Country Article / Postcards
The Ireland Where the Guidebooks Don't Go
Date: 04/05/2004
Pick the right part of Ireland and you can have yourself a window full of mountains--and the ocean, too.
Even though Donegal and Sligo have the Atlantic pounding on the doorstep, few foreign visitors ever get to this unsung region of Ireland.
Fewer still find their way into the neighboring counties of Roscommon and Leitrim--that may be because there's next to nothing about these places in the guidebooks. However, I've never regretted choosing northwestern Ireland as a place to live.
Unlike Cork and Kerry, our roads aren't cursed by endless logjams of summer tourist traffic. Yes, much of the scenery is gentle rather than spectacular, and there are no major set-piece sights, but we're not short on beauty spots. My own area of county Roscommon is lovely...low hills, glittery little loughs, ancient holy wells, and bluebell woods. The thing is, all the best places are out of sight, lost in the maze of backroads. It was only last year that I discovered the mossy circle of a Celtic court cairn, buried in the woods a couple of miles away. And I've been here since 1989! You just don't see these places when you whiz by along the main road.
While it's impossible to make a case for buying along the east coast at the moment, things are different in the northwest. Prices have risen, but they haven't shot out of orbit. The whole area remains relatively affordable, but for picture-postcard scenery, I advise looking to Donegal. Many Irish people spend their summer holidays here, so there's always a lively market in holiday homes if you decide to resell. Like everywhere else, you'll pay a premium for quality properties with ocean views, but there are still plenty of modest cottages and country bungalows for bargain hunters to unearth.
Half-acre lots start at $55,000, thatched-roof cottages in good condition and ivy-clad farmhouses can be found for under $100,000; more modern properties start at around $180,000.
Steenie Harvey
Roving Euro-editor, International Living
P.S. Look out for my most comprehensive report ever on Ireland later in the week.
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