From the moment Javier and I arrived, we knew we’d found home in Ireland. And brilliant new friends! Aisling & Donagh are wonderfully warm, generous and welcoming, as are their two sweet yellow labs Millie and Elsa. We had the added pleasure of spending time with Donagh’s lovely sister Trish and her yellow pups Jesse and “Pat the dog” while she shared hosting duties during our stay.
The beautifully renovated stone cottage is very cozy, clean and well appointed. Freshly baked soda bread on the kitchen counter, cut flowers in the vase and the wood stove stoked and ready for lighting. You’ll want for nothing. And then there’s the view! Sweeping vistas of the sea, rolling hills with grazing cattle and horses. Rustic landscaping surrounding the cottage offered us several quiet areas to enjoy the view, the sun and breeze. An easy walk down the road takes you through cow pastures of ruins to the cliffs. Spectacular.
I was delighted to spend a bit of time in the recording studio and test out a few of Donagh’s fantastic microphone collection. The room is warm and ‘live’, with wood plank floors, high ceilings and stone walls – gorgeous! And Donagh has a wealth of experience both behind the mic and behind the board. If you’re a musician looking for an interesting place to record, or looking for a quiet place to write, I highly recommend checking out Spain Tower Studios!
The surrounding area has much to offer. Perfectly located between Skibbereen and Baltimore, you’ll find great shopping, a farmers market, museum, galleries, pubs and restaurants. And just a few minutes from home, down a windy narrow road, you’ll find hiking trails and a beautiful salt water lake at Lough Hyne. We also took the ferry from Baltimore to Sherkin Island, another way to enjoy the expansive views and sea breeze. We were there almost a week and could easily have stayed longer. Thank you Aisling, Donagh and Trish – we will be back!