Ireland self catering cottages
How Ireland self catering cottages makes a difference
Environment
Ireland self catering cottages: Make your holiday a zero carbon holiday. We'll plant 2 trees for €20 to offset your travel carbon emissions (within Europe).
Our lifestyle reflects our beliefs: we run an organic vegetable farm (has been IOFGA and Demeter certified) to provide for ourselves, friends and guests on request. The family maintains 50 acres of ancient woodland containing rare plants and wild deer. We teach yoga, host a blog discussing global sustainability, and try to enjoy the beautiful woods and river – on foot or on mountain bikes – as often as we can. We use fallen wood on the premises for wood-burning stoves, recycle (our daughter's chore), compost (our son's chore), and a few chickens and ducks roam, enriching the soil and providing free-range eggs. The Ireland self catering cottages are traditional stone, refurbished to a high standard a decade ago honouring the traditional cottage style. We use ecofriendly cleaning products, use no herbicides or pesticides on the estate, and in supplying the “starter pack” - basic food items for our arriving guests – we look for Irish-produced, organic and fair trade.
The local community has for generations made their way to the estate beat along the Slaney to enjoy nature at its best. Walkers, fisherwomen and men, families out for a stroll or a picnic have all enjoyed the quiet surroundings. We are doing more cycling to make the woods and river beat more amenable to cyclists – but this sport is still for the brave of heart and quick of hand-brakes!
Guests are provided with some sample shampoos or soaps that are purchased at the nearest health shop and are reasonably biodegradable and paraben-free, etc. The bathroom and kitchen are supplied with eco washing up liquid and hand soap, and there is eco laundry powder in the laundry room, for guests' use. We accept guests for a minimum of 2 nights' stay to reduce the laundry somewhat. We change sheets and towels between bookings only. We recycle everything Irish recycling plants will take, styrofoam, plastic, tins, glass, tetrapacks and there is a box beside the bin for recyclable items. We ask guests to rinse out food / drink containers.
The Ireland self catering cottages are privately owned and the family conserves over 50 acres of ancient woodland that harbour rare plants and wild deer. We try to be live in an environmentally sustainable way so that there is something beautiful to pass on. The organic (zero herbicide and pesticide) standard adopted throughout the estate helps minimise pollution into the river and environs. This year the fishing beat joined others along the River Slaney to ban all fly fishing, to allow salmon stocks to replenish. We do, however, make an exception for overnight guests; please ask.
Our practice is to hire local staff to help us with our cottages and garden. For our guests' “starter pack” (tea, coffee, sugar, eggs, bread, butter and juice) we look for Irish produced, fair-trade, organic, or some combination. We also have available for purchase a selection of seasonal vegetables produced in our own organic vegetable garden.
Community
Our helpers are our friends, and have been for three generations! We are near Carlow, with a burgeoning cultural scene. Nearby Clonegal village boasts a haunted castle, home to the same family since the early 1400s, and an award-winning bistro (we've tried it - we agree!) - reservations required. Try Ardattin village and Tullow for local 'craic' in the pubs, or upmarket dining and shopping in Tullow's golf club. We'll point you further afield too, depending on your interests, from weekly farmers markets to bespoke candle engravers to local festivals.
Ireland self catering cottages
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