Hideaway to hit factory: Burren haven hits all the right notes

When gigs stopped during the pandemic, music producer Daithí Ó Drónaí focused on his dream of an artists' retreat

Sat, 14 Aug, 2021 - 13:06

Eve Kelliher

As a music producer, Daithí Ó Drónaí is accustomed to improvising when it comes to laying down tracks.

Over the years, the Ballyvaughan man and his fellow artists have made music wherever they roamed.

Daithí Ó Drónaí of The Beekeepers. Picture: Christian Tierney

“Many albums and EPs produced by people of my generation simply wouldn’t be recorded in a studio, we would rent a house and bring the gear and in effect build the studio,” he says.

“Nearly every bit of music I’ve created has been written in small houses along the west coast of Ireland.”

But he had always dreamed of a purpose-built space in his native County Clare.

Daithí and his partner Norma transformed The Beekeepers.

Well, that opportunity was to come sooner than he thought — and in disguise.

The patio area of The Beekeepers during the restoration work.

When the pandemic hit last year, Daithí and his partner, Corkonian Norma Howard, channelled time and energy into a woodland retreat in The Burren.

Daithí acquired The Beekeepers lodge in early 2020 and, from May of that year, he and Norma, with the help of family, transformed it inside and out.

Norma, who works in the film industry, and Daithí found their diaries were freer.

“Once the gigs stopped, we got the chance to concentrate on our renovation project,” he says.

“The goal was to create an idyllic space for artists, writers, musicians, and other creatives to work on their projects at their own pace in an environment that will hopefully play an important part in what they ultimately conjure up,” adds Daithí.

The couple first focused on the patio and garden as well as the interiors of the private, three-bedroom residence.

“The design ideas were wonderful and there was some furniture there already. We were blessed to have this project,” says Daithí.

“It really was like a raft for me during lockdown. I felt useless: I had worked as a musician for 15 years and I wasn’t able to do anything. I could work on The Beekeepers and the garden and I felt I had done something worthwhile.”

The house is situated in a private woodland clearing right next to the Aillwee Cave, at the foot of Aillwee Mountain.

“It’s also close to the sea, about a five-minute drive away,” says Daithí. Once he and Norma had finished renovating the house, it could sleep up to six people.

“After a few summer months of putting it all together, I got to try it out for myself. And that’s how I discovered first-hand that this is a truly inspiring place,” he says.

Several recording artists have spent time at The Beekeepers recently.

Other artists, from musicians to painters to writers, were swift to follow suit, some escaping the city to enjoy the rural retreat.

“We have had artists like Saint Sister, The Scratch, and Ailbhe Reddy and Nealo,” says Daithí.

“Here you’ll find the most valuable thing an artist needs these days: peace and quiet, so you can create without distractions. Artists are also encouraged to bring their own equipment and set up how they please.”

The studio is purpose-built by electronic music producer Daithí with creatives in mind, so is perfect whether musicians want to create from scratch or put the finishing touches to an existing project.

“It comes equipped with a light studio set-up with Yamaha HS80 monitors and a PreSonus mixer/sound interface alongside a guitar amp, keyboard stands, and tables to establish your own remote mini-studio space,” adds Daithí.

Numerous writers have been checking in. “So many people have arrived who are writing scripts and short stories,” says the owner.

“In the spirit of peace and quiet, the main feature The Beekeepers offers is complete privacy, silence, and zero distractions.

“The accommodation’s on-site internet can be easily switched off should you feel the need to disconnect from the world in order to fully flesh out your own.”

The hosts also offer artist discounts to make the whole experience affordable. “There’s no pressure, and people who have stayed tell us there’s magic involved in what they are producing. I can’t wait to see what comes out of all of this.”