Thatch the way to do it says enterprising Dutch couple

Rose Martin is charmed by a stunning cottage with perfect sea views.

IMAGINE landing on the west coast of Ireland in mid-November with very little money and a weeping 200-year-old cottage for a home?

Cardiac nurse Teresa and PE teacher Jan Dykstra gave up well-paid jobs in Holland for the good life in Ireland, and that Christmas their home-made decorations provided a feast of a leg of lamb and a bottle of wine to celebrate their first season in the country.

Since then, they’ve come a long way — they have a grown up son and a business that involves a bit of development, holiday rentals and selling hand-crafted cribs for the upper end of the market.

They worked hard at their old house and Jan returned to Holland to get a crash course in thatching from his neighbour.

He re-roofed the famine cottage and developed his skills to the extent that they are now in demand throughout the country. The sideline in cribs, which used to take them to the Crafts Fair in Dublin every year, is another area where he uses his reed-craft.

Meantime, they moved to a small holding just above Kells Beach and built two houses, one of which they are now selling.

Both of their properties are highly-insulated modern builds, but both are simple, traditional and incorporate thatched roofs.

The Kells Bay cottage, called Seana Thig, is a simple, but stunning, two-bedroomed property with a 360-degree view over Dingle Bay, The Blaskets and Inch strand.

It’s heavenly to be in this cul-de-sac position on a perfect Irish summer day: the peace is endless and the sun shines benignly on the small fields and shimmering blue mountains.

You’re miles from anywhere here, with absolute privacy, but Kells beach is only down the road and convenience shopping can be had at Glenbeigh, 15 minutes drive away, with Killorglin within 20 minutes distance.

Built by Jan and a local builder, now sadly deceased, the cottage has been used for summer lets, but the Dykstras are taking it a little bit easy these days, and have it on the market with Eddie and Catherine O’Donoghue in Killorglin.

They’re looking for offers in the region of €395,000 for this perfect, summer getaway, which is fully booked for the season — most of it repeat business, says Teresa.

The cottage is homely, but clever: the main run faces the sea with a T extension that incorporates a glazed roof conservatory surrounded by a number of courtyards. At the rear, the old famine outbuildings have been roughly converted and could provide separate guest accommodation, but at the moment, the only occupants are a family of swallows. Jan has carved a shamrock into the doorway especially for the birds to fly through.

The main heart of the house is an open-plan, kitchen/ dining/living room with a big old inglenook fireplace and wooden stove. The plaster is rough finish in the old style, (as is the Dystras’ own home) and at the same time, there’s underfloor heating beneath the terracotta floor.

A big dresser forms part of the run of kitchen units and a dining table is set looking out to sea.

In the extension, there’s the option of using the space as a formal dining room, or separate living space, as the roof lights and aspect make it a perfect sun room.

The bedrooms are both en suite and good double rooms with traditional wainscoting and a link corridor with exposed beams and hand made lights.

The main bathroom has stained glass panels and everywhere in the house, there are signs of artistry and craft-work.

Sean Thig is being sold with 0.8 of an acre, in a location that’s difficult to obtain planning permission, making it even more attractive. It’s being sold with all the furniture, fixtures and fittings, so it’s move-in proposition.

The cottage is also close to Kells Bay Gardens, and with the climate and location here there’s plenty of scope for a gardener to transform the large lawn to the front of the house.

At the rear, there’s an existing water feature, lots of flower beds, stone walls, plastered steps and retaining walls, (which give a kind of Mediterranean feel) and enough features to take a viewer a good bit of time to get through.

Chances to buy into this location are few and far between, so anyone interested in a holiday, or even, main home in the Kells area, should give Seana Thig the once-over.