First, the host (Paula) is definitely a super host and may possibly be the hardest working woman in Ireland. She provided a wealth of information about the area and Ireland, she made a great "full Irish", and was generally highly interesting and entertaining. We would have never enjoyed the region so much without her tips and advice.
The Green Gate is definitely the real deal. The buildings are authentic and the location has been occupied for hundreds of years. Being surrounded by fields full of sheep and a stark heather-dotted mountainside while sleeping in old stone cottage definitely evokes a feeling of having stepped back into Irish history!
Part of having an authentic historical experience is a certain amount of inconvenience - old stone walls trap moisture, the road up to the place is an adventure, and the water is clean but an interesting shade of brown from the peat it filters through on its way to the groundwater. However, it was definitely a magical experience and we would stay again.