Yearning to get away? Perched on the scenic slopes above Donegal town, you’ll find this secluded contemporary cottage with a gorgeous interior that is yours to rent…
Candlewick Cottage, a refurbished and extended contemporary stone cottage, built in 1902, is situated at the foot of the Blue Stack Mountains just ten minutes from Donegal town, and ten minutes to the nearest beach. Its owners, Damian and Brenda McManamon, he an executive chef from from Leixlip, Co Kildare and she a fabric technologist from Castlederg in Co Tyrone, met in Hong Kong where they both now live. Brenda explains: “We had our wedding reception in the wonderful Solis Lough Eske Castle Hotel in Co Donegal, and fell in love with the serenity and beauty of the area. The following year, we bought Candlewick Cottage.”
Set in 16 acres, the cottage’s privacy and seclusion represented a contrast to their busy lives in Hong Kong. The couple envisaged hopping back and forth for holidays with their twin daughters, and renting it the rest of the time. They embarked on renovating and extending the existing footprint with Donegal architect, Mark Carlin and local contractors Cormac Shaw and John O’Loughlin. “Doing this at a distance – 10,000km and a 7-8 hour time difference required a different level of understanding, perseverance and trust,” says Damian.
The contemporary cottage has everything for an ideal family retreat, including a Japanese Ceder Ofuro hot-tub, a sensational veranda with amazing views of the Eske valley and a dedicated children’s play area. The interior, with its lovely mix of old and new, local craftsmanship and items found on trips around the globe, is both luxurious and interesting.
“We have travelled a lot over the years and this was a big influence on how we decorated the cottage. Living in Asia was another. With the exception of the custom-made furniture pieces, very little was a planned purchase. We bought stuff over the years because we loved it, some antique, some new, some second hand and have enjoyed it either in our home in Hong Kong, or in Donegal or previously when living in Sri Lanka. We didn’t really know how it would come together but all these pieces from different places and different times in our lives have come together beautifully and each has its own story to tell and a memory for us,” says Brenda.
There are painted stools and cushions and tableware from Sri Lanka, fabrics from China, throws from India, bedcovers made from beautiful tweed from Magee’s of Donegal and curtains and blinds made by Deirdre Hone of Claudy. All the mattresses were bought at Coulters, a well-known local store in Castlederg. The kitchen was sourced from Wilson’s salvage yard in Co Down, as were some internal doors made from wood reclaimed from the old Guinness brewery. The stairs, loft door and beautiful double arch door separating the old cottage from the new renovation were crafted by neighbour John Friel of Friary Timber Products. The couple commissioned local craftsman Martin McCrory of CMAC Castlederg to make the white kitchen cabinet and the neon yellow console table in the bathroom, while a Victorian dressing table and wardrobe in the master bedroom were found in Neil Mc Gonigle’s emporium in Buncrana and a French antique armoire serves as the pantry.
This secluded contemporary stone cottage, built in 1902, has everything for an ideal family retreat, including a Japanese hot-tub, sensational veranda and dedicated children’s play area.
At the heart of this spacious stone cottage, and extending southwards, is a large luminous living room. Glazed on three sides, a complete wall of bi-fold doors can concertina to integrate a raised and sheltered timber veranda that enjoys exceptional views of the Eske valley.
For the digitally dextrous, there is a baby grand piano; perhaps less conspicuous is the remotely operated screen that unfurls from ceiling, with video projector linked to sky and Netflix.
Separated by stylish dual-aspect log burning stove, the dining area is furnished with folksy refectory mode table and benches.
Off to the side, the impressive and eclectic kitchen stretches along through the original cottage, an abundant mixture of the most contemporary of gadgets, often couched in retro rustic styling.
“With the exception of the custom-made furniture pieces, very little was a planned purchase. We bought stuff over the years because we loved it …”
Beyond the kitchen, there’s a cosy sitting room. Still with the cottage ambience – a stone slab floor and a wood-burning stove, it’s a more intimate TV den.
From the central free standing bed, the unique view through the grand picture fame window is a delight to wake up to.
In the attic space, a delightfully quirky bedroom hosts an unusually wide bed that could happily accommodate four. Accessed by stairs from the bedroom below, the room overlooks the spaces below, mezzanine-style, through a glazed wall at one end.
The two bedrooms are served by a generous and radiant bathroom just off the TV den, featuring a double ended slipper bath and walk in rain shower.
While the interior is eclectic, the McManamons engaged local artisans and suppliers to create a unified exterior, that would marry old and new parts of the cottage. A local stone mason, Gareth Mc Murray worked on the mix of stone from the original cottage, local out houses and from McMonagle stone in Mount Charles. The outdoor kitchen, planters, window boxes and play area were made by David Forsythe of Tree Top Play Areas Castlederg. “We gave him carte blanche and love what he did. We named the tree house “Sham Wan Tower” after our first family home in Hong Kong – it was on the 25th floor overlooking Aberdeen Harbour!”, says Damian.
At the heart of this spacious stone cottage, and extending southwards, is a large living room. Glazed on three sides, a wall of bi-fold doors concertina open to a sheltered timber veranda that enjoys exceptional views of the Eske valley. There is a 1940’s baby grand piano, a cinematic sound system and a screen that unfurls from the ceiling, with video projector linked to Sky and Netflix. In the attic space above, a delightfully quirky bedroom hosts an unusually wide bed that could happily accommodate four. Accessed by stairs from the bedroom below, the room overlooks the spaces below, mezzanine-style, through a glazed wall at one end. Beyond the kitchen, there’s a cosy sitting room with a stone slab floor and a wood-burning stove. There is a chic and well-appointed utility / laundry room to the rear, and a fabulous bathroom with wooden Japanese hot-tub and overhead shower.
Ten minutes away by car, Donegal town is the nearest centre for pretty much anything from groceries to fishing tackle. The centre of the town is known as The Diamond, and is lively in high (non Covid) season, with great pubs, cafes and live music.
For details on how to rent this property and other unique houses and cottages, see www.uniqueirishhomes.ie
The far end of the cottage is a more recent addition. There is a chic and well-appointed utility / laundry room to the rear, and a uniquely serendipitous bathroom with wooden Japanese hot-tub and overhead shower.
At the end of an exclusive leafy laneway, the cottage is not visible from the narrow road that winds up across the Bluestack Mountains, enjoying stunning views of Donegal Bay and the Eske valley on its way.
While the interior is eclectic, the McManamons engaged local artisans and suppliers to create a unified exterior, that would marry old and new parts of the cottage. A local stone mason, Gareth Mc Murray worked on the mix of stone from the original cottage, local out houses and from McMonagle stone in Mount Charles. The outdoor kitchen, planters, window boxes and play area were made by David Forsythe of Tree Top Play Areas Castlederg. “We gave him carte blanche and love what he did. We named the tree house “Sham Wan Tower” after our first family home in Hong Kong – it was on the 25th floor overlooking Aberdeen Harbour!”, says Damian.
At the heart of this spacious stone cottage, and extending southwards, is a large living room. Glazed on three sides, a wall of bi-fold doors concertina open to a sheltered timber veranda that enjoys exceptional views of the Eske valley. There is a 1940’s baby grand piano, a cinematic sound system and a screen that unfurls from the ceiling, with video projector linked to Sky and Netflix. In the attic space above, a delightfully quirky bedroom hosts an unusually wide bed that could happily accommodate four. Accessed by stairs from the bedroom below, the room overlooks the spaces below, mezzanine-style, through a glazed wall at one end. Beyond the kitchen, there’s a cosy sitting room with a stone slab floor and a wood-burning stove. There is a chic and well-appointed utility / laundry room to the rear, and a fabulous bathroom with wooden Japanese hot-tub and overhead shower.
Ten minutes away by car, Donegal town is the nearest centre for pretty much anything from groceries to fishing tackle. The centre of the town is known as The Diamond, and is lively in high (non Covid) season, with great pubs, cafes and live music.
For details on how to rent this property and other unique houses and cottages, see www.uniqueirishhomes.ie.
This secluded contemporary stone cottage, built in 1902, has everything for an ideal family retreat, including a Japanese hot-tub, sensational veranda and dedicated children’s play area.
At the heart of this spacious stone cottage, and extending southwards, is a large luminous living room. Glazed on three sides, a complete wall of bi-fold doors can concertina to integrate a raised and sheltered timber veranda that enjoys exceptional views of the Eske valley.
For the digitally dextrous, there is a baby grand piano; perhaps less conspicuous is the remotely operated screen that unfurls from ceiling, with video projector linked to sky and Netflix.
Separated by stylish dual-aspect log burning stove, the dining area is furnished with folksy refectory mode table and benches.
Off to the side, the impressive and eclectic kitchen stretches along through the original cottage, an abundant mixture of the most contemporary of gadgets, often couched in retro rustic styling.
Beyond the kitchen, there’s a cosy sitting room. Still with the cottage ambience – a stone slab floor and a wood-burning stove, it’s a more intimate TV den.
From the central free standing bed, the unique view through the grand picture fame window is a delight to wake up to.
In the attic space, a delightfully quirky bedroom hosts an unusually wide bed that could happily accommodate four. Accessed by stairs from the bedroom below, the room overlooks the spaces below, mezzanine-style, through a glazed wall at one end.
The two bedrooms are served by a generous and radiant bathroom just off the TV den, featuring a double ended slipper bath and walk in rain shower.
The far end of the cottage is a more recent addition. There is a chic and well-appointed utility / laundry room to the rear, and a uniquely serendipitous bathroom with wooden Japanese hot-tub and overhead shower.
At the end of an exclusive leafy laneway, the cottage is not visible from the narrow road that winds up across the Bluestack Mountains, enjoying stunning views of Donegal Bay and the Eske valley on its way.
LOVETHEGLOSS.IE?
Sign up to our MAILING LIST now for a roundup of the latest fashion, beauty, interiors and entertaining news from THE GLOSS MAGAZINE’s daily dispatches.
