The old and the new
CARROWKEEL Cottage at Inagh in Clare is an old fashioned house with an old fashioned thatch which is likely to catch the fancy of an old fashioned millionaire.
New to the market with a guide of €1.4 million, this is a remarkable property which combines authentic old world charm with some surprisingly modern creature comforts, land and the latest in energy efficient technology.
Observed by Duncan Stewart on About the House TV show at regular intervals in 2006, the owner added a substantial two extension to a tiny old thatched cottage which is believed to date from the 1600s.
The result is a 2,000sq ft traditional-style home which has flagstone flooring, stone fireplaces, exposed beams on the ceiling and decorative stained glass windows and is decorated with period artefacts. But it is, quite possibly, the only traditional-style thatched property in the country which has achieved a B2 energy rating. Underneath the old stone walls of the two-storey extension is a modern core which was built with eco blocks — which consist of polystyrene panels filled with eco-friendly concrete.
To improve the energy rating the cottage has also been fitted with dual wood pellet and oil heating and zoned underfloor heating.
Along with the energy efficiency, the property offers some self-sufficiency in fuel since it comes with 30 acres of forestry and also has two bogs where the owner cuts turf with an old fashioned slean.
Creature comforts include a master bedroom which has both jacuzzi bath and a sauna.
Accommodation in the new extension includes a large kitchen/dining room with antique pine units, a Belfast sink, an island unit as well as a huge formal dining/living area with a wood burning stove.
In the original cottage there is a large sitting room with a traditional stone fireplace with takes up the length and height of one wall. This room has original ceiling beams and has been decorated with artefacts and farm implements dating back to the 1800s which are included in the sale. An open steel stairwell in the newer part of the house leads to a spacious timber-floored master bedroom which has an en suite, a sauna, a walk in wardrobe and a balcony.
Other rooms include a bathroom with a fireplace a free-standing bath and a stained glass window as well as a utility room and two other bedrooms. There is also a fancy steam shower.
The property also has three guest cottages which are all thatched and traditional and combine to offer over 700 sq ft of living space. Each former outhouses has an en suite bedroom and the largest also has a kitchen/dining/living room. Carrowkeel Cottage was created by a Clare businessman who worked abroad for several years before buying a small derelict thatched cottage in 1993. Having painstakingly restored this over time, he decided to extend it five years ago but wanted to do it in as authentic a manner as possible. To achieve this aim he bought another old stone cottage, demolished it and used the stonework for the extension. Using local stone masons, thatches and craft workers, the owner oversaw the project himself watched by Duncan Stewart who featured the property on About the House on four occasions.
Streets Ahead Properties describe this as a luxurious hideaway which offers seclusion and security in a wonderful unspoilt setting.
Set two kilometres from Inagh Village in mid-Clare, Carrowkeel Cottage is 1km off the main road, with electric entrance gates. Bounded by the River Inagh, the site has landscaped gardens and forest walkways.
VERDICT: A huge surprise package.
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