Saltwater Cottage

An open plan living, kitchen and dining area spans the front section of a triad. This is the original cottage from the end of the 19th century, and enjoys spectacular views across an infinitely variable seascape.

Sliding French doors separate the panoramic ten seater dining area from a broad paved terrace which adds a whole new understanding of al fresco lunching.

The inclusive kitchen backs up the dining area. With a long preparation island complete with sink, and premium appliances, inspired family banquets are anticipated.

At the opposing end of this ground floor space, the living room interior retains the original rough stone walls in part, with tasteful sculptured rendering curving around the chimney, window and door reveals.

A couple of classic sofas of the 1800’s style, bracket the inset turf-burning stove, and complement traditional, ornate cast iron heating radiators around the walls.

Sandwiched between the original cottage at the front and the sleeping accommodation on two levels at the rear, is a broad hallway. On one side is a cloakroom and utility storage, and the other steps down to a comfortable den – which is where you will find the flat screen TV with surround sound, an audio selection, and a variety of family games.

A scattering of Persian rugs soften the solid hardwood and limestone floors throughout.

Either side of the lower ground floor, there is a family bedroom. One with a set of bunk beds, for 2 children and a double bed.

On the level above, and separated by a large landing with French doors to the back patio, are three double bedrooms all with king size beds, and large picture windows facing onto the paddock at the rear.

All the bedrooms are carpeted and have stylish ensuite shower-rooms with underfloor heating and walk-in wardrobes.

A narrow road below the front lawn, separates the cottage from the rocky shoreline and adjoining beach; few roads have less traffic.
Clew Bay and Croagh Patrick, Ireland’s sacred mountain clutter the skyline. The bird life is exceptional with resident pairs of curlews, herons, and even an otter.

There is large store house in the back with a fridge/freezer for drinks.

Kitchen Appliances

• La Cornue Gas range with oven and 5 rings
• Electric oven
• Microwave
• Fridge
• Under-counter freezer
• Dishwasher
• Toaster

Utility Appliances

• Washing machine-dryer
• Additional Fridge-freezer in external store-room
• Iron

Bedrooms

• Sizes – Two King-size and one double bed, three sets of bunks
• 3x Hairdryers
• Heated towel rails

Tech & Entertainment

• Wi-Fi Internet
• Flat-screen TV
• with Surround sound
• DVD player

Other

• Good selection of books & Board games
• Boogie boards x4
• Surf boards x2
• Croquet set
• Fishing rods x 2
• 2 sea Kayaks & life jackets x4

• Catch a wave at Keel Beach — a 3km stretch of Atlantic surf with a school and equipment hire on the sand
• Swim at Keem Bay — one of Ireland’s finest beaches, sheltered, turquoise and remote. Regularly listed among the world’s top 50
• Take a RIB boat tour with Achill Seascape — dolphins, basking sharks, sea caves, dramatic cliffs and the coastline of Clare Island, all seen from the water. One of the best things you can do on the island. Book ahead
• Cycle along the Great Western Greenway — 43km following the old Westport to Achill railway line, the longest off-road trail in Ireland. Bike hire available at Achill Sound
• Sup a pint with some Trad at Lynott’s in Cashel — live music most weekends, genuinely local
• Love Achill lamb at Calvey’s Butchers, Keel — pick up the best meat on the island
• Have dinner out at Achill Cliff House — one of the standout restaurants on the island, with views to match

• Browse the Saturday market in Keel Hall — local fish, baking, crafts and produce. A lovely morning stop
• Guided hillwalk with Achill Isle Walks — Gerard is a Fáilte Ireland qualified guide with deep knowledge of the island’s flora, fauna and history. The Slievemore walk including the Deserted Village is not to be missed
• Walk or drive to Minaun Heights — a short drive from Dooega with panoramic views of Keel, Keem and the southern coastline
• Visit the Deserted Village at Slievemore — the ruins of over eighty stone cottages at the base of the mountain, one of the most evocative famine sites in Ireland
• Walk to Kildavnet Tower — the 15th-century tower built by the O’Malley clan, just along the Atlantic Drive from Dooega
• Explore the Yawl Art Gallery in Dooega — local and visiting artists, right on your doorstep
• Soak in a seaweed bath at Eskape — seaweed picked fresh that morning, a proper restorative west of Ireland experience

Events

• Achill International Harp Festival — last week in October
• Achill Marathons — July and August
• Scoil Acla — summer school for traditional Irish music, arts and culture each August
• Grace O’Malley Festival — celebrating Ireland’s Pirate Queen, May

Saltwater Cottage sits in the old fishing village of Dooega on the south side of Achill Island — a sheltered, south-facing bay with a Blue Flag beach of part pebble, part golden sand, bordered by cliffs and full of rock pools at low tide.

The nearest supermarket is in Keel, about 8km away, along with Calvey’s butchers — the place for Achill mountain lamb. A larger SuperValu is at Achill Sound, 10km away, and you’ll have passed it on the way in. Westport is 40km and worth a visit for an evening out.

Achill is the largest offshore island in Ireland, connected to the mainland since 1887 by a bridge at Achill Sound. About 87% of the island is peat bog, but its 128km coastline includes five Blue Flag beaches and some of the most dramatic cliff scenery in Europe.

The north side of Croaghaun Mountain has the highest sea cliffs in Ireland at 688 metres — nearly three times higher than the more famous Cliffs of Moher — and they can only be reached on foot or by boat. The hike from Keem Bay along the cliff top is one of the great walks in the west of Ireland.

The Deserted Village at Slievemore is one of the most atmospheric sites on the island — the ruins of over eighty dry-stone cottages stretching along the base of the mountain, a bleak and beautiful reminder of the famine era. The population of Achill today is around 2,500 — roughly half of what it was before the Great Famine of the 1840s.

Kildavnet Tower, just along the Atlantic Drive from Dooega, was built in 1429 by the forefathers of Grace O’Malley — the legendary pirate queen born on Clare Island, visible on clear days from the shore. Don Allum made landfall at Dooagh beach in September 1987, the first person to row to America and back.

Basking sharks, dolphins and orcas are regular visitors to these waters, and large pods of porpoises are frequently sighted. The peregrine falcon — the fastest animal on earth — can sometimes be spotted along the cliffs in autumn, instructing its young to fly.

Achill is part of Ireland’s largest Gaeltacht region. Irish is the spoken language of everyday life here, and the island has long attracted artists and writers drawn by its particular quality of light and landscape — among them Paul Henry, Robert Henri, Heinrich Böll and Graham Greene.

Where to Eat – 

On the island

• Achill Cliff House Restaurant, Keel — the standout dinner option on the island. A Michelin-recommended restaurant with stunning views across Keel Strand and the Minaun Cliffs, serving fresh local seafood — lobster, oysters, wild salmon — alongside a full à la carte menu with an excellent wine list. Book ahead in summer.
• Ted’s Bar & Restaurant, Cashel — the most popular local pub restaurant, with open turf fires and a daily food menu. Locals and visitors rate the seafood chowder highly, and it’s reliably busy on summer evenings — a good sign on an island this size.
• The Beehive, Keel — the best spot for lunch or a relaxed daytime stop. A coffee shop, licensed restaurant and craft shop in the heart of Keel with indoor and outdoor dining — home baking, soups, fresh Achill salmon and very good coffee.
• Lynott’s, Cashel — a proper traditional pub, the place for a pint and live trad music at weekends. Worth a quiet Tuesday night just as much as a busy Saturday.
• The pub in Dooega village — a traditional bar right on the Atlantic Drive, just minutes from the cottage, with outdoor seating and occasional live music. Good for an informal evening without going far.

Just off the island

• Nephin Restaurant, Mulranny Park Hotel — about 20 minutes from the bridge, the four-star Mulranny Park is the most polished dining option in the wider area. The Nephin Restaurant is award-winning and the Waterfront Bar & Bistro is a lovely more relaxed option with views over Clew Bay. Worth the drive for a special evening.

Worth knowing

• Calvey’s Butchers in Keel stocks Achill Mountain Lamb — one of the best things you can cook in the cottage. Pick it up early in the week as it sells out.
• The Saturday market in Keel Hall (mornings) is the place for fresh local fish, smoked salmon and home baking — often the best meal-planning stop of the week.