A View Into Ireland's Soul
A View Into Ireland's Soul
Submitted: July 19, 2012
Stayed: July 2012
One changes from tourist to traveler when experiences evoke the character of a place. Our 4 days in this exquisite house changed the way we think of Ireland. The views are spectacular, and you WILL spend time watching the weather change from the conservatory, the Aran Islands appearing then disappearing in an ethereal mist several times in a day. The Cliffs of Moher are just up the seaside road, and the village of Doolin lies just below the castle that frames the home's view of the ocean, but it is what you FEEL while here that will stay with you forever. The house is a perfect design, centered around the conservatory, a fully appointed kitchen, and a charming living room with beamed ceilings and stone fireplace. Impeccably clean, with such warm touches as Irish lace curtains and sachets in every drawer, the owners have thoughtfully provided everything from sweaters & walking sticks to salad bowls and orange juicer. From the absolute comfort of a modern home, built to resemble an ancient Irish cottage (complete with thatched roof), you can look out to the Arans while reading a book from the well-stocked library about like on the Blaskets, just off the Dingle Peninsula, a day trip away. It was the story of the Blaskets that forever changed our view of Ireland, and the epiphany came while sitting in the conservatory of this beautiful home. There are beautiful seashores in other countries, though none prettier, but it is the resilience of a people who endured hardships without complaint, and their resolve to make craggy piles of wind-raked rock their homes, that we will forever remember. This home is perfectly situated to provide a view into Ireland's soul. Warm & charming, just like the people, perched high above a 14th century castle and the crashing waves of the sea, jutting like the jaws of the hearty souls who left the Blaskets in currach boats. So taken were we by the experience in this house that we are having a bronze relief of a currach boat shipped home where it will become the centerpiece of our own living room, beside our own stone fireplace, forever a reminder of four days in an Irish cottage that changed our lives.
Recommended for:
Age 55+,
Sightseeing,
Families with Teenagers,
Romantic Getaway
Owner's Response: Dear Tom,
Gerry and I were so touched by your beautiful words. You experienced the house just as we hope all of our guests will. And you describe it with such poetry! We hope you will have a chance for another visit to discover the magic once again.
Gay
Helpful votes: 7/7
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