Stay on the Estate!

Our horses range from the very large to the very small, and on a weekday you may see some of the larger ones training in the big dressage ring…or the blacksmith there to reshoe them. Our cattle are mostly purebred Dexter, a native Irish breed of smaller size than most, known for their hardiness and strikingly flavorful meat. We also have a pair of Highland cows, but these shaggy giants are more in the way of family pets…there for the calving , not the eating. Then there are the donkeys, supposedly their job is to pull the donkey cart but in reality their task is to be decorative.

During the daytime, the poultry run free around the place, the self-important geese marching solemnly in procession but quick to sound the alarm with loud honking and flapping of wings. Then there are the ducks, quietly quacking away as they search for juicy delicacies in the grass and flower beds, and of course also the runner ducks; Barbara calls them the two-legged ducks, because they walk upright… The chickens are everywhere, hunting and pecking around the farmyard, the barn and the vegetable garden, leading a tranquil life and laying wonderful eggs. At dusk they all are returned to their sanctuary in the henhouse to protect them from the foxes and other nocturnal predators…and it falls to the dogs to keep watch for danger through the night hours.

All these animals are wonderful creatures, but they can also cause injury if you frighten them or intrude upon their space. Of course this is especially true of the cattle, horses and dogs. This is why we do not believe our home is a suitable rental location for children under 12, and parents with teenage children must take responsibility for supervising them at all times while on the grounds.

By making a reservation with us, you are agreeing to respect the space of all our animals, and to hold us harmless from liability if injury results from getting too close to them; this also applies to injury from the farming equipment, which must be left well alone.

The Stable cottage 

This is a charming two story home in one wing of the historic stable yard, where the riding horses for the family and guests of Castle Freke across the valley from here were looked after in former times. The spacious living room is furnished with antiques and art, and the fully equipped kitchen is a wonderfully atmospheric and welcoming space. The master bedroom upstairs is unusually large and nicely furnished, with plenty of room for an extra roll-out bed if required, while the second bedroom offers a quite special view to the old Rathbarry chapel sitting serenely up the slope from the stable complex. This is more of a ‘home’ than a rental unit, a place for creating fond memories.

The Cow Shed

The Cowshed 

The Cowshed is a beautifully restored one-bedroom apartment on the ground floor on the other side of the stable courtyard from the cottage; it is so-named due to the many cow images among its furnishings. It does not have a separate kitchen, but has a fully equipped kitchen area within the inviting living room. Nestling within its thick stone walls one feels very protected, but step out the front door and you are looking out over the majestic coastal scene toward the lighthouse on Galley Head.

The Beach Cottage

This a single story two bedroom cottage a half-mile from the stable complex, sitting in the shelter of the great sand dunes left by the tsunami from the Lisbon earthquake in 1755. A 200 meter walk from here brings you to the Long Strand, one of the longest beaches in the region, and the Fish Basket beach restaurant where you can sit outside and eat great food enjoying the spectacular scene of the Atlantic surf and the wild coastline out to Galley Head. Looking back from the cottage, the view is of the sea marsh that serves as a rich bird sanctuary, the ancient ramparts of Rathbarry Castle, and the imposing backdrop of Castle Freke on its hilltop. The cottage itself is furnished simply but nicely, with a master bedroom, a smaller bedroom with bunk beds, a cosey living room and well-equipped kitchen. It is ideally suited to families, with younger children also since the high sand dunes just across the quiet coast road are a wonderful playground for children of all ages.

CAUTION 

PLEASE, PLEASE, take note that swimming off the Long Strand beach is ONLY safe when the ocean is completely calm. The waters off the Long Strand are popular with surfers, but it is notorious for its rip tides and dangerous undertow… In even moderate surf conditions it is a totally unsafe beach for swimming. A pleasant and safe swimming beach is only a mile away at The Warren, just East of Rosscarbery.