As much as the images of this property serve to sell a beautiful space in which to while away the hours, it is only when the walls within embrace you, that you will truly succumb to its magic.
Bar the flourishes of modernity, you would be forgiven for thinking you had fallen through time as the original floorboards creak under foot, and the stone walls create a serene silence in which to drown out your woes.
In the afternoon, we melted onto the couch in the upper living room, the sun warming our feet, and enjoyed a coffee with the freshly ground provided, accompanying Jayne's chocolate treats that were so thoughtfully made, and incredibly delicious; I fear we have a new addiction to our list of vices.
Taking a bath in the third floor bathroom, I found a hushed calm, tickled only by the distant sound of the city escaping through the window, the gentle ripple of surrounding water, the turning of the pages and slight clink of glass as it rested down on the hardwood floor.
The fourth floor converted loft, is a bedroom I want to wake up to every morning. The mix of light and dark was enough to promote a perfect night's sleep, and a gentle emergence into another clement Cork day. The bed too, was near perfect, enough to warrant multiple agreements with the snooze button that maybe we could manage five...more...minutes.
Ordinarily, at this time of year, we would have been sunning ourselves on a beach in more reliably sunnier climes. However, this year has been like no other. I never would have expected such incredible levels of hospitality, choice and value at home. I truly hope others take 2020 to rediscover the vast array of options on offer in Ireland, and continue to help Irish businesses like Jayne & Owen.