the original cottage, with the superlative ensuite master bedroom indulging in more of those extravagant sliding doors directly onto the patio with its endless vistas.

Here too a genuinely charming bunk room – in radiant white – with built-in beds for four, is a magical retreat for kids. The beautifully detailed alabaster marble family bathroom with bath, is an absolute delight.

Provisional Booking Form

This Home is ONLY let by the week.
Important – A Week’s booking runs from Saturday to Saturday

A refundable breakages deposit of €450 payable with the rental amount this will be refunded within seven days of departure, provided there are no issues.

 

Rates Table

May to September €2950 /week
October to April €2,950/week

Select your Dates

AVAILABLE BOOKED

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  • Please note all booking requests are subject to 24 hour approval.
  • Once your provisional booking has been placed, the UIH team will verify it, answer any specific queries you may have, and request a deposit to lock in your dates.
  • Please note if your provisional booking is not confirmed and the deposit paid within 3 days it will expire.
  • If your preferred dates are not available, click here to review alternate options.
  • For additional information please contact us on +353 85 860 0027

Restrictions

Smoking – No, sorry!
Parties – The owners regret Stag, Hen, Wedding or 21st parties are not admissible.
Children – The property is not suitable for toddlers or children under the age of 6.
Pets – No, sorry!

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Out & About

 

Wild mountains and churning oceans, fine food and hospitality, just some of the attractions of Donegal

 

Lifestyle Photography of Donegal for Failte Ireland

Here are some of our favourites…

Festivals and Events in County Donegal

 

The Locality

 

 

Ten minutes away from the cottage by car, the harbour at Killybegs is home to Ireland’s largest off-shore trawler fleet, so it’s not surprising that some of the best fresh fish food is to be found here.

The town is famous for its tapestries and carpets, some of which were produced on the biggest carpet loom in the world at the Donegal Carpet Factory. The carpets, known as Donegals, are hand-knotted in the Turkish style.

Donegal town, about ten minutes away but in the opposite direction, is the nearest centre for pretty much anything from groceries to fishing tackle. The middle of the town is known as The Diamond, and can get very busy in high season, with great pubs and live music.

You can’t miss the recently restored Donegal Castle, built by Red Hugh O’Donnell in 1474, but there is also a charming harbour which you can reach along the Bank Walk beside the River Eske as it flows into the bay.
The town was invaded by the Vikings in the 8th century and they used it as a port – hence its Gaelic name Dun na nGall, which means ’Fort of the Foreigners’.

County Donegal is the largest county in Ulster and the only one that is not in the UK.
Its Population decimated during the famine, still only about half of what it was in the mid-19th century.

The county is renowned for its golden surfing beaches, such as Murvagh beach, and Rossnowlagh which is one of Europe’s finest. The European Surfing Championships have been held here on three occasions. Donegal Bay’s funnel-like shape encourages huge Atlantic rollers, occasionally as high as 7 metres (20 ft).

The Blue Flag Fintra beach – long and more sheltered, lies just beyond Killybegs, but much closer along the narrow St. John’s peninsula is the small clearwater Coral beach.

Historically this beautiful coastal locale was once an important whaling post, and the harpoon gun so associated with the industry was invented here. Whales and dolphins are happily still in evidence all around the shores.

The Blue Stack Mountains straddle the county and its scenic trails are popular with hill-walkers.The Blue Stack Way walk connects Donegal Town with the town of Ardara further north – a three day hike.

The stunning sea cliffs at Slieve Liag are worth a visit. At 600 metres high, they are nearly three times higher than the more famous Cliffs of Moher. A narrow twisting precipitous road will take you to the best viewing point at Bunglass.

Lough Eske is a small and placid lake about 20 minutes from the cottage in the Donegal direction. It is popular with anglers in the summer months, and is has numerous forest paths around its shores and a fine hotel restaurant.

During the Second World War this area experienced a lot of airborne activity as sanctioned flying boats from Lough Erne in the UK flew missions out over the short Republican corridor into the Atlantic. It was a Catalina from Lough Erne that spotted the notorious German battleship Bismarck out in the Atlantic – and this led to her demise by the British Navy who had been in pursuit but had lost contact in heavy fog.

The word Éire remains crafted in white stones on headlands around Donegal, which acted as navigation aid for those flying above.

How to get there – Car advised..

By Air: Flights to Dublin, Belfast or Donegal airports.
Donegal Airport – is about one and a half hours from the cottage.
Knock Airport – is about one and a half hours from the cottage.
Dublin Airport – is just under 3 hours from the cottage.
Belfast Airport – is approx 2 and half hours from house.
Shannon Airport – is just under 3 hours from the cottage.

By Sea: Ferry crossings
Dublin City Port/Holyhead has a fast crossing and is just over 3 hours from the cottage
The Belfast Liverpool ferry is approx 2 and half hours from house.

Wild Atlantic Way
Click here to find out more…

Map

Tipperary Lakeshore House

Tipperary Lakeshore House

Tipperary Lakeshore House

Epitome of Lakeshore Opulence

Book This Home

County Tipperary

This extremely elegant historic mansion overlooks Lough Derg, and is one of the finest houses on the lake.

Approached by a winding avenue which travels through mature parkland and woodlands, it affords spectacular views and the utmost privacy being set well back from the road, and invisible except from the lake.

The 734 square metre Victorian main house, with some forty rooms, was extensively refurbished yet retains the integrity of the original period features – ornate cornicing, broad wooden floors, antique marble fireplaces, panelled mahogany doors and decorative architraves.

 

Well-proportioned classic interiors

The formal entrance is from an expansive west facing terrace that overlooks an immaculate stretch of lawn descends running down to the lake.

The glazed and tiled porch opens through double doors into an entrance hall, currently furnished with an antique games table, piano, a black marble fireplace, and an eclectic mix of pictures and art that set the tone for the home.

AT A GLANCE

  • Sleeps
    Up to 12 guests
    From €12,000 per week
  • Bedrooms
    Six double bedrooms – 3 ensuite
    Four bathrooms
  • Other Rooms
    Interconnecting Drawing rooms
    Sitting room, Dining room
    Library, Breakfast room, Entrance hall
    Chef’s Kitchen, Butlers pantry
    Gym, Cloakroom, Laundry room
  • Features
    Enclosed courtyard, Large terrace
    2 tennis courts, Woodlands
    Lake frontage, private harbour
    Open fires, Stairlift
  • Contempo
    Multiple Flat screen TVs
    Fast WiFi internet, DVD
    Good Cell phone reception
  • Availability
    High season Weekly only: Saturday to Saturday
    Weekends: Friday to Monday
    Midweek: Monday to Friday
  • Restrictions
    Sorry, pets are not permitted
  • CHECK HERE

To one side of the hall are two interconnecting classic drawing rooms lit by tall, elaborately draped sash windows, and featuring beautiful pillared white marble fireplaces.

A number of the paintings here and in the adjacent rooms are of remarkable proportions.

Facilities & Ameneties

Kitchen Appliances

• 3 cooking ranges with multiple ovens
• Fridges
• Freezers
• Dual Dishwashers
• Toasters
• Espresso coffee machine

Utility Appliances

• Complete laundry facilities
• Chair lift

Bedrooms

• Sizes – Two King-size and Four Queen size
• 6 Hairdryers

Tech & Entertainment

• Electric main gates
• Wi-Fi Internet
• Multiple Flat-screen TVs
• Satellite/Cable TV
• DVD player

Other

• Large selection of books
• Fitness and Workout room
• Children’s crib available
• Barbecue
This is an exceptionally large home, a full-time daily housekeeper is present with the exception of Sunday unless otherwise requested.
Cook and extra house-keeping can be provided at additional cost.

​Leading off the drawing room, via a hallway that spans the ground floor, is yet another classic reception room, a vibrant and atmospheric library, busy with books.

Much used for television, the elaborate white marble fireplace is fitted with a more practical wood-burning stove.​

A back staircase to first floor accommodation, fitted with a chair lift, is accessed from a doorway in the library, as is the store of logs for the stove.

Beyond the library, in the same wing, is an alternative and more intimate television sitting room, decorated in luminous lemon yellow.

This room has a generous if unexpected bathroom adjacent – a legacy from a former layout.

To the southern side of the entrance hall, there is a formal dining room.

Extravagantly draped windows, with a large open Adams fireplace and Chippendale chairs, was there ever a more charismatic setting for a celebratory dinner?

Adjoining the Dining room there is a short corridor leading past a cloakroom and small office to the Kitchen and Breakfast room.

A purposeful blend of country style and professional catering, the kitchen is well appointed for feeding such a large household – with three separate cookers.

Additional contiguous rooms include a Butlers pantry and a larder. Those quirky ceiling hooks would have been intended for hanging hams and the like…

The cosy breakfast room situated just beyond the kitchen has a woodburning stove, and a door to the cobbled courtyard, which is at the centre of this home.


 

Other facilities surrounding the courtyard include a small workout gym looking onto it, with several machines and a shower, and a generous laundry room to the rear.

Bedrooms

An impressive return staircase leads from behind the entrance hall to a bright sky-lit landing.

There are four magnificent and individual bedrooms off the main landing on the first floor.

Three have glorious westerly views to the lake – one with an awesome balcony – while the fourth has views over the central courtyard.

Two of them enjoy en-suite bathrooms, with separate shower rooms just across the hall for the other two.;

A dog-leg corridor brings you to the elegant master bedroom with its stunning mahogany four poster bed, dual aspect views, and black & white tiled en-suite bathroom.

Another opulent bedroom lies at the end of a further dog-leg corridor, past the back stairs. It has a private and equally spacious bathroom with free standing roll-top bath and shower next-door.

 

Outside


The 100-acre lakefront estate comes with its own private harbour, landing stage and fishing rights.

The grounds of the Estate are a particular feature and offer a mixture of mature gardens with lawns, flower beds and shrubberies surrounding the house and sweeping down to the lake.

There are maintained walks through the mature woodlands, including, the Hazel Walk through a Hazel Tree plantation, the Beech Walk, Lady Alice’s Walk, The Cathedral Walk and The North Walk.

Afternoon strolls around the remarkably well-maintained walled garden will be a lasting memory, and is a highlight of any visit.

Provisional Booking Form

Mid-week bookings run from Monday PM till Friday AM – 4 nights
Weekend breaks run from Friday PM till Monday AM – 3 nights
Important – A Week’s booking runs from Saturday to Saturday

Christmas and New Year are high season as above, for other Public holidays – please apply for rates.

A refundable breakages deposit of €1000 is payable with the rental amount will be refunded within seven days of departure, provided there are no damage issues.

  Per week Weekend Mid-week
October to May €12,950 €7,950 €7,950
June to September €12,950 Not Available Not Available

Select your Dates

AVAILABLE BOOKED

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  • Please note all booking requests are subject to 24 hour approval.
  • Once your provisional booking has been placed, the UIH team will verify it, answer any specific queries you may have, and request a deposit to lock in your dates.
  • Please note if your provisional booking is not confirmed and the deposit paid within 3 days it will expire.
  • If your preferred dates are not available, click here to review alternate options.
  • For additional information please contact us on +353 85 860 0027

Additional separate accommodation on the property may be available on application, including the Walled Garden Cottage, here…

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Out & About

 

The Shannon and its lakes dominate the midlands, and with that there comes fishing and food.

Just jump right in…

Portumna Golf Club

Here are some of our favourites…

And call by Nenagh Farmers Market on Saturdays if you’re around

For those keen on hunting there are a choice of local packs within easy reach, namely The Ormond Hunt, The North Tipperary Foxhounds and The Galway Blazers. The property is also the perfect terrain for a private shoot with good woodland coverage.

 

The Locality

 

 

The pretty village of Terryglass is just 10 minutes away, and has a long and distinguished history with a monastery being founded there by St. Columba in 549 A.D. The famous Book of Leinster was produced at the Monastery and can now be seen in Trinity College Dublin.

The village has a strong reputation for food and has two award-winning bar and restaurants — Paddy’s Bar and The Derg Inn — that are well worth a visit or two.

photo Kenneth Allen

Portumna, 20 minutes away, is the nearest sizable town, home to the Workhouse Museum, a chilling example of this much hated alternative to starvation. The bridge here is the nearest Shannon crossing point and the link to Galway and the West.
You may also like to visit the gardens of popular Portumna Castle – more of a fortified house, with renaissance influences unusual for the period in Ireland.

Nenagh is a little further away in the opposite direction, but is considerably better served with shops and restaurants.
While you’re there, you might like to check out the medieval Nenagh castle, and climb its 101-step spiral staircase. Access to the tower is through a passageway within the base of the wall.

Cycling is best done in the 1,500 acres Portumna Forest Park at the top end of the lake, which is also home to the annual Forest Marathon and 100k Ultra Marathon.

Lough Derg at 118k sq in area and 39k long is the third largest lake in Ireland, and the last lake on the Shannon system before it meets the Atlantic Ocean.
The river Shannon itself is the longest river in the British Isles, and more importantly, the most navigable…
The best way to explore the lake is by boat, as it is deeply indented with no handy shoreline cycle route.

Fishing is one of the main attractions to the region, and the Pike which is the largest of the freshwater predators, is a prime target. There is no close season for pike in Ireland and anglers may fish for pike all year round.

The heritage town of Killaloe at the southern tip of the lough is the birthplace of Brian Boru, high King of Ireland at the dawn of the second millennium. It is also home to Limerick University Sports Adventure Centre – which provides a wide range of activities.

 

How to get there – Car advised…

By Air: Flights to Dublin, Belfast or Shannon airports.
Shannon Airport – less than 1 and a half hours from the house.
Dublin Airport – less than 2 and a half hours from the house.
Cork Airport – is also less than 2 and a half hours from the house.

By Sea: Ferry crossings
Dublin City Port/Holyhead has a fast crossing and is approx 2 and a half hours away
Rosslare Harbour for Ferries to South Wales is approx 3 hours from the house.

Map

Island Retreat

Island Retreat

Island Retreat

The Way We Were…

Book This Home

County Down

AS SEEN ON BBC 1 television Countryfile on Sunday 24th April 2022…
On a private island off the western shore of the singular Strangford Lough, is an enchanting 250-year-old cottage. A historical home of unique character where generations of families have escaped.
Secluded, and with stunning views and bird-life; direct access to the lough and a tennis court, it’s hard to believe you’re just 45 minutes from Belfast.

Heritage with a good dollop of fun

The owners family lovingly restored this cottage in 1935 as a summer retreat, and sensitive extensions over the years have retained many original features, including deep-set window sills, quarry-tiled floors and Belfast sinks – quirks and curiosities have been deliberately left unchanged.


The rambling layout of interconnecting rooms divides naturally into two wings, and is ideally suited to a couple of families holidaying together or multi-generational (3G) families.

The principal entrance is through the original kitchen. Idiosyncratic lemon panelling and hand-built furniture are typical to the cottage, as is the sizable Victorian hand pump, once the water supply.

AT A GLANCE

  • Sleeps
    6 to 8 guests
    From €2,250 per week
  • Bedrooms
    Two double bedrooms – 1 ensuite
    Two triple bedrooms
    Two Bathrooms
  • Other Rooms
    Sitting room and Living room
    Family Kitchen
    Entrance Porch/Conservatory
  • Features
    Wood-burning stoves
    Oil fired central heating + electric heaters
    All-weather Tennis Court
    Loughside Jetty & Slip
  • Contempo
    2 Flat screen TV, WiFi internet, DVD players
    strong 4G Cell phone reception
  • Availability
    High season Weekly only: Saturday to Saturday
    Weekends: Friday to Monday
    Midweek: Monday to Friday
  • Restrictions
    Children are welcome
    Pets by arrangement
  • CHECK HERE

The main living room has an eclectic collection of sofas with a wood burning stove as the focus.

There is also a vintage piano for sing-songs, and a gramophone with a selection of old 78 rpm records to explore.

Here a wonderful bay-window dining area with a panoramic view of the lough extends southwards.

A short hallway connects to the second sitting room, carpeted, with an enameled stove, and its own cushioned bay window.

Between the two, is a family bathroom, and opposite, a sunny porch-conservatory opening onto the South-facing lawn.

Facilities & Ameneties

Kitchen Appliances

• Electric Rangemaster twin oven
• With 5 ring gas hob
• Fridge-freezer
• Dishwasher
• Toaster
• Microwave

Utility Appliances

• Washing machine and dryer in Bathroom
• Iron

Bedrooms

• Sizes – Two double beds, six single beds
• Travel cot
• 2 Hairdryers

Tech & Entertainment

• Wi-Fi Internet
• 2 Flat-screen TVs
• 2 DVD players

Other

• Large selection of books
• Large selection of DVDs
• Children’s high chair
• Children’s books
• 2 woodburning stoves
• All weather Tennis Court, racquets and balls
• Charcoal Barbecue

Bedrooms

There is a double bedroom and a triple in both wings, with some reached through the adjoining bedroom, and two having  direct access to the garden.

Again, with a nod to the past, the conspicuous flower pattern on the curtains in one room, is an exact copy of one used to decorate some of the first-class cabins on Titanic.

The black cooking range used by a series of evacuee families during the second World War, is still to be found in “The Kitchen Bedroom”.

Beyond the last bedroom in the West wing, is a large, rustic, pine-paneled bathroom that also serves as a laundry room. It can also be reached directly from the garden.

Its vintage, cast-iron shower/bath has been adapted for modern use with an electric shower.

Outside

The lawn gently slopes to a rocky shore where there is access to a slip and a concrete jetty for launching. In addition, you may utilize a second slip for trailer launching via the lane that runs down the side of the house  – so if it floats, bring it!

In addition to the shoreline, there are amazing walks through woods (award-winning arboretum) and some breathtaking birdlife.
There is also an all-weather tennis court on the property.

Provisional Booking Form

This Home is normally only let by the week, except as follows:
Mid-week bookings run from Monday PM till Friday AM – 4 nights
Weekend breaks run from Friday PM till Monday AM – 3 nights
Important – A Week’s booking runs from Saturday to Saturday

Christmas and New Year are high season as above, for other Public holidays – please apply for rates.

A refundable breakages deposit payable of €350 with the rental amount will be refunded within seven days of departure.

Christmas 2022 – 23rd to the 28th December – €2,800
New Years’ 2023/4 –
29th to the 2nd January – €2,680

  Per week Weekend Mid-week
October to April €2,250 €1,300 €1,300
May to September €2,800 Not Available Not Available

Select your Dates

AVAILABLE BOOKED

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Your travel arrangements are important, so all provisional bookings are double checked with the owners to ensure that your plans do not conflict with theirs, this can take up to 24 hours, but we haven’t forgotten about you.!

Provisional bookings will be followed up by email, at which point we can answer specific queries you may have, verify your booking and request a deposit to confirm.

Please note that all unconfirmed provisional bookings will expire after 3 days.
If your preferred dates are not available, please click here to review all houses that match your dates.

Restrictions

Smoking – No, sorry!
Parties – The owners regret Stag, Hen, Wedding or 21st parties are not admissible.
Pets – Possibly, check with us.

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Out & About

The lough is home to a multitude of yacht clubs – the local one around the corner caters for water sports – canoes, paddle boards, etc, – better still, bring your own water toys…

There’s so much to see and do, we just can’t list them all, so here are some of our favourites…

The Locality

Mahee is a small privately owned island on Strangford Lough, the last in a chain linked by road causeways to the mainland. The nearest neighbours are a couple of fields away – mostly with woods between properties – but the nearest sizeable town is Comber, on the mainland 25 minutes away.

This is an island steeped in history, starting with the ruins of Mahee Castle (1570) and Nendrum, a 5th century monastery at one end of the island with its own small museum, and Europe’s oldest known tidal-mill site from the 7th century.

More recently the island became home in the 17th century to the industrious immigrant Andrews family from Scotland, who subsequently achieved diverse acclaim, including the design of the Titanic.

You may be interested in a recently published book curated by the daughter of the Helen Turtle – Midnight Again – a collection of poignant letters written to her mother and sister in America before and during the war when she lived here with her young children.

Strangford Lough is one of the most richly bio-diverse regions in Europe, with over 2,000 marine species spread across 150 km2. It is the largest sea inlet in the British Isles, and boasts at least seventy islands and multiple drumlin islets.

The narrows are also subject to a highly energetic tidal race. With water moving backwards and forwards at up to 15kph twice a day the channel has become a test-bed for experimental power generation, most lately by a Swedish company who are currently trialing their fascinating “sea kite” technology.

For a bird’s eye view over the lough, the tower at the top of Scrabo Hill, 20 minutes north, is one of Northern Ireland’s best-known landmarks and the views from the platform at the top of the 122 steps are spectacular.

Migrating Brent Geese in their thousands arrive from Arctic Canada to Strangford Lough from October through the winter months to eat the lough’s eelgrass before the long journey back to Arctic Canada to breed. It is a spectacular sight and a great venue to see this is WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre, 5 miles from the Cottage and one of the venues for BBC Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch 2021/2022.

From the Strangford village at the bottom of the lough, there is an entertaining ferry – every 30 minutes – across the narrows to Portaferry on the Ards Peninsula, where there is a small Aquarium (Exploris ) that is popular, and an important lifeboat station.

Shellfish is the name of the game around these parts, with pot fishing, mainly for prawns and crabs and licensed shellfish farming within the lough, so it’s not surprising that you will come across some of the finest seafood restaurants in Ireland. For divine Fish and Chips, make a wee journey to the pier at Ardglass farther down the coast…

Castle Ward is an 820-acre walled demesne owned by the National Trust on the edge of Strangford with terrific sheltered woodlands and trails, great for walking, running, cycling. The historic farmyard was the location of Winterfell where the deadly Game of Thrones® series is set in motion.

If you’re fond of the odd G&T you must be sure to try some of the home-grown local varieties that have sprung up in recent years. The Echlinville Estate lists Jawbox amongst their brands, and invite you to enjoy a tour of their distillery, or you may prefer to try Shortcross from the 500-acre Rademon estate.

The Titanic, which has strong links to the nearby town of Comber, has its own “Comber Titanic Audio Trail” which guides you to special places of interest throughout Comber that relate to the Titanic story. If you are going to Belfast – don’t miss a visit to the renowned Titanic Belfast Experience.

How to get there – Car advised…

By Air: Flights to Dublin, Belfast or Shannon airports.
Dublin Airport – is about 2 hours from the cottage.
Belfast Airports – Belfast International is just over an hour from the cottage & George Best’s City Airport, Belfast, is 35 minutes away.

By Sea: Ferry crossings
Ferries from Belfast, about an hour away, run to Liverpool and Scotland
Dublin City Port/Holyhead has a fast crossing and is about two hours from the cottage
Rosslare Harbour for Ferries to South Wales is about 4 hours from the cottage.

Map

Cove Lodge

Cove Lodge

Cove Lodge

Ultra Chic Coastal cottage

Book this home

County Waterford

Tucked away beneath the rocky escarpment that leads to a secluded tidal strand, this completely refurbished cottage oozes luxury and charm in equal measure. With a surprisingly spacious interior and versatile French door garden, Cove Lodge is a unique vacation escape.
Discover a coastline that probably remains Ireland’s best kept secret…