This barn-inspired, architect-designed house is in the heart of Donegal 4, where the scenery and lifestyle options compete with all Connemara and west Cork have to offer. At high tide, you can paddleboard to the village for milk.
Ramelton native Cathy Cowan spent her summers in and around Dunfanaghy, the Co Donegal village along the Wild Atlantic Way where surfers share seats at the bar in Patsey Dan’s with multi-generation second homers, golfers and locals.
They might be waiting to pick up some pies from nearby pizzeria The Rusty Oven, or for someone to finish shopping at the country market, held twice weekly and includes fresh fish from Killybegs.
Or they could be waiting to meet the kids on their way back from surf school at either Jaws Watersports or Narosa Life.
Address: Lurgabrack, Horn Head, Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal, F92 Y92E
Asking price: €795,000
Agent: Rainey
This is Donegal 4, a part of the country where Dunfanaghy and its Kilahoey Beach merge with Portnablagh, its harbour and crescent beach, separated only by the golf course and the back road from its pier, which takes you on to Marble Hill, where kayakers and paddle boarders share the water with swimmers and sailors.
Northerners escaped the marching season in the north here, during the Troubles years, and never left.
Even Donegal residents summered here.
“My parents had a mobile home, and our teenage years were spent here," says Cathy.
It’s how she first got to know Seamus.
He’s a PGA Teaching Professional and was working at Dunfanaghy Golf Club while she was working behind the bar.
They had known of each other all through their teens.
They rented a place in the area before deciding to put down roots and had been looking for a doer-upper when the site came up for sale.
Cathy “wanted it to look like an old barn”.
She sketched it out and spent hours looking online for ideas about how to map out the floor plan to take advantage of the light and views across Dunfanaghy Bay.
Michael Friel Architects in nearby Creeslough did all the drawings and planning applications for the three-bedroom, two-bathroom detached, A3 BER-rated property.
On days when the tide is out, you can cross the soft sand strand – you will likely need wellingtons - as a shortcut to Dunfanaghy village.
When the tide is in, Seamus has paddle-boarded across the water to pick up a couple of pints of milk.
Set on the edge of Lurgabrack nature reserve, the light-filled house extends to 172 square metres and features triple glazing throughout and an impressive vaulted open plan kitchen cum living room where two double height windows bookend a wood-burning stove, a place to draw the eye on winter evenings.
In spring, you can pop outside to the terrace to enjoy a morning cuppa.
The kitchen is at the back of this large space. Painted a sea green, the shaker-style cabinets have quartz countertops, while the large island is home to a Belfast-style sink, all supplied by Dukes in Newtown Cunningham.
Above is a large mezzanine that measures 42 square metres.
Furnished with warm rattan furniture, it leads out to a second terrace.
The principal bedroom has distracting sea views that might keep you in bed on the days when work demands you to be elsewhere.
It has a walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite bathroom.
The other two doubles share a family bathroom that includes a freestanding rolltop bath.
Seamus is also a bit of a plantsman and has landscaped the grounds.
Three varieties of cherry blossom herald spring, and compete with flowering pear and apple trees.
Red Robin hedging provides shelter, and there are ornamental grasses and ferns, along with a meandering dammed stream, original cut stone features, bug hotels and winding garden paths, all with hidden corners.
Pheasants often come to pay a visit. There's a detached garage too for storage.
The location is first-rate, Cathy says.
She flies down to Dublin for meetings, catching the 8 am flight from Donegal airport at Carrickfinn, a drive time of 50 minutes, and is in her Dublin 2 offices by 9.45 am.
With Seamus’ work now in Letterkenny and Cathy’s family still in Ramelton, and two children, they want to be nearer to them and are moving back to Ramelton.
The property is 37 km northwest of Letterkenny, Co Donegal’s main commercial and educational hub. It is also home to Atlantic Technological University (ATU).
Rainey Estate Agents is seeking €795,000 for the walk-in condition home.
