Folan’s Lodge: A Seaside Escape in Connemara

Some cottages have a nice view. Folan’s Cottage has the Twelve Bens on one side and the Atlantic stretching towards the Aran Islands on the other.

This beautifully restored stone cottage sits just a few metres from a sandy beach near Roundstone in Connemara.

It sleeps 6/7, has 3 en-suite bedrooms and, despite looking every inch the old Irish cottage from outside, the interior is large, bright and very modern.

A beachside cottage in Connemara

Folan’s Cottage was completed in 2010, but the two stone cottages it was created from have a much longer history. They were once home to a bachelor farmer named Mr Folan who lived here without electricity or running water.

According to the owners, on particularly cold winter nights he’d even bring some of his livestock inside for warmth.

After Mr Folan was moved to a prefab during the 1970s, the cottages fell into disrepair before they were eventually transformed into the architect-designed property you see today.

The location hasn’t changed, though. The cottage sits only metres from a sandy beach, with the Twelve Bens rising in one direction and views stretching across the Atlantic towards the Aran Islands in the other.

Take a look inside!

Folan’s sleeps 6/7 across 3 bedrooms, all of which have their own en-suite bathroom or shower room. There’s one large double bedroom downstairs, while upstairs you’ll find another large double along with a third bedroom containing a double and a single bed.

The kitchen is one of the standout rooms. There’s a large island, a dining table with room for 8 and everything you’ll need for cooking, including an oven, hob, dishwasher and fridge/freezer.

However, it’s the French windows that steal the show. They fold fully back onto a south-facing terrace, opening the kitchen right up to the Atlantic views outside.

The space

The living room has a stove along with a TV and Bluetooth music player, and there’s underfloor heating throughout the property for the colder months.

Outside, the south-facing terrace is a fine spot to take in the scenery when the weather behaves. And, with those huge kitchen doors folded back, the inside and outside spaces almost become one.

Then there’s the beach. It’s only a few metres from the cottage, so you can be down on the sand or in for a swim without having to pile everyone into the car.

For a pair of ruined cottages that once had neither electricity nor running water, it’s some transformation. I’d imagine Mr Folan would hardly recognise the place.

Find info on pricing and more on their website.

Discover more unique places to stay in Ireland

The stays above are just a handful of the wonderfully weird places you can spend a night around Ireland.

You’ll find plenty more in my guide to the most unique stays in Ireland, along with everything from treehouses and cabins to bell tents in my guide to the best places to go glamping in Ireland.

1. The Tranquil Tigín

You have to walk 300 metres across a meadow to reach this tiny off-grid cabin in the Wicklow Mountains.

It sleeps 2 and comes with a mezzanine king bed, enormous countryside-facing window, copper outdoor bath and fire pit, with a wood-fired sauna a short stroll away.

2. Grove Treehouse with hot tub

This adults-only West Cork treehouse sleeps 2 and comes with a roll-top bath opposite the bed and a private two-person hot tub amongst the trees.

You reach it via tree-trunk steps before stepping inside to an open-plan bedroom, kitchen and living area, with French doors opening onto a large private deck.

3. The Ballybunion Beach House

Breakers Beach House sits right beside Ladies Beach in Ballybunion, with the Atlantic filling the view from the house.

It sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms and has Ballybunion’s beaches and Cliff Walk on its doorstep, along with a hot outdoor shower for warming up after a swim or surf.

4. The Hidden Haven

The Hidden Haven is a luxury lodge for 2 in the hills of West Cork with its own lake, a wood-fired hot tub and a deck stretching over the water.

There’s a super king bed and bath with a view inside, while stone steps outside lead straight into the lake when you fancy undoing all the good work of the hot tub.

5. Balance Treehouse

The Balance Treehouse in County Armagh is reached via a private rope bridge and sits high amongst the trees overlooking the Ring of Gullion.

It sleeps 2 and comes with a glass roof above the bed, private hot tub, outdoor shower and a large outdoor net where you can kick back and admire the surrounding hills.

6. The Dunmanus Bay Barn

This restored stone farmhouse and barn sits on West Cork’s Sheep’s Head Peninsula, looking across Dunmanus Bay towards the Mizen Peninsula.

Along with its old stone walls, timber beams and slate floors, you’ve got more than an acre of grounds, a spring-fed pond and a solar-heated outdoor pool.

Read more about the Dunmanus Bay Barn

7. Dolphin Beach Lodge

Dolphin Beach Lodge sits just metres from the Atlantic on Connemara’s Sky Road, with Clifden Bay outside the windows and a secluded beach directly in front.

The lodge sleeps 6 across 3 bedrooms and, despite the wonderfully remote-feeling setting, you’re only around a 10-minute drive from Clifden.

8. The Hide at Neadú

With its grass-covered roof and views towards Glenveagh, The Hide at Neadú is one of Donegal’s more unusual little cabins.

Inside you’ll find reclaimed and upcycled pieces, an alcove double bed and wood-burning stove, while double doors open onto a private deck overlooking the surrounding mountains and valley.