Silvermines, nr Killaloe, County Tipperary ref 5454
Unique thatched sandstone cottage, renovated in 2003. In lee of wild Slieve Feilm mountains, 10 minutes from picturesque Killaloe on the Shannon; close to Nenagh. Stream and magnificent trees border rear triangular field. Gravelled patio, low stone walls, off-road parking. Large sitting room in original 350 year old building with open stone fireplace. Stone built extension houses airy kitchen with dining table, and ground-floor double bedroom. Upstairs the bathroom hugs the central chimney. Its steep beamed ceilings, nooks and crannies make this cottage every child's fantasy. Killaloe is a pleasure to stay in with its cathedral, restaurants, pubs and shops.
Shop 3 miles. Pub 2 miles. Restaurant 7 miles. Beach 80 miles. Lakeside 7 miles.
On the ground floor: lounge, kitchen/diner, double.
On the first floor: 2 doubles, bathroom.
Electricity and oil central heating included, open fire with fuel supplied, linen and towels included, hairdryer, cot, high chair, stair gate, TV, sky, video, dvd player, radio, CD, freezer, microwave, dishwasher, w/machine, dryer, partially enclosed garden, garden furniture, private off road parking. Small pets welcome.
Extra Details
This picture-perfect thatched sandstone cottage, renovated and extended in 2003, is at the junction of a winding lane and a small back road between Nenagh and Newport, in the lee of the wild Slieve Felim mountains. A stream runs through a coppice of magnificent mature trees at the boundary of the triangular three-quarter acre field to the rear. Gravelled front garden with low stone walls, and lots of parking space next to the house. A one-of-a-kind cottage, 7 miles from picturesque Killaloe (on the River Shannon near to Lough Derg) and the market and shopping town of Nenagh. The owners' family and friends have made good use of the cottage as a centrally located base for horse riding, golf and sailing. An hour from Shannon airport, and a half hour drive from Limerick, the house is a jumping off point for the Offaly and Clare shores of Lough Derg, and for expeditions on to counties Tipperary and Cork. The beautiful large sitting room in the original 350-year old stone building has a large open stone fireplace. A recent extension, which looks just like the original building, houses an airy kitchen, complete with modern appliances and table, and a ground floor double bedroom. Upstairs the unique bathroom hugs the central chimney breast, with a claw foot tub and shower. The two double bedrooms upstairs have steep beamed ceilings and lots of nooks and crannies.
Day trips. 90 minute scenic drive past Lahinch beach and the Cliffs of Moher, to Doolin, where a small ferry takes you to the closest of the Aran Islands, Irish-speaking Inisheer, where you can hire bikes, swim at a beautiful sandy beach, enjoy traditional pubs, and visit an amazing wrecked steamer washed ashore in storms over ninety years ago.
En route to or from Shannon airport, you could do much worse than visit the castle at Bunratty (on the N19 to Limerick) with a fascinating museum of old cottages and houses relocated from country locations all over Ireland. Also close is the wonderful Craigenowen: a seventeenth century tower house, next to a beautiful, lily-covered lake, with reconstructions of an Iron Age island encampment, a ring fort with subterranean passages (a children's delight), and a reconstruction of the transatlantic curragh boat of Brendan the Navigator.
In Limerick the Hunt Museum is a delightful small museum in a handsome Georgian building. Outside Limerick close to the road to Tipperary (which is not far away) is the charming Lough Gur, set in rolling hills and with easy lakeside walks.
If (like us) you like swimming in open water, then check out Worrall's End, near Castleconnell, on the River Shannon. There is a small boat club at this riverside dead end, and locals and Limerick residents have swum in the extraordinary, safe, wide tree-lined waters of the Shannon, just above shallow fishing rapids, for many decades if not centuries. Ask for directions in Castleconnell village: it's hard to find, but worth the hunt.
We've never been there, but the observatory at Birr Castle in Offaly (an area with a large Protestant population to this day) houses one of the largest and earliest reflecting telescopes in these islands, and sounds like it would be well worth a visit. Let us know if you go there!
Killaloe/Ballina. Killaloe is an ancient Episcopal seat, currently of the Protestant Church of Ireland: the cathedral is a fine old church right by the river. Small old streets climb the hill on the Clare side: across the narrow bridge is the less attractive but busy and expanding twin village of Ballina, on the Tipperary bank of the River Shannon. A few minutes upstream is the very fine lakeside fort of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland who fought the Vikings in Dublin in the eleventh century. A tourist centre and well equipped library gives useful information about the local area in summer months.
The best restaurant in the entire area, the Cherry Tree, is located in Ballina, in a fine modern building on the side of the Shannon, overlooking Killaloe. The Cherry Tree is a genuinely good restaurant: ideal for a special meal of the holiday. Smart, but in a laid-back way: dress up by all means, but don't feel obliged to overdo it. Outdoor tables in summer. Booking essential.
The small McKeogh's supermarket at the centre of Ballina doesn't look anything special (though it's well stocked), but at its rear lurks the butcher. The McKeogh family own livestock farmland locally, and their beef is of the highest quality. An unpretentious and friendly gem.
Goosers pub, on the way into Ballina from the N7, has a decent restaurant, and good bar food. Specializes in fish, which can be very good -- try the grilled turbot if they have it. (Their fish comes from Rene Cusack's in Limerick, we believe). Not haute cuisine, but a friendly, well run place with lots of space and some interesting aquaria in the corridors. Tables outside overlooking the river and the Cathedral at Killaloe, close to the playground and open air swimming pool that border the river below.
Nenagh. A very old and quite attractive market town, a centre of the Norman occupation, with a population of 5000 or more, which serves a wide hinterland. The seat of the County Council of the North Riding of Tipperary, Nenagh is a very good shopping centre, with everything from old-school local shops to modern supermarkets.
There is a wonderful, if somewhat pricy, delicatessen and cafe called the Country Kitchen in Nenagh. Run with charming rigour by its proprietor, Peter, this is a place for local seasonal produce and imported delicacies that shames many a New York or London upscale deli. The best wine in the area: never a dud, and many a wonderful bottle, from the reaonably priced (by Irish standards) to the very fine (and commensurately expensive). Whether food or wine, listen to the recommendations. They will certainly sell to you, but they won't ever diddle you. The lunches are by far the best informal food in the area.
Also in Nenagh is a local branch of an Irish wine franchise, the Wine Buff, which has an idiosyncratic selection of French, Italian and Spanish wines, many of which are very good indeed. A new wine/cigar store, McGaffneys, houses a downstairs wine bar. Reports and opinions gratefully received.
On the same street as the Country Kitchen is a butcher's (the name escapes us) with several large circular silver Bridgestone "Best of Ireland 200x" plaques. The meat here is very good indeed, but a bit more expensive than McKeogh's in Ballina.
Silvermines. A one-horse village, with the closest local shop (very small, essential items only). Used to be the centre of silver mining, an industry which ceased only twenty-five years ago after many centuries of operation. The local silver mines were the reason for Cromwellian expropriation of land in the local area of the cottage: a road above the house running along the contour of the hills is known as Cromwell's Road, and local legend has it that one farming family in the area are known to this day as the Helper [family name], reputedly for renting their horses to Cromwell's army to help construct that road.
Horse riding, Pony trekking 2 miles. Swimming Pool, Traditional Music, Water sports, Fishing - Lake, Golf 7 miles. Cinema, Leisure centre & indoor pool, Leisure Club with gym, hot-tub, sauna, steam room 8 miles.
Unique thatched sandstone cottage, renovated in 2003. In lee of wild Slieve Feilm mountains, 10 minutes from picturesque Killaloe on the Shannon; close to Nenagh. Stream and magnificent trees border rear triangular field. Gravelled patio, low stone walls, off-road parking. Large sitting room in original 350 year old building with open stone fireplace. Stone built extension houses airy kitchen with dining table, and ground-floor double bedroom. Upstairs the bathroom hugs the central chimney. Its steep beamed ceilings, nooks and crannies make this cottage every child's fantasy. Killaloe is a pleasure to stay in with its cathedral, restaurants, pubs and shops.
|
see our face book page
