Hidden Ireland Houses

Renowned for its warm hospitality and tranquility, Mornington captures the true spirit of Hidden Ireland amidst the sparkling lakes, rolling hills and ancient forests of County Westmeath. This has been the home of the O’Hara family since 1858 and is now in the careful stewardship of Warwick and Anne O’Hara.

Dating from 1863, Lorum Old Rectory sits beneath Mount Leinster in the peaceful valley of the River Barrow. Its warm, yellowish, locally cut granite gives it a distinctive and pleasing appearance. The house sits peacefully on the slopes above the River Barrow at Kilgreaney, about halfway between Bagenalstown and Borris. Behind the house are Mount Leinster and the Blackstairs Mountains while in front, across the river, are the plains of Kilkenny. Bobbie Smith and her daughter Rebecca are known for their warm welcome and splendid home baking. They know the area intimately and are always a fund of local knowledge.

Coolclogher House built in 1746 is a historic manor house set on a 68 acre walled estate near Killarney on the Ring of Kerry. Luxuriously restored by Mary and Maurice Harnett, Coolclogher has spacious reception rooms and large, comfortable bedrooms with magnificent views over the gardens and pasture to the dramatic mountains of the Killarney National Park.

Glanleam was built as a linen mill in 1775 and later converted into a house by the Knight of Kerry, who planted the magnificent sub-tropical gardens. In 1975 Meta Kreissig bought the estate which had declined for 50 years.

Formerly a rectory, Frewin is a fine Victorian house in mature, wooded grounds on the outskirts of Ramelton, Donegal, skillfully restored and modernised by its current owners, Thomas and Regina Coyle.

Temple House is one of the finest estates in the west of Ireland. The great house, which was remodeled in 1864, nestles in a wooded demesne, looking out over the Templars’ castle and Templehouse Lake.

Collon House, steeped in history, is full of character and charm; its gracious rooms are exquisitely furnished with period antiques and paintings, retaining the atmosphere of early Georgian living, making this a rare opportunity to experience less than 1 hour from Dublin City Centre, and 30 minutes from Dublin Airport.

Kilmokea is a former Georgian rectory, in a quiet, rural location where the Three Sister Rivers, the Suir, Nore and Barrow, meet before flowing out into Waterford Harbour. It’s rightly renowned for its seven acres of award-winning gardens, with a wide range of unusual sub-tropical plants and wonderful organic vegetables.

Set at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, just over an hour from Dublin, Roundwood is a beautiful and historically significant 18th century that offers a total escape from the hustle and bustle of city life…

The immortal line of Percy French ‘Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the sea’ could well have been written from Tyrella House’s secluded private beach.

Perched on the edge of Clifden Harbour, The Quay House is just minutes from the centre of this vibrant, engaging town. Dating from 1820, it is Clifden’s oldest house, originally built for the harbour master.