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A Customer Review from 2010

Tony and Dana — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:21:12 +0000

Your home in Ireland is wonderful and its central location
allowed us to tour much of Ireland. Can’t wait for the M7 vs N7 to get done
though. Thank you so much for allowing us to experience your little slice
of heaven.

Regards,

Mark

A Customer Review from 2010

Tony and Dana — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:13:21 +0000

Hi Dana,

Just got home from our stay at the cottage in Ireland and wanted to let you know we had a fantastic time. The cottage is adorable, a warm and an inviting place to stay! We covered a lot of ground and found it quite easy to get around. We met all the neighbors, they were equally warm and friendly, as we found everyone we met to be. Everything turned out to be perfect. The Paramount Hotel was great. We enjoyed our little balcony on the fifth floor, being in walking distance to all the sites, and just a few blocks from great nightlife. I only wish I had added another four or five days to our stay in Ireland. Thank you for making this vacation possible. I know we will be going back. We both loved everything about it.

Warmly,

Mary Scoville

Recent visitors to Glenculloo Cottage offer us a memory.

Tony and Dana — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:26:55 +0000

Dear Dana & Tony:

Our experience with our good friends Dan & Dee Poquette at Glenculoo Cottage back in late September was one that will be etched in our memories for many years to come. This simple, comfortable cottage nestled in the Hills of Tipperary returned to it’s authenticity through a recent renovation which obviously took every little painstaking detail into account to duplicate the old while providing the modern comforts of new. The cottage itself took our minds and souls back to a much simpler time and enabled us to breathe the timelessness of the nature and beauty shared by these special Celtic people throughout the centuries. When you take a left onto the bridge that crosses the crystal clear babbling brook and spot this stucco (gem) accented by a split rail fence, red door, slate roof and spend a week in GCC you may never want to return to civilization as we know it.

John O’Carroll, my cousin, who grew up in Ballylongford, County Kerry visited us one night with his lovely wife Ula. He most certainly captured the essence of Glenculloo with a poem he impulsively recited to us as we sat around the kitchen table by the peet burning stove after dinner while sipping on wine and chatting.

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the mourning to where the cricket sings:

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore:

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

-W.B. Yeats

Silence filled the room for a lengthy moment nothing more to say.

Thank you Glenculoo! – Yan & Brian Hart

Bunratty Castle and Folk Park

Tony and Dana — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:28:32 +0000

County Clare boasts some of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, is a Glenculloo Cottage Personalized Tour Service “must-see.” Encompassing 26 acres of Irish countryside, including traditional Irish cottages, shops, Pubs and a Medieval Castle, it’s no wonder that Bunratty is a favorite tourist destination. Over 450 artifacts of Irish heritage are on display, providing both and educational experience and an antique collector’s heaven! Traditional cottages have been relocated from the different counties throughout Ireland, providing the visitor and opportunity to see the architecture of regions they may not be able to visit during their vacation to the Emerald Isle. Scattered throughout the park are employees and historians, some of who are clad in traditional clothing, who will explain what Irish life was like ‘way back when’ and even offer you a taste of scones and apple tarts.

Bunratty Folk Park served as a constant inspiration during the renovation of Glenculloo Cottage, and guests have commented that “at Glenculloo Cottage you get all the history…but with all the luxury”.

Bunratty Castle is one of the best restored medieval castles in Europe. Visitors don’t tour the castle, they EXPLORE it! The castles’ winding spiral staircases, hidden bedrooms, clergy quarters and, of course, dungeon; guarantee that something unexpected waits at every turn. Built first as a wooden fortress in 1270, it became a permanent stone structure in 1425 AD. It was fully restored in 1954, and now contains medieval ornaments which represent many of the Irish clans, and date back centuries. In particular, the wooden throne (once home to the “chair man” in the main common room of the castle, sits poised and awaiting the lighting of the great fire in the center of the room. The great fire is not situated in a fireplace or pit, as is often seen in today’s modern world; but instead was lit on the stone paved floor, smoke being drawn up through ventilation shafts carved out of the mighty wood and stone ceiling features; illuminating and heating the massive common hall. Even more impressive are the paintings and heritage woodwork art that hangs over fireplaces, reminding you of the wealth and craftsmanship of the early medieval periods. As one tours through the castle, it is important to travel slowly to not miss the hidden chambers, as some of the ornamental bedding and furniture is original.

Bunratty Castle

The Bunratty Folk Park grounds are manicured in an old-world cottage style. Both stone and wooden fences keep cows, sheep, ducks, geese, hens, chickens; and even famous Irish wolf hounds (which stand 5 feet on all four legs), gathered and available for your viewing pleasure. During one of our tours of the folk park, an Italian school girl was listening to our story of the Irish wolf hounds and asked our group, “That’s a dog?” The group laughed and explained the rest of the historical story, as the girl was wide-eyed in amazement at the size of the “dog.”

There are several quaint structures to visit while on the folk park grounds. The village mock-up is in working order, and it’s possible to drink a pint at the bar, and enjoy a tasty Irish lunch that will guarantee your need for a walk after eating. A chocolate shop, authentic school, and doctor’s quarters complete the picture.

Historical Cottage from County Tipperary

The old manor house, situated at the northern end of the park, offers a look into the “high society” that was once prevalent; decorum reminiscent of southern United States plantation houses, and French bourgeoisie. Near the manor house also sits a farm with old milling tools and field farm equipment. As you travel out of the farm you will enter into a large courtyard filled with plush cottage flowers, hedges, and Irish country grass. Take a moment to breathe in the scent of each of the flowers; lavender and roses, a gardeners’ delight.

Lastly, your trip will conclude with shopping in the gift shop. You can find Butler’s Irish chocolates, tourist bits and bobs, and the world renowned Blarney Woolen Mills store; hand-sewn items ranging from tablecloths and napkins, to fine scarves and trousers. After you have completed your shopping, enjoy a walk up the road into the local village of Bunratty. Here you can enjoy an early evening stroll, a second pint in one of the cozy pubs, or take in a romantic dinner for two in one of the finer restaurants. Bunratty Castle and Folk Park is perfect for couples, groups, and families; as it provides an entire day of enjoyment for all ages.

A Walk Through the Irish Countryside

Tony and Dana — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:16:56 +0000

Clare Glens is a popular walk, and during late May/early June, the river valley is literally choked with blooming rhododendrons. Guests of Glenculloo Cottage and I, stopped to appreciate the beauty following Mass at Glenstal Abbey.

Clare Glens is breathtaking.