Jane, Cliona’s daughter, welcomed us with a steaming fish pie fresh from the oven. To show how much we disliked mashed potatoes, we finished her pie, every bit of it.
We arrived late from China and Cliona’s house was our first stop in Ireland. Before the journey, we enquired about where to go for grocery shopping. The result was that Cliona got us everything we asked for and more: brown bread baked by herself, homemade marmalade and loganberry jam. My lord, we loved her bread. When we left, she baked us another loaf and we “stole” the marmalade. I would have stolen the jam as well if I hadn’t felt too embarrassed.
Their cottage is not an Ikea-furnished guesthouse. It’s a home in the lush and peaceful Cahir countryside. For three days it became our home, and we were lucky to have Cliona, her husband Cyril and Jane as neighbors. They showed us what we came to look for, apart from the natural and historiated landscape: the simplicity, warmth and hospitality of Irish people.
We learned from Cyril some of the elements of raising horses. We followed Cliona’s advice: twice we took the scenic route to the Vee and Lismore. Now it is Rhododendron blossom season and the magenta-leaved bushes lathered the valleys and hillsides; it was magnificent.
In short, it was one of the truly magical experiences we have had with air bnb.