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Killary View Cottage, Leenane, Co Galway
Starting price: € 645,000
Agent: DNG Cregg O’Callaghan (086) 8237548
The Killary Harbor Fjord in Galway is Ireland’s only example of a deep, glacier-scraped valley, offering what is arguably the most spectacular sight in the country.
On one side, on what is the highest peak in Connacht, is the 2,671-foot-tall Mweelrea, while to the south rise the Maumturk Mountains and the Twelve Bens.
The spectacular flooded valley stretches for 10 miles and is home to mussel farming, pleasure cruises, steep trails, and diving in a place rich in wildlife. There are otters, barnacles, whooper swans, dolphins, sharks, seals, salmon, and sea trout.
The town of Leenane, at the head of Killary Harbor on the Galway-Mayo border, is a pretty postcard in itself and, with its stunning scenery, was made famous center stage in Jim Sheridan’s film, Field, alongside Oscar nominees Richard Harris, Sean Bean, John Hurt, Brenda Fricker and Tom Berenger.
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The people of Leenane and Killary Harbor appear in The Field with Richard Harris
With its ancient tombs and potato ridges marking the mountains and waters sharp like a mirror to reflect it all, it would be hard to find a more picturesque place to build your dream home.
So when local hotel industry professional Fiona King landed a waterfront site overlooking this incredible view in Leenane, she realized that the exterior of her new home was as good as it could ever be.
So he started planning ahead for what the interior would look like.
“I used to order glossy magazines from America and I would go through all of them,” says King, who also bought loads of interior design books through Amazon. Taking notes from these, he built a clear vision of what his new home in Leenane would be like. “I always envisioned a cathedral-style ceiling, with the double height and the large windows that overlooked the valley.”
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The dining room overlooking the fjord
In 2006, he went to work on his three-bed stone cabin at a site that was a gift from his late father, Richard King, a well-known local sheep farmer, and his mother Mary, who ran a bed and breakfast in Killary. House. . With the family-run B&B next door, Fiona wanted her new home to stand out as completely different from the 200-year-old home she grew up in.
With the help of his brother Joe and his assembled design plans, he also hired an engineer to draw a map for the builders. “I was very involved,” recalls Fiona, who was on site every day to make sure everything went the way she wanted. “As the work progressed, I rearranged everything inside. Everything in the house, I chose myself. “
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Two local stone men stood behind the handcrafted stonework at Killary View Cottage
The longest part of the job was the intricate masonry. Two local men, Tommy Kane and Michael John Joyce, worked long hours outside the home. “Tommy is famous in the area for his stonework,” says Fiona, who was delighted to be brought on board and couldn’t be happier with the result.
The German-made windows and doors were chosen to complement the slates and roof stone. “I love them,” says Fiona. “My brother and sister-in-law ordered them from Germany. They are made of aluminum on the outside and wood on the inside ”.
The total area of the home is 1,851 square feet. The first thing that strikes you when you walk through the front door is the large window in the living room with views of Killary Fjord.
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The mezzanine living room
The kitchen and living room are open-plan, with double-height ceilings to take advantage of the exterior views and a mezzanine floor looking down on the area.
The cherry kitchen is made locally and the floor is teak with a cherry stain. The stone fireplace in the living room has a multi-fuel stove and there is also underfloor heating.
There are two bedrooms on the ground floor, one with an en-suite bathroom and dressing room, and the other is next to the family bathroom.
The master bedroom, also en suite, is upstairs and the mezzanine is large enough for a double bed if another sleeping space is needed.
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The views from the other side of the property are just as impressive
Double doors in the living room open onto a terrace with views of the fjord and mountains. The price is € 645,000 with an option to purchase contiguous land on the west side with full building permission for a house with a garage already granted. DNG Cregg O’Callaghan says interest in the property is already very strong,
The Leenane hotel, where Fiona has worked for almost 20 years, is only 200 meters from the house and the village has two pubs and a shop. The two adventure centers in the area draw people from near and far, and it is also a very popular part of the country with walkers.
Fiona is now busy renovating the vintage family home next door and relishing her involvement in another great project in this incredible setting.
Irish independent
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