Dromahair, Ireland
Member since
2011The member has not specified any exchange dates
Modern family house in the picturesque village of Dromahair, in the beautiful north west of Ireland (20 mins from Sligo city).
Our detached house is located in the centre of the small village of Dromahair, 15 km. east of the city of Sligo, in the north-west of Ireland. Our 150 sq.m. house is located in a safe, quiet, cul-de-sac, in a development of just 8 houses. It has four bedrooms (two with en-suite bathrooms) and a bathroom at first floor level. Downstairs there is a living room, computer/play room, kitchen, dining room, utility room and toilet. There is also a Wi-Fi broadband internet connection. The TV has Sky TV and Netflix. The enclosed back garden has a patio area with garden furniture and barbecue (see photo). We can offer a car exchange, (a 5 seat, 2018 Opel Insignia) if desired. Or we can exchange our 2016 Kia Rio, if you prefer a smaller car.
Our house is centrally located in the village. You can walk to the local shops, pubs, restaurants, and churches etc. There is currently one restaurant, The Riverbank Restaurant, four pubs (Stanford's is our favourite!), two grocery shops, a butchers shop , pharmacy, post office, doctor's surgery..........
Our village – Dromahair.
Dromahair is a picturesque and friendly village located on the banks of the river Bonet, at its entry point to Lough Gill. It has an interesting history, and a walk around the village will bring you into contact with remnants of its historic past.
The site of a castle that belonged to the O'Rourkes' Princes of Breffni is situated here. The Old Hall (dating from 1626) stands on the site of the former Breffni Castle. An ancient church overlooks the village from a hilltop. A little to the north-west, is the picturesque, hill-encircled Lough Gill. There is a particularly nice riverside walk which brings you to the ruins of Creevylea Abbey, a Franciscan Friary which was the last to be built in Ireland before the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII. The drive from Dromahair to Parke’s Castle, along the shores of Lough Gill, is wonderfully scenic (see photos below).
Dromahair is located about 25 minutes drive from Sligo, with its fantastic restaurants, theatres, music and beaches. Dromahair is also the starting point for day trips to Donegal, Mayo and Fermanagh. See Knocknarea, Benbulben, O'Rourke's Table, Glencar Lake with its waterfall, the megalithic tombs of Carrowmore, and Parke’s Castle on the shore of Lough Gill and its famous Lake Isle of Innisfree.
For great ideas on things to do around Dromahair, go to https://riverbankrestaurant.ie/things-to-see-do/
The nearest airport is Ireland West Knock Airport, which is 45 minutes away. This is quite a small airport and serves a fairly limited number of destinations. The main airports are Dublin, Shannon and Belfast, which are all between 2.5 and 3 hours drive from Dromahair/Sligo.
For more information on tourism in the Sligo region please visit the following websites which will give you a lot of very useful information:
www.discoverireland.ie/sligo and www.sligotourism.ie and http://magnumlady.com/2014/08/02/10-things-to-do-in-sligo/
Our Family
- 2 Adults
- 2 Children
- 15 Exchanges made
Occupation
- Architect (Trevor)
- Counsellor and psychotherapist (Imelda)
Our Home
- House Type: House
- Floor: 2
- Environment: In a small town
- Bedrooms: 4
- Bathrooms: 3
- Sleeping Capacity: 7
References
In my house
- Pets - Not allowed
- Small children - Allowed
Exchange Types
- Home exchange
Indoor
- Free internet access
- Computer available
- Central heating
- Fireplace
- Toys and games
- Washing machine
- Dishwasher
- Clothes dryer
- Television
Outdoor
- Garden
- Terrace or deck
- Park / playground
- BBQ
- Garage / private parking
- Bicycles: 3
Facilities
- Non-smoking house
- Use/Exchange of car
- Seclusion/Privacy
Our Destination Wish List
- Open to any destination
- France
- Norway
- Finland
- Spain
- Italy
- Ireland
- Sweden
- Germany
- Austria
- Denmark
Spoken Languages
- English
Our Neighbourhood
Nearest Airport: Ireland West Knock Airport - 45 minutes drive
- A lovely walk up Knocknarea (23.6 km)
- Lough Gill (Parkes Castle) (7.5 km)
- Rosses Point beach, Co. Sligo (26.9 km)
- The wild Atlantic Ocean (22.3 km)
- Rosses Point Yacht Club (26.7 km)
- Beautiful riverside walk (0.4 km)
- Forest walk in Slish Woods (9.9 km)
- Centra Supermarket (0.3 km)
- Strandhill Golf Course (27.6 km)
What to do in and around Dromahair village.
Take a walk around the beautiful village of Dromahahir, and explore the ruins of Creevylea Abbey, the river Bonet and the sheep along the way!
Drop in to Stanford's Inn and sample the best pint of Guinness in Ireland. Situated in the heart of the village overlooking the River Bonet is The Village Tea Rooms. Take time and relax over a cup of coffee or one of their many teas.
Or you could take a 10 minute walk out to the Riverbank Restaurant where you can treat yourself to a really fantastic meal. The Riverbank also has a pub section called The Clubhouse Bar which also serves great food in a more informal setting. http://www.riverbankrestaurant.ie/
Book in for a Stand Up Paddling session with one of the operators. They will take groups of between 3 and 6 for a morning or afternoon session on the lakes, with a popular excursion taking in the Lake Isle of Innisfree.
Take the Waterbus from Parke’s Castle, across Lough Gill to Sligo. Take in the Lake Isle of Innisfree, with poetry recitals and cocktail evenings. Be sure to allow time to explore the castle before you depart.
Walk to O'Rourke's Table, for fantastic views of Leitrim and Sligo. You can either drive to the entrance and climb the final hill, or walk the whole way from Dromahair!
You could see a gig or play in the Glens Centre in Manorhamilton. With shows throughout the year, this is a fantastic venue with great artists playing throughout the year. www.theglenscentre.com
What to do near Dromahair.
All the following places are within about 40 minute’s drive of Dromahair village...............
Go horse-riding with Island View Riding Stables, who will take you out on a private section of beach to canter into another world. www.islandviewridingstables.com
Drive to Eagles Flying, a sanctuary for birds of prey and owls. They give flying demonstrations daily at 11am and 3pm. www.eaglesflying.com
Drop in at The Organic Centre, in Rossinver, Co. Leitrim. The centre has demonstration gardens, tours, willow sculpture, cafe and shop, as well as courses running throughout the year. North Leitrim itself is stunning with mountains and lakes around every bend.
Drive in to Sligo, and take in a little shopping, gallery hopping and cafe culture. A really good restaurant to try is Eala Bhan. There is also a cinema and swimming pool in town, for those rainy days with the kids.
Take in the stunning beaches of County Sligo, with Rosses Point, Streedagh and Strandhill not too far from our door. Surf lessons are available at Strandhill Surf School.
Visit Yeats' Grave, just about 5 miles north of Sligo town, and pay homage to one of the greatest Irish poets. Be sure to stop off at the beautiful tea rooms for refreshments.
Head north to County Fermanagh to the Marble Arch Caves, host to one of Europe's finest show caves allowing visitors to explore a fascinating, natural underworld of rivers, waterfalls, winding passages and lofty chambers. www.marblearchcavesgeopark.com
Immortalised by WB Yeats, childhood home of Countess Markievicz, Lissadell in north County Sligo, is the crucible of Ireland’s historic, literary & garden heritage. http://www.lissadellhouse.com/
The Hawkswell Theatre in Sligo has a great variety of shows to offer, as well as workshops running throughout the year. The Blue Raincoat Theatre is also worth checking out.
Visit the Glencar Waterfall for a beautiful excursion. This is a must!! Beautiful tea rooms for refreshments afterwards.
Explore the Arigna Mines in County Roscommon, for an insightful and thought provoking trip.
The above are just some of the things that can easily be done during your stay in Dromahair. The village really is the gateway to so many, many wonderful places. For more information on tourism in the Sligo region please visit the following websites which give much more information:
www.discoverireland.ie/sligo and www.sligotourism.ie
Occupation
- Architect (Trevor)
- Counsellor and psychotherapist (Imelda)
Children
- Girl - Age: 22
- Girl - Age: 21
Pets
- Pets are NOT welcome in our home
About Our Family
Our names are Trevor and Imelda McDaid. Imelda is 53 and is a counsellor and psychotherapist working with people who had previously been homeless. Trevor is also 53 and is an Architect and works in an architectural firm in Sligo. We have two wonderful daughters, Carrie (21) and Ella (19). Both girls are studying at university in Dublin. We have fantastic neighbours who will be able to help you out during your stay and advise on activities. They might also try to tempt you to join them in our lovely local pub for a pint or two of Guinness!
Lifestyle
Our Lifestyle
We are into all kinds of outdoor activities. In particular, we love running and are all members of our local athletics club. Imelda and I have completed many marathons including Dublin, Belfast, Cork, London and Edinburgh. On my 40th birthday in 2009, we both completed the Stockholm marathon and for my 50th birthday in 2019 I ran the Copenhagen marathon. Our kids are also both great runners and have won many prizes at both local and regional level. The family are mad about swimming, and Carrie used to be a member of Sligo Swimming Club. During the summer we try to get to the beautiful beaches in Sligo and Donegal as often as we can. Most of all however, we just love going on family walks in the many beach, forest and mountain walks that are right on our doorstep. Check out www.sligowalks.ie
References
This member has completed 15 home exchanges. Those referenced below may contain feedback/impression from its exchange partners:
Odense, Denmark
DK852087A very pleasant exchange! Trevor and his family are wonderful people.
Santurde de Rioja, Spain
ES1001655Liencres, Spain
ES1016366The house was very nice and confortable.
Trevor and Imelda recommended many places to visit and helped us a lot with any question we had. They are very nice.
Tarragona, Spain
ES1018336Calonge, Spain
ES1119Moguer, Spain
ES1540Banyoles, Spain
ES226592Calonge, Spain
ES548789Molt agradables, simpàtiques i servicials.
Molt ben explicada a l'anunci.
Una exposició excel·lent