Restored fisherman's cottage and conservatory just steps from the sea.
Location: Sneem, County Kerry, Ireland, Europe (Hot-Tub & Private Island off Ring of Kerry, Waterfront,)
Accommodations: Cottage, 1 Bedroom + No additional sleeping rooms avail, 1 Bath (Sleeps 3)
Keywords: Secluded Oceanfront Cottage
Featured on Home&Garden's Fine Living Television. Local legends tell of Mermaids living in the small bay between the island, Illaundrane, and the Mermaid Isle cottage, nestled in a grove of trees on the shore halfway between Sneem and Caherdaniel, a mile off the famous Ring of Kerry. A pod of seals still live at the end of the 26-acre island, which completes the farm. And a pair of dolphins commonly guard its countless tidepools. It's still not unusual to be greeted in the morning by a playful otter, scampering down to the sea, past the California Hot-tub perched right on the ridge. Originally the ancient fisherman's stone cottage had three bedrooms, but the present museum designer/owner removed the walls dividing them to provide a generous, single bedroom, with a sitting area and open, turf-burning fireplace. Sun rays and moon beams reflecting on the bay will clothe your bed, where you'll be lulled by songs of the wind and waves.
It's obvious that those who first built the cottage, loved the sea. The recently added conservatory/observatory allows you spend your days and nights in nature surrounded by sunlit clouds, the moon and the stars, progressive seasonal explosions of brilliantly colored wildflowers and all the players on this stage of life: patient herons, silent swans, screeching oyster-catchers, bobbing mergansers, probing curlews, hovering falcons, a variety of soaring gulls, sky-diving gannets, snorkeling cormorants, and curious pup seals. After a swim in the calm clear Gulf Stream warmed waters of Mermaid Isle, your evenings can be spent in the hot-tub contemplating dramatic shooting stars or the lights of Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus, reflecting on the glass-like private cove's surface below the most pollution-free skies on this planet.
Modern gourmet kitchen appliances have been tastefully disguised by historic leaded church doors and panels, or antique copper and great slabs of cedar. The spiraling stairway was carved by a local sculptor from the same stump. You can sit at the time-honored pitch-pine kitchen table preparing your meals before the roaring turf fire in a glass faced iron stove set into the original hearth, complemented with its centuries-old crane and cauldrons. The spacious skylit bathroom, also features leaded windows and French doors to the wildflowers. Like the kitchen all modern appliances and a hand-thrown sink by a Kerry artist have been integrated into historic country furnishings.
Apart from the owner's barn down the coast, the nearest neighbor is over a mile away, allowing unlimited explorations of endless tidepools and sea vistas, without returning to the Ring of Kerry. But that famous scenic road will take you to the local quaint, gaily painted towns of Sneem, Caherdaniel, and Kenmare, consistent national Tidy Towns competition winners, and home to world-class restaurants, pubs, golf courses, and Blue Flag beaches where you can rent horses and go galloping along the surf, rent dive or water-sports gear or board commercial fishing boats. Other boats will take you to the seventh century monastery atop Skellig Michael, eight miles off the coast. Prehistoric Celtic monuments dot the landscape and the lakes, forests, and waterfalls of Killarney are just across the mountains.
Mermaid Isle is a private retreat for artists, writers, naturalists, lovers, a place to spark the imagination, reopen your senses and rekindle your love of life. It truly is Tir Na Nog, the Land of the Forever Young, a place where time stops.
Looking for dinner....
VRBO Bear stayed here - 10/22/2009
Upon my arrival to Mermaid Isle, I was greeted by the wonderful owners who showed me around the cottage. The views from this home will take your breath away. The cottage is located right on the Ring of Kerry, an extremely beautiful and captivating area in Ireland that you won’t want to miss. The area is very secluded and makes it easy to take a breather from the every day hustle and bustle of life. I guarantee you will not want to leave when your departure date sneaks up on you. The cottage is hundreds of years old but, was wonderfully updated inside. We were cozy and comfortable with a nice fire crackling in the old fashioned stove.
During my stay, I took the rowboat out on a couple occasions to explore the “private island” not far off the shore, as well as to do a little fishing in the peninsula. While paddling, I spotted a few seals just feet from my boat. With the rubber Wellington boots the owners provided for their guests, I was able to explore the many tide pools in the area without getting my paws wet! There are also historical ruins just behind the cottage to explore, too. There’s so much to see and do on the land and waters surrounding the home, there’s really no need to leave. What a beautiful, majestic place to spend a vacation in Ireland!
The VRBO Bear
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Off Street Parking
- Parking for RV/Boat/Trailer
- Wood Fireplace
- Wood Stove
- Beds
- Double Bed
- Twin/Single Bed
- Entertainment
- Private Hot Tub
- TV (No Cable/Satellite)
- DVD
- VCR
- Video Library
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Music Library
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Outdoor Features
- Deck/Patio
- View/Location
- Beachfront
- Beach View
- Oceanfront
- Waterfront, not Lake/Oceanfront. Ask for details
- Communications
- Telephone
- WiFi (Wireless Internet)
- Other Amenities
- Row boat and kayaks available, Fishing Poles and gear, Snorkeling masks and fins, Off the Kerry Way Hiking Trial, Remote very secluded Location, Cliffside California Hot-Tub, 28 Acres of Private Shorefront, Private Island, Varied Wildlife, Garden Waterfront Sitting Areas, Large Conservatory with Dining Area & Sitting Room, Gourmet Kitchen, Disposal, Large Refrigerator/Freezer, 5- burner Gas Hob, Fan-Assisted Electric Oven, Cooking/Dining Utilities, Bedroom with Sitting Area & Fireplace, Second Fireplace with Cast Iron Stove, Storage Heater, Electric Shower, Custom Made & Antique Furnishings, Not Suitable for Young Children
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Not Suitable for Children
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Waterskiing
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Antiquing
- Live Theatre
- Miniature golf
- Horseback Riding
- Shelling
- Hiking
- Rock Climbing
- Restaurants
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Museums
- Other Activities
- Bird Watching, Walking, Hill Climbing, Horse Riding, World-class Golfing, Snorkling, Historic & Prehistoric Monuments, Sculpture Gardens, Horticulture Gardens, Gourmet Restaurants, Pubs, Musical Entertainment, Art Galleries, Irish Field Sports
Rate Details (In Euros)
Jan-Feb ............ € 1150/week.
Mar-Mid Apr ........ € 1350/week.
Mid Apr-Sep ........ €1550/week.
Oct-Nov ............ € 1350/week.
Dec-Mid Dec ........ € 1150/week.
Mid Dec-New Years .. €1550/week.
NOTES: * Not Suitable for Young Children.
* Pets Not Allowed, No Smoking.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Owner's Profile
Owner Description
We're both nature and history lovers. I had designed for major natural history, science, historical and children's museums as well as for aquariums, zoos, arboretums, ecology centers and wildlife theme-parks across North America. In Ireland, I've designed interpretation for national parks and for ancient national monuments. Mermaid Isle was all those rolled into one, and so much more. Our crystal-clear private bay, sheltered between our island and mainland, has inspired my aquarium design. It's teeming with life. Many of our guests literally fish for dinner with the boats and tackle supplied. Curious, friendly seals swim with them. With no city lights around, they can almost read by moon and star light reflected in the calm sea. It's a bird-watcher's dream, with a vast array of resident shore and seabirds, even recently introduced Sea Eagles, complemented by seasonal visitors like swans, grebes, all sorts of ducks and loons. We have nicknames for our Herons, Cormorants and playful Otters. Just last year the carcass of a rare Pygmy Sperm Whale washed in, which is now on display at the Irish Natural History Museum in Dublin. Two of Ireland's major aquariums have displayed unique critters collected from the sea and tide-pools at Mermaid Isle. The hot-tub is a soothing reward after a day spent fishing, swimming or just hiking around the shore, or moving whales.
Why the Owner Chose Sneem
My wife and I had come to Ireland a quarter-of-a-century-ago on a working holiday with no idea of buying a property. That changed immediately went we first gazed upon Mermaid Isle. Who could resist the siren's call of glass-like water, a private island just offshore, 4000-ft. of sheltered shoreline, hills and groves stretched across more than 25-acres and endless adjacent open-space, along with a charming, secluded, oceanfront fisherman's stone cottage? We made an offer that first day, which changed our careers and our lives forever. I rediscovered my muse and inner child while splashing around in its tide-pools.
Before discovering Mermaid Isle, we had chosen to vacation in the Sneem area because it offered the best of two worlds, splendid isolation in nature with world-class sugar-sand beaches surrounded by the tallest mountains in Ireland, and a cosmopolitan tourist town with sophisticated amenities for guests from around the world. It's that mixture of classic old-world Gaelic Ireland and modern Europe, sheep and spas, that made it most appealing. Because of the friendliness here, we quickly made friends in all the neighboring villages on the south, sun-facing Ring of Kerry including Kenmare, Castlecove and Caherdaniel. The lakes, forests and shopping of Killarney are just over the hill. Through the years we've been judges of the playful, irreverent St. Patrick's Day parade in Sneem and the Queen of Sneem competition. Sneem is a consistent local winner and Overall National Winner of the Irish Tidy Towns Competition, which honors the overall beauty, as well as physical and cultural amenities of the area for locals and tourists alike. At Mermaid Isle we're also honored by our immediate neighbors, who live over a mile away, yet still look after us. Our closest neighbor is a fisherman who often supplies our guests with the freshest lobsters, crabs and prawns right from his boat.
The Unique Benefits of this Cottage
Mermaid Isle is dotted with ancient ruins including a standing stone, wedge tomb, and famine-era stone dwellings. The centuries-old cottage was like an archeological dig when we first arrived. During the more than a decade spent sensitively restoring and upgrading the Cottage to 21st-century convenience, we had hilarious adventures with many of Ireland's antique and architectural salvage dealers. I've published a book that was written in the Cottage and others are on the way. In 2001 we moved to another home down the shore and opened the Cottage to guests that have included Academy Award and Emmy Award winners, the cream of Irish music and song, corporate CEOs, all looking to recharge their creativity. Others come for the acclaimed local golf courses, hiking and horse-riding. Most have become family friends. Some have returned year-after-year through all seasons. Mermaid Isle obviously attracts nature lovers and artists, as well as those who need a mystical break from the hectic reality of the world, and lovers who wish to savor every aspect of life. My wife is a passionate writer, horticulturist and fantastic chef. She loves making culinary discoveries at local farmer's markets and made sure that the Cottage's kitchen honored the culinary creativity of our guests. Because we live down the shore, we're available to personally help and advise our guests about everything related to Mermaid Isle and its locality, while still affording them absolute privacy.
Property Photos
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- Restored fisherman's cottage and conservatory just steps from the sea. - Kenmare/Sneem, Kerry, Ireland - Vacation Cottage on the Mermaid Isle!
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- After swimming or tidepooling in a secluded cove, unwind in your private hot-tub - Kenmare/Sneem, Kerry, Ireland - Vacation Cottage on the Mermaid Isle!
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- Your conservatory is a vista on the sea, stars and rainbows of wildflowers. - Kenmare/Sneem, Kerry, Ireland - Vacation Cottage on the Mermaid Isle!
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- All contemporary kitchen appliances are clothed in antique furnishings.
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- Boats provided to visit curious seals, dolphins and your private island.
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- Write your novel, dine on a scrumptious meal or just relax surrounded by the sea
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- Catch dinner right in front of the cottage in your glass-like sheltered cove
Traveler Reviews (3)
A Mid- September Hiatus
Guest: TRCGOLF
(Frewsburg NY)
Date of Stay: 09/20/10
Review Submitted: 07/05/11
My wife and I spent 3 glorious evening at the Mermaid Cottage. Laurie and Kevin were the perfect hosts. They have a truly wonderful oasis from the day to day living we all struggle with. The scenery was spectacular; the people beyond friendly; and the whiskey, well, I shall say no more. We are trying to figure out when we can get back. Slaint'e Gregg & Dawn Frewsburg NY
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+.
Mermaid Isle is Magical
Guest: Jesse
(Nashville, TN)
Date of Stay: 09/24/10
Review Submitted: 02/19/11
I am haunted daily by the cruel reminder that I do not live here, for there is nowhere else I have been which comes close to the Eden that is Mermaid Isle. Visit once and you will live the rest of your life praying to return. Love is the only word I can use to describe my feelings for Mermaid Isle, isn't that quite enough? Jesse Ziebart Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.
Owner response:Hi Jesse and Ryan, Wow!! What a wonderful comment!! There are times that we take Mermaid Isle for granted, until we have radiant, ever-smiling, fun-loving guests like you. I remember Ryan paddling about the sun-kissed, mirror-like bay in the kayak, then exploring the island, alone like Robinson Crusoe. This morning, five swans paddled right past our window. When I went outside with the camera, they paused and returned to me, looking for a hand-out. Then an otter scampered across the lawn and leapt into the water, grabbing a large crab almost instantly, which it happily devoured right in front of me. The otter was followed by a wonderful Curlew that used its long curved bill to probe the soft earth and snag some tasty worms at the edge of the sea. It's February but sunny and quite warm, shirt-sleeve weather. Thousands of daffodils are almost ready to bloom, followed by rainbows of bluebells and fields of irises. Mermaid Isle is similar to the Galapagos Islands, where the wildlife haven't learned to fear humans, so approach us as they would any other animal. Inspired by all the rest of the animals having delicious meals, we decided to drive over the hill to Waterville near the famed golf course for lunch, past the Iron Age ring forts, the old castle now used as an equestrian center, up the hill beyond the Neolithic wedge tomb just beside the road, to that incredible vista of the Atlantic, which inspired legends of Tir Na nOg, the Land of the Forever Young, where the Fairies now reside. Lori and I and the seals, dolphins, the rest of our critters and, of course, our Mermaids are awaiting your return soon. Love, Kevin and Lori
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway.
A Magical and Unique Irish Experience
Guest: Kathleen P.
(Newport, Rhode Island)
Date of Stay: 06/06/08
Review Submitted: 05/19/10
This listing is all that the owners claim and much more. Words and pictures cannot describe or prepare you for the experience of Mermaid Isle. From the moment we turned off the main road and ventured down the rocky and winding path to the oceanfront, through gates and past curious cows, we thought we had left Earth and entered a fantasy land of beauty and pure wonder.We were stunned by the views and the uniqueness of this property. Mermaid Isle is an experience that everyone should have at least once in their lifetime. No need to reiterate the virtues of the cottage itself, the views, the wildlife and it's comfort.. The time I spent at this magical place is still with me two years later, and I hope to return. The owners, Kevin and Lori , could not have been better hosts, and though nearby if needed, they were helpful and delightful but mindful of our privacy. I highly recommend this listing to anyone who wants to experience the best of Ireland.
Owner response:Dear Kathleen, Thank you for your unsolicited, warm, caring review of Mermaid Isle Cottage. We know that you, like so many of our incredible guests, will be one of our life-long family of Mermaid Isle pals. Love, Kevin and Lori
Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing, age 55+, girls getaway.
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #20707
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