Rent This Cottage for a Holiday - Irish Dream Cottage

Irish Dream Cottage

Listening to gently trickling tranquil streams, breathing in cool clean mountain air. Views on gently grazing sheep.

The Shepherd’s Cottage

Holiday Home

The Pocket, Coomlumina, Blackwater, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.

From only €550 Per Week (Sleeps 6)

Located: 20 minutes from Sneem, 30 minutes from Kenmare and 40 minutes from Killarney town centre by car, driving through the beautiful national park with its wonderful lakes and mountains. Just 10 minutes from local grocery shop, pub, petrol pump and post office.

The Shepherd’s Cottage, a priceless gem of Ireland’s ancient heritage that sits deep in the heart of a horseshoe of mountains and at the foothill of one of Ireland’s highest peaks, Mullach an Aitinn (Summit of the Gorse).

Known simply to the locals as “The Pocket”, this area is within the world-renowned “McGillycuddy Reeks”, and is a European designated area of “outstanding natural beauty of the highest class”. This class of designation is matched only by the Killarney National Park which has been described as “probably the loveliest part of Ireland if not Western Europe”.

To live in an extremely rare and precious location such as this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those who recognise its inherent value. With strict planning laws to protect the natural beauty and ancient history of places like The Pocket, it is now impossible to gain planning permission to build here again any time in the future. Even derelict houses will not be given permission for restoration. The Shepherd’s Cottage is one of the few homes of its kind available in the world today, there will be no others. In this wild and untamed place, there is hardly a sign of human hand on this landscape; it has remained unchanged for thousands of years with mountains whose ancient age exceeds that of the Himalayas.

Situated at the end of a completely private cul-de-sac, there are no over-looking houses, and no passing cars. This, thankfully, is how it will always remain – untarnished by time and untouched by the outside world. With mountains on three sides and a river running along the fourth, the cottage and its three-acre site are an island of peace and tranquillity. The silence to be found here is calming to the soul.

This is a place of contemplation where you can simply step back from the chaos of the world and feel free of the things of man – a true sanctuary. From here you can see the world go by as if from a river bank, no longer caught in the current as the river flows along its path. This is a place to reconnect with your authentic self, to re-ignite your creativity and rediscover what once was lost in more than one sense.

For those who are sensitive to it, a great energy can be felt here and in some way connected to, at a deep and profound level. Although this energy cannot be fathomed it can none-the-less be strongly sensed. This energy becomes even more awesome as you climb further up into the pocket of the mountains, a breathtaking journey that must be experienced.

There are ancient ruins further along the river, perhaps only half a kilometre away from Shepherd’s Cottage. Some locals believe these ruins are all that is left of a monastic settlement of some kind. They are believed to be related to the settlements on the Blasket Islands, although this belief has not yet been confirmed.

The old name given to The Pocket was “Coomlumminy” or “Coomlummina”, an ancient word of both Gaelic and Latin origin. “Coom” is thought to mean “lowland dwelling or home”, and “lumminy” or “lummina”, is thought to mean “of enlightenment or learning”. Perhaps then, “Coomlummina” was anciently known as a “home of enlightenment”.

Even the rain is an amazing thing here as you watch the mountains come alive. If you like you can stay warm and cosy watching from the comfort of the cottage, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could take a walk outside during a storm for an invigorating experience. The rain streams out of the mountains like dozens of silver veins and the river swells to an awesome torrent. Just to stand and breathe in the oxygen-filled air and to be drenched with the rain water is so exhilarating. In a place as wild as this you feel truly alive.

On sunny days there is an endless abundance of activities that beckon you to “the great outdoors”. Whether you fancy a stroll beside the river, a light picnic by the duck pond, a vigourous hill walk, an exploration of ancient monuments, a quiet read in the cottage garden, a nature trek to enjoy bird watching or wild flower picking, a spot of gardening, or a wonderfully relaxed daydream in the sun, there is always something to look forward to and take pleasure from.

The cottage is a faithful reconstruction of a shepherd’s cottage which had been in The Pocket for over a hundred years. The original cottage had looked so natural sitting amidst the mountains, as if it had always been there. This was a dwelling that was truly at home; as much a part of this ancient place as the mountains and river themselves. It belonged.

It was our desire to honour this sense of belonging and lovingly rebuild the cottage to how it was always meant to be. We did not wish to arrogantly impose ourselves on this place, but to treat it with respect. We believed it to be sacred in some way, a simple dignity. Its stones had been placed there by people come to pass, in an ancient Ireland also gone forever. By rebuilding the shepherd’s cottage we felt that in some way it helped to keep the spirit of Ireland’s past alive into its future…

The design of today’s Shepherd’s Cottage follows the design of the original cottage with the utmost attention to detail. All the original stone was reclaimed from the old building and reused for the stonework of the new building. The real slate on the new roof is identical to the original slates used on the old cottage. We have gone to great lengths to seek out the same authentic hardware for the cottage, down to such things as hinges, thumb latches, window stays and “rat tails” latches for all the windows and doors. All these features are handmade in a forge not cheap mass-produced reproductions, but original pieces of craftsmanship. Each of the doors and windows has been handmade in the traditional way from redwood

The Shepherd’s Cottage remains accessible with breath-taking drives in every direction. Just 20 minutes away is the delightful town of Sneem, 30 minutes drive would bring you to the lovely town of Kenmare or a 45 minute drive through the mountains and national parks would take you to the famously beautiful town of Killarney. Sandy beaches are nearby as are renowned lakes, rivers and waterfalls. Kerry is also famous for its abundance of world-class golf courses; it is also a fishing enthusiast’s dream, and has unlimited opportunities for horse-riding, surfing, scuba-diving, hill walking, cycling… the list is endless!