What a lovely spot! The perfect rest from the hustle and bustle of our city life. You are literally a stone's throw from a quaint little harbour and yet, you are only an hour from the Dublin city centre or "town," as my family calls it. Rush is a 7 minute drive where you can purchase any items you need to stock the fridge or grab a take away - curry chips are my favourite. There is a TESCO and a Supervalu in town. In addition, you can go shopping
at Swords Pavillon. Skerries is also ten minutes away so you are very well situated.
I have been to Dublin many times as my parents are from Dublin and I have many relatives - due to my son's dog allergy - and the fact that we literally decided the week before to head to Ireland we decided to give Airbnb a try. And we are so happy that we found this little gem - the bungalow in Loughshinny!
Upon arrival, Irene kept in contact with us and we were able to text her right away about
directions. Although Loughshinny is a small place, we had no trouble navigating our way
there - even driving on the wrong side of the road! Inside the cottage we were quite pleased with décor and layout. The living room is comfortable with a little fire for damp days and the kitchen is quite spacious. There is only seating for three at the table but there are two tables outside. One on the side patio which is surrounded by flowers and another patio at the back with a barbecue. There is a long back garden which was perfect for my son to run up and down. There are stairs up to the three rooms and the master even has a little balcony with a glimpse of the sea - I loved reading a book up there on a rainy afternoon. And the Jacuzzi tub was a favourite for our son.
Irene graciously provided us with a jug of milk, a tasty treat, a butter block and a sweet treat - as any weary traveller knows you need a cup of tea when you arrive in an Irish home. And that is where we stayed - in an Irish home. My eight year old son asked after a day out - "when are we headed home? I quickly realized he meant Loughshinny and the cosy bungalow. It has all the amenities that a family needs - we saved loads of money barbecuing dinner or cooking our own Irish fry ups. Alternatively, there are lovely pubs and restaurants nearby and the taxi man will take you back after a jar or two! (maybe ask Irene about the fare - as we had two different prices for the same distance!)
You are situated along the coast - so it is easy to get to other lovely seaside villages like Skerries (down the road), or Malahide (just over 20 minutes). You can visit Ardgillan Castle, Malahide Castle, Skerries Mills, Tayto Park, - head out further to the Wicklow mountains and visit Glendalough, Powerscourt, Brittas Bay - or grab a few rounds of golf in Howth and then walk the summit. Basically, this is a fantastic spot and is suitable for families, couples who want to do some exploring - followed by a quiet night in or stroll along the cliffs - it is ideal for anyone who thinks that they will love Ireland as much as we do. Thank you Irene!