Holiday like a 'Dragon' in this big Inishmore island beach home

Trish Dromey finds a TV ‘Dragons’ Den’ judge has run the rule over this big Inishmore island beach home.

Inishmore, Aran Islands €425,000

Size: 390 sq m (4,200 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 6

Bathrooms: 6

BER: C1

An opportunity has arisen for a buyer to holiday like a dragon on the Aran Islands and enjoy magnificent views of Kilmurvey beach and the Atlantic.

Beach House, an extra spacious six-bed detached property on Inishmore, is being vacated by Dragons’ Den judge Barry O’Sullivan, who has been spending family holidays there for the last nine years.

When he bought this very substantial 4,200 sq ft house, it had been operating as a B&B.

Since then, he has carried out major renovations, reduced the number of bedrooms from 10 to six, and added a huge games room.

Having chosen it for the location and dramatic sea views, he finds less time to spend there now that his children are getting older and that, as the CEO of technology firm Altocloud, he is spending more time in the US.

Beach House has been floated on the market with Galway Real Estate who are guiding it at €425,000.

Auctioneer Paddy Flynn says this is a splendid property in a magnificent setting overlooking a sandy, blue flag beach.

“It offers a range of different possibilities it could be run as a B&B, used as a holiday home, it might be divided up into apartments, and we have had a few viewings from people who were interested in setting up a wellness centre or retreat on the island.”

Set on a site of an acre, Beach House is located within a 15-minute walk from Dun Aonghasa, one of the oldest prehistoric forts in Europe which is situated at the top of a 300ft cliff.

Accommodation includes a large sitting room, a dining room, a kitchen, a spacious cinema/games room, and a bathroom, as well as five bedrooms with en suites and one without.

Observing that the island continues to be hugely popular with tourists and holidaymakers, Mr Flynn says he sold two properties there already this year.

“One of these is the famous B&B Man of Aran which you can see across the Bay from Beach House.”

Describing Kilmurvey as the best beach on the island, he says it would be almost impossible to get planning permission to build there now.

VERDICT: You don’t have to be hot-headed to want to get away from it all, and follow in the footsteps of a dragon.