Located adjacent to Lough O'Grady in County Clare, Ireland, this contemporary farmhouse sits within the ancient footprint of an old stone cottage, whose lovely gable and stone foundations have survived through time to become new again. Designed and built by IAI, AAI & Mies Van Der Rohe award-winning Boyd Cody Architects, the home has been reborn as a modern reinterpretation of a country home that's both responsive to the lovely setting and in striking contrast.

Starting with a derelict structure, a freestanding gable and old stone foundations, celebrated architect Peter Cody responded to the rural site with an elegant economy of gesture in connection with, and in relationship to the landscape. The results were so successful that the house was awarded RIAI House of the Year, Munster, in 2017.

The ground floor is laid out in a staggered plan, with polished concrete slab floors and an oversized fireplace anchoring the room, and stairs leading both up to the two double bedrooms and down to a sunken kitchen, with the floors doing double duty as counter space.  

The timber cladding and framing create glowing, warm interiors with wrap-around windows that bring the countryside in. Both the ground and first floor are cantilevered to form a protected patio while creating a raised terrace at the opposite end of the house where a pair of old oak and beech trees stand adjacent to what was once a humble little cottage.  

This holiday home for rent in Ireland sleeps four guests in two bedrooms.

THE LYRICAL BEAUTY OF COUNTY CLAIRE

County Clare's far western landscapes range from lush, green rolling countryside dotted with ancient villages, to the craggy and wild Atlantic coastline.

This holiday home for rent in Ireland is located in Tuamgraney, an ancient settlement (the village's St Cronán's Church is said to be the oldest continuously used church in Ireland or the UK) near the River Graney which flows into nearby Lough Derg. The lake is Ireland's third largest where you can visit the holy island from the picturesque village of Mountshannon, and the lakeside town of Killaloe for lunch. Lough O'Grady, directly in front of the house, is a proposed natural heritage area, with abundant bird life, including migratory birds and is a great spot for fishing and canoeing while the Slieve Bearna and Slieve Aughty foothills offer excellent hiking trails a few minutes' drive away.

East Clare is famous for traditional Irish music, particularly the nearby village of Feakle which also hosts the Feakle Festival in August every year, attracting musicians from all over the world.

The Burren National Park, is just under an hour's drive and features some of the finest surviving archaeological landscapes in western Ireland. Renowned for its biosphere of rare flora, prehistoric stone forts and dolmens, and creviced sheets of Ice Age limestone, the area is also home to the nearby Wild Atlantic Way as well as the Loop Head Cliffs, the Cliffs of Moher and the River Shannon. Don't miss a boat trip to the Aran Islands to view the cliffs from the ocean.  

The medieval city of Galway is a 90-minute drive north.

LOCATION 

Tuamgraney, County Clare, Ireland. Nearest airport: Shannon (40 mins), Dublin (2 hours 30 mins).

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Spring through fall for the best weather