The Perfect Holiday Home in Ireland's Spectacular Northwest Donegal, County Donegal Vacation Rental by Owner Listing 131249

a view of the house from the stable

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Location: Donegal, County Donegal, Ireland, Europe (Near the Village of Ballintra, 7 Miles South of Donegal Town)

Accommodations:  House, 4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths (Sleeps 10)

Accommodations: The Hilltown is an old traditional farmhouse plus additions, stable and farm buildings on 50 acres of actively farmed land - four bedrooms, two baths - sleeps up to ten.

Description: William McKinley, born in 1882 in a thatched cottage a mile from the Hilltown, emigrated to the US, and then returned to purchase the Hilltown in 1928. His reason? He wanted his expanding American family to learn of their roots. His parents and some of his siblings are buried in the Drumhome Churchyard on the hill directly opposite the house. Three of his grandchildren, the current owners, have rehabilitated and modernized the house from top to bottom while striving to retain the charm and feel of the traditional Irish farmhouse which they experienced as children. The house is located on a hillside with panoramic views of long, green, drumlin hills at the head of the Donegal Bay. These hills in turn are framed by the Blue Stack Mountains some 15 miles distant.

In mid-summer, when all is in darkness around the house, the tops of the Blue Stacks are often bathed in the sun’s last orange rays. Murvagh Beach, a three-mile strand on the South side of the bay, where the tide recedes for up to one quarter of a mile, is minutes from the front door. Donegal Golf Club, locally known as Murvagh Golf Club, is a superb links course described as the Muirfield of Ireland and is located about one mile away. Several pubs are also within a mile. What else does one need?

The Hilltown has proven to be the perfect setting for Irish-style decompression. It has been the romantic location of choice for many honeymoons, and a cozy nest from which three generations of McKinley heirs and many of their friends have launched excursions throughout the northwest of Ireland.

Amenities: Working fireplaces located in kitchen, dining room and sitting room with turf and wood provided. Full kitchen with microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, and cooking utensils provided. Mudroom has large-sized washer and dryer. Dining room oak table seats eight. Two bedrooms have queen-sized beds, a third one has two queen-sized beds, and a bunk-room can accommodate four kids. Linens provided. Two bathrooms, one with shower and the other with tub. Satellite TV and CD/DVD player in Sitting Room.

Activities: Extensive hiking and mountain climbing opportunities including Slieve League, the highest edge-of-the-Atlantic mountain on the west coast of Europe, world-class golf courses within a days drive, cycling (mountain bikes can be rented in Donegal Town), beautiful beaches, horseback riding, ocean, lake and river fishing, exploration of ancient round forts, stone cairns, abbeys, castles and remains of great houses, trips to off-shore islands, shopping in Donegal Town, Ardara and Glencolumbkille for native tweeds and sweaters, boating, swimming, sailing, picnicking, and on and on.

Vacation Rental Features

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• Amenities
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Linens Provided
  • Off Street Parking
  • Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer
  • Wood Fireplace
• Beds
  • Queen Bed (4)
  • Bunk Bed (4)
• Entertainment
  • Cable/Satellite TV
  • DVD
  • CD Player
• Kitchen
  • Full Kitchen
  • Cooking Utensils Provided
  • Refrigerator
  • Dishwasher
  • Microwave
  • Ice Maker
• Outdoor Features
  • Deck/Patio: Outdoor table and chairs in garden immediately in front of the house.
• View/Location
  • Water View
  • Mountain View
• Communications
  • Telephone
  • WiFi (Wireless Internet)
• Suitability
  • Smoking Not Allowed
• Activities (on site and nearby)
  • Golf
  • Tennis
  • Shopping
  • Sightseeing
  • Restaurants
  • Sailing
  • Boating
  • Shelling
  • Swimming
  • Snorkeling/Diving
  • Surfing
  • Windsurfing
  • Biking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Hiking
  • Fishing
  • Rock Climbing
  • Live Theatre
  • Museums
  • Horseback Riding

Rate Details (In US Dollars)

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Personal Currency Assistant™

May thru Sep $1,500/wk, $5,000/mo | Oct thru Apr $1,200/wk, $4,000/mo
Min stay - 5 days. Rental rates include all utilities plus local telephone service
(074 area). Local maid service available.  No smoking in or
around house. Security deposit of $1,000 must accompany signed rental
agreement by return mail.  Rental check must be received 30 days
before commencement of term. Security Deposit will be returned within one month
30 days following departure subject to satisfactory house inspection.

Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.

Property Photos

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Guest Comments (7)

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• 06/24/09
  Positive Rating
  Mike Cotter ,
  • My friends and I (8 in total) had the pleasure of staying at The Hilltown as our base for a golfing tour of the Northwest coast. A beautifully restored property in the most pastoral of settings, The Hilltown was a perfectly quiet retreat that still afforded us all of the comforts of home, including cable TV and very fast wireless Internet service! We played 5 rounds at spectacular links courses all within a 90 minute drive. The courses were: Donegal Golf Club (very close..great) Enniscrone (90 Minutes …Fabulous), Cruit Island(90 Minutes ..great scenery), Narin & Portnoo (45 Minutes and a real GEM) and Sligo Golf Club(60 minutes ...Great). Downtown Donegal is a short 10 minute drive providing excellent restaurants and pubs. We all had a great trip. The Hilltown was perfect and the owners were a pleasure to deal with. Highly enjoyed and recommended by all of us. Thanks very much!!!
• 04/27/09
  Positive Rating
  Kelly Hamill ,
  • We have fallen in love with Hilltown & Donegal! I would start out the day chasing the sheep around the front yard trying to get them to eat from my hand. I went so far as to dice-up an apple/carrot mixture, which they seemed to prefer! There were baby lambs everywhere which made it irresistible! We would then venture into town or to a neighboring town for site-seeing. During the weekend, there was an amazing festival with celtic performers. On Saturday we spent the morning in town at St.Patricks Cathedral listening to the choral competition. Amazing! We want to thank you again for opening Hilltown to us. We now know why it is such a magical place. We will always remember Donegal and Hilltown with love!
• 10/12/08
  Positive Rating
  denis p. duffy , bedminster, NJ
  • We had a grand week this August ('08) with two other couples. The accomodations were charming and comfortable. The caretaker, Geoffrey, was attentive and helpful. We ate in three times, enjoying the Olympics and turf fire. The Hilltown is centrally located for golf: Murvagh (Donegal), Rosses Point (Sligo), Great Northern (Bundoran) and Narin-Port Noo. There are plenty of others, but time only allowed us these four. There are beaches, restaurants, culture and Donegalness! We defintely will repeat. Enjoy, Denis and Louise Duffy
• 09/18/08
  Positive Rating
  Sue & Bill Driscoll , Wilmington, Delaware
  • We spent a week at this beautiful home with three other golfing couples this August. It was spectacular, warm, cozy, spacious, updated and on acres of fantastic land with panoramic views. We walked down to the beach, to the old cemetery, to the apple orchard to pick a few for pies. The sheep were out the kitchen window sometimes. Geoffrey would take the cows in and out in the distance. This piece of heaven helped create a memorable vacation - plus, the golf courses were great. Kudos to the owners! Note: The fourth bedroom with bunkbeds is a tandem bedroom but does have a back staircase which worked fine for our group.
• 09/05/08
  Positive Rating
  Rey S. , Houston, Texas
  • Hilltown was an ideal choice for a relaxing family vacation. Although rural in location, many activities can keep you entertained and active. If golf is your focus, there are several outstanding links courses within easy reach; most particularly Donegal Golf Club, which is only 5 minutes away. The house itself is supremely suited for a group/family vacation. It is comfortable and lacks no conveniences. If you prefer eating out, there are numerous quality choices; some very near, some a bit of a drive, but the scenery enroute or upon arrival makes the drive worthwhile (see the owner's recommendations). At least once you should take advantage of a cliff top or beach venue and enjoy a wine and cheese outing.
• 04/03/08
  Positive Rating
  Marita Samuels , Oostburg, Wisconsin
  • A perfect place for our family to reunite with my husband during his 2-week leave during his tour of duty in Iraq. The caretakers were helpful and accommodating to our every wish - we were welcomed by a decorated Christmas tree upon our arrival on Christmas Eve. The Hilltown is the perfect place for any holiiday - especially with children, as there is ample space, a large dining room, and plenty of fresh air and scenery to admire. The town has shops aplenty - and the people are all wonderful and helpful. Make sure you go to the Cliffs of Bunglass - highest cliffs in Europe!
• 03/27/08
  Positive Rating
  Kathy D. , Maryland
  • We landed home yesterday evening and just wanted to share our feelings about Ireland and the Hilltown. Both were everything we expected and much more, offering a snapshot into a wonderful home and a wonderful heritage. The entire Donegal area was beautiful and the caretaker for the Hilltown was kind and very helpful. We spent a tremendous week together as a family and loved the house, the land, Lizzie the pony, the people, the scenery, the beach (although we could never find Bell's Isle), and more. We enjoyed the guest book and browsed through two family albums we found in the book shelves, intrigued by the history and stories within those pages. The house itself was perfect and we did our best to respect the property. We were even sure that we had the company of a friendly ghost but your imagination can go crazy in an old farmhouse in an ancient land on a foggy night. We were amazed by the rapid changes in weather and appreciative for the very brief rain storms, the wind howling at night, the warmth of the fire places and the Cadbury drinking chocolate we became addicted to, and the many rainbows we saw as we drove from one end of the north country to another. Eventually we ran out of time but never out of love for what we saw. A week certainly wasn't long enough and we are already talking about going back. Thanks again for the wonderful opportunity to experience Ireland through the truly magical portal of the Hilltown.

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