Brennan's Old House, Loop Head

This 130 year old cottage, lovingly restored and full of character, retains its original stone finish - inside and out. Set on an acre of landscaped garden, it was the former home of Michael Brennan, a local blacksmith. The space The ground floor, finished with Mexican Terracotta, covers approximately 35 square meters with underfloor heating. Two mezzanine floors have been added and floored with beautifully-grained Honduran pitch pine. The high ceilings and roof beams remain exposed. The lounge area centres around a multi-fuel stove. Within the original stone wall, there are many interesting details to be found. Above the fireplace, there is an old-style drying rack operated by a manual pulley system. This is anchored with a 'calf-hook', a feature in old farmhouses used for tethering young animals during long winter nights. The mezzanine loft twin room overlooks the lounge area and is accessed by a spiral staircase. The two double bedrooms are located behind the chimney breast, the upper being accessed by an open stone stairway. The bathroom comprises a shower, with exposed copper plumbing fixtures, toilet and handbasin. Solar panels provide ample hot water all year round. The landscaped gardens are very secluded and south-facing. There is off-road, gated carparking for 3 vehicles. Guest access Guests have access to the entire property including an outhouse which contains a freezer and washing machine. The property is not wheelchair accessible. There is a covered fresh-water well which you are requested not to interfere with. Other things to note Single night stays are available, on request. *NO WiFi* Guests should be aware that, in keeping with the secluded nature of this cottage, and, indeed, the region, there is patchy cell-phone coverage and no internet connection available. There is no microwave in the property. Guests are welcome to light the wood-burning stove during their stay. We will provide a starter pack of firelighters and kiln-dried wood for the first evening. Beyond that, you will need to purchase a further supply - there's a list of local suppliers in the house manual in the cottage. While our family have holidayed here with toddlers and young children for many years, we would ask parents to note that there are two mezzazine floors, one accessed by a spiral staircase and the other by open stone steps. Given the nature of the stone work, there are sharp corners throughout the cottage. The house is enclosed with a low wall (a meter high) around the perimeter, a gate to the front (the road) and one at the back that leads to the garden. The garden is only bordered by a posted fence and hedge - we always advise that children be supervised if they're out and about, particularly in the garden. As our heating and water system is a modern addition, you will notice exposed copper plumbing throughout the cottage. Due to the age (and with the aim of preserving the character) of the structure, it has not always been possible to insulate the sound of this system, particularly the water pump, as much as we would like. As a result, things occasionally do go ‘bump in the night’! The property is gated. *PETS* Well-behaved and supervised pets are allowed however we charge an ADDITIONAL cleaning fee of €50. This is in addition to the base cleaning fee of €50 automatically added at the time of booking. Unfortunately, this measure is borne out of previous negative experiences as hosts and damage to our home. We do not allow our own pets on our furniture and beds and we expect our guests to ensure that this is also the case during their stay.