Alice's Loft & Cottages Rooms
Alice's Loft & Cottages Rooms Pictures & Reviews (Castleblayney, Ireland)
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... and no birdsong, only faint farmyard smells. Tony, a neighbour, gives us a lesson in how to use our log burner and we manage to get the main room warmed up. Declan brings us some extra bits and pieces- the most important being the corkscrew. We find a reasonable local supermarket. We order...
... views. The house is comfortable and spacious, everything you could need while on holidays was there. There is a wood burning stove in the living room which is wonderful for the winter nights. Declan our host,even though we never met in person was very helpful and on hand with tips and advice....
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We have just flown in to Ireland from Australia for Christmas and we found a peaceful location with a very warm Irish welcome
so what are the key differences that strike you between Australia and Ireland:-
Temperature drop :-30 degrees to 1 degree
Change in economic outlook:- “Australia buoyant” to “ Ireland -what do you mean- outlook”
The shops:- Shopping mall in Nerang Queensland - expensive but varied it even has a Russian deli . Shopping mall in Castleblaney –post office, hairdresser, Vodafone shop, everything else vacant.
Australia they all speak to you in the shops but the welcome is sometimes skin deep training. In Ireland everyone has time to speak to you. There is a magic in Ireland, there is a fabulous welcome from the people. Everybody says hello and are interested to hear why you are here.
Alices Loft is run by Declan Connelly. He has put on the central heating and we have a relatively warm house for Ireland, perhaps not a Gold Coast Australian summer temperature! We soon settle in.
We notice the silence, we are up a small road and there is little traffic and no birdsong, only faint farmyard smells. Tony, a neighbour, gives us a lesson in how to use our log burner and we manage to get the main room warmed up. Declan brings us some extra bits and pieces- the most important being the corkscrew.
We find a reasonable local supermarket. We order our own copy of our favourite English newspaper. At Mr. Shorts the butcher we order our Christmas turkey and ham and at the fishmongers we ask for some whole sea bass. We become friends with all the local traders.
We have bought local maps and shopped for essentials in Armagh just across the border in Northern Ireland. We take our niece to Belfast early in the morning and make it to Victoria Square shopping centre for 08:30. The shops do not open till 09:30 but we slip into the department store at 09:20. We buy lots of Ugg goodies as Christmas presents. We then go to the Apple Store. Alice’s loft is about the same distance from Belfast and Dublin. With all the new roads you can be in either major city in just over one hour. Belfast is possibly a tad longer in the traffic
Declan tells us about the locals. Paddy down the road knows everyone. He has an “office “ in his car – it is full of newspaper clippings and paper and he sits surrounded by it. There are several cousins in the road but we are not sure who is a relative.
Declan tells us about bog snorkeling and doing the pilot for U tub e the previous February. Bog snorkeling is a 60 yard swim with a snorkel in your mouth using propulsion from your feet only. You can wear flippers.
He got so cold doing it in a track suit that he never warmed up again that day. When I looked at the bog on a winter’s day, there was ice on the surface. It will be much warmer on September 12th when the event comes round again
I climb to a fairy ring at the top of the hill one frosty Sunday morning. frosty that I can cross the deep mud. The view from the top is good. You look down on Alices Loft. The fairy ring looks like a burial site , or a house or a place of worship. There are walls between the trees.
We visit the local golf club for a Guinness and a look at the view. It is the Killarney of the north. Lake Muckno is virtually unknown outside Monaghan, but it is really pretty.
Mother in law and daughter from Dublin airport on 23rd. Our daughter and boyfriend and son arrive and Teresa and Eva go to the airport to collect them on the 24th.
We have 10 for Christmas Day and 19 for Boxing Day. On New Years Eve in Middletown , we went to a local pub which was not only a pub but also an undertaker. This was a novel combination for us. One public bar was full of locals over 50 and was packed. The other was the younger bar with a small dance floor, where we could get a seat and also watch the entertainment. The local duet played country and western ( but he had laryngitis). There were lots of loud (but amusing) well dressed local girls all taking pictures of each other. Selected people were allowed to see the undertaker’s parlour on tour with the landlord. In there was the hearse and a visiting coffin with body – only in Ireland…… We were later told the coffin was empty and they were pulling our leg.
On January 1, the rain has increased and the wind has given it that Irish horizontal look. A flock of 9 Hooper swans landed on the hill. They probably thought it was a lake it was so wet. Next day they had taken residence in the bottom field which now was a lake. Apparently they come every year migrating from the north. I loved watching these swans move around the same field on different days. They migrated from the north we came from the south.
You do not come to Alices loft for the winter weather, but you do come for a very warm welcome. We will come again.
so what are the key differences that strike you between Australia and Ireland:-
Temperature drop :-30 degrees to 1 degree
Change in economic outlook:- “Australia buoyant” to “ Ireland -what do you mean- outlook”
The shops:- Shopping mall in Nerang Queensland - expensive but varied it even has a Russian deli . Shopping mall in Castleblaney –post office, hairdresser, Vodafone shop, everything else vacant.
Australia they all speak to you in the shops but the welcome is sometimes skin deep training. In Ireland everyone has time to speak to you. There is a magic in Ireland, there is a fabulous welcome from the people. Everybody says hello and are interested to hear why you are here.
Alices Loft is run by Declan Connelly. He has put on the central heating and we have a relatively warm house for Ireland, perhaps not a Gold Coast Australian summer temperature! We soon settle in.
We notice the silence, we are up a small road and there is little traffic and no birdsong, only faint farmyard smells. Tony, a neighbour, gives us a lesson in how to use our log burner and we manage to get the main room warmed up. Declan brings us some extra bits and pieces- the most important being the corkscrew.
We find a reasonable local supermarket. We order our own copy of our favourite English newspaper. At Mr. Shorts the butcher we order our Christmas turkey and ham and at the fishmongers we ask for some whole sea bass. We become friends with all the local traders.
We have bought local maps and shopped for essentials in Armagh just across the border in Northern Ireland. We take our niece to Belfast early in the morning and make it to Victoria Square shopping centre for 08:30. The shops do not open till 09:30 but we slip into the department store at 09:20. We buy lots of Ugg goodies as Christmas presents. We then go to the Apple Store. Alice’s loft is about the same distance from Belfast and Dublin. With all the new roads you can be in either major city in just over one hour. Belfast is possibly a tad longer in the traffic
Declan tells us about the locals. Paddy down the road knows everyone. He has an “office “ in his car – it is full of newspaper clippings and paper and he sits surrounded by it. There are several cousins in the road but we are not sure who is a relative.
Declan tells us about bog snorkeling and doing the pilot for U tub e the previous February. Bog snorkeling is a 60 yard swim with a snorkel in your mouth using propulsion from your feet only. You can wear flippers.
He got so cold doing it in a track suit that he never warmed up again that day. When I looked at the bog on a winter’s day, there was ice on the surface. It will be much warmer on September 12th when the event comes round again
I climb to a fairy ring at the top of the hill one frosty Sunday morning. frosty that I can cross the deep mud. The view from the top is good. You look down on Alices Loft. The fairy ring looks like a burial site , or a house or a place of worship. There are walls between the trees.
We visit the local golf club for a Guinness and a look at the view. It is the Killarney of the north. Lake Muckno is virtually unknown outside Monaghan, but it is really pretty.
Mother in law and daughter from Dublin airport on 23rd. Our daughter and boyfriend and son arrive and Teresa and Eva go to the airport to collect them on the 24th.
We have 10 for Christmas Day and 19 for Boxing Day. On New Years Eve in Middletown , we went to a local pub which was not only a pub but also an undertaker. This was a novel combination for us. One public bar was full of locals over 50 and was packed. The other was the younger bar with a small dance floor, where we could get a seat and also watch the entertainment. The local duet played country and western ( but he had laryngitis). There were lots of loud (but amusing) well dressed local girls all taking pictures of each other. Selected people were allowed to see the undertaker’s parlour on tour with the landlord. In there was the hearse and a visiting coffin with body – only in Ireland…… We were later told the coffin was empty and they were pulling our leg.
On January 1, the rain has increased and the wind has given it that Irish horizontal look. A flock of 9 Hooper swans landed on the hill. They probably thought it was a lake it was so wet. Next day they had taken residence in the bottom field which now was a lake. Apparently they come every year migrating from the north. I loved watching these swans move around the same field on different days. They migrated from the north we came from the south.
You do not come to Alices loft for the winter weather, but you do come for a very warm welcome. We will come again.
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Room Tip: You can get a very big group or family in this accommodation 12 beds in 3 rooms plus the lounge...
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
We are a family of seven and we were comfortably accommodated in this lovely cottage. It is just a few minutes drive outside the little town of Castleblayney, a little over an hour from Dublin or Belfast. Nice quiet area in the countryside with lovely views. The house is comfortable and spacious, everything you could need while on holidays was there. There is a wood burning stove in the living room which is wonderful for the winter nights.
Declan our host,even though we never met in person was very helpful and on hand with tips and advice.
Overall I would recommend this house as a good place to stay, good space good facilities and excellent value for money.
Declan our host,even though we never met in person was very helpful and on hand with tips and advice.
Overall I would recommend this house as a good place to stay, good space good facilities and excellent value for money.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Another wonderful stay here at Declans house with my family. We have been travelling from Scotland over the past 7/8 years and we always return here to Declan’s house when home to visit family and friends. There is ample room for my sizeable family and everyone has enough space for themselves. It is very well equipped with all your needs particularly in the kitchen and Declan is always very accommodating in providing anything extra you may need such as extra towels for your stay. House is situated in beautiful surroundings- and is well located between the towns of Castleblayney and Ballybay.
Overall a lovely and homely house, good location and a very hospitable host. Thanks Declan for another wonderful stay!!
Overall a lovely and homely house, good location and a very hospitable host. Thanks Declan for another wonderful stay!!
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Room Tip: Concra Wood and Watters Restaurants for a meal- Castleblayney
West street coffee shop for coffee/...
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
We rented one of the three houses for the weekend for use as a base for motorbiking into Northern Ireland. It was an ideal location for this. The house is one of three all located together. There were six of us and we had three bedrooms. There is a bunk bed in one of the bedrooms and really this is only suitable for kids. It squeaks every time someone moves in it. The whole house was very clean and tidy. It is located on a quite country road about two miles outside Castleblaney. This made it a safe place for parking our bikes for the night. The three houses together would be able to accommodate about 18 without anyone having to share a bed. There are some double beds so could take more if there were some couples in the group. A taxi into the town was 5 euro. We would use this place again.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
I have traveled all of the United States and a great deal of Europe,
and this is one of the better establishments at which I have stayed. Declan, the proprietor, was an excellent host. He was very helpful in our travels around the countryside, giving us directions to less traveled, but more enjoyable places to visit.
The accommodations were excellent. We had 21 people staying in the 3 cottages, and the was sufficient room for all. And with all these people staying there, it was nice to have the facilities to prepare our own meals at our own leasure instead of having to get organized to go out to eat. The cottages had all the comforts of home. I don't know of anyone in the party that would have anything bad to say about the place.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for great place to spend a vacation (holiday).
and this is one of the better establishments at which I have stayed. Declan, the proprietor, was an excellent host. He was very helpful in our travels around the countryside, giving us directions to less traveled, but more enjoyable places to visit.
The accommodations were excellent. We had 21 people staying in the 3 cottages, and the was sufficient room for all. And with all these people staying there, it was nice to have the facilities to prepare our own meals at our own leasure instead of having to get organized to go out to eat. The cottages had all the comforts of home. I don't know of anyone in the party that would have anything bad to say about the place.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for great place to spend a vacation (holiday).
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Location
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Check in / front desk
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Business service (e.g., internet access)
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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