Vacation Rentals by Owner

Garrykennedy Cottage

Guest: Nellie (Hillsborough, California)
Date of Stay: 10/11/10 Review Submitted: 11/23/10

Set on the amazing Loch Derg this cottage is a vacationer's dream come true. Traveled to the nearby towns on the lake and found we were centrally located to many wonderful sites. And to end many of our days a stop in to the next door pub proved to be quite satisfying to thirst and hunger. Would strongly recommend a car for your stay but we also enjoyed many relaxing strolls in the vicinity of the house. Very comfortable accommodations with all the comforts of home. One week was far too short.

Recommended for:Age 55+, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lovely Cottage in a Quaint Village!

Guest: cwpph (Boscawen, NH, USA)
Date of Stay: 10/02/10 Review Submitted: 12/09/10

This cottage is a fantastic place to stay, the pictures and description of the cottage is exactly as stated. The location alone allows you to travel to so many places in Ireland in a just a day trip. The cottage is more than what you expect when you think of a cottage, it is neat and clean with all of the amenties that you want and need. The kitchen is gourmet with plenty of cupboards and all the necessary utensils. The luxury of having a sitting room and a living room allow your family or traveling group to have space to spread out. Plenty of bedrooms, beautiful baths and a wonderful backyard really round out the whole experience. The owner was extremely helpful with answering questions as well as offering some terrific suggestions of places to ride (horseback) as well as places to stay when we made our way back to Dublin for the trip home. I would recommend this property to everyone, it is a perfect place to stay! We loved, loved, loved this home away from home and look forward to visiting again, in the future. Thank you so very much for sharing this wonderful place with our family! We enjoyed walking to the docks in the mornings as well as taking the walking trail. There are two pubs, one is perfect for meals and local music, the other is perfect for a pint and a round of pool.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lovely Stay in the Country

Guest: Shavaun (Los Angeles, CA)
Date of Stay: 08/28/10 Review Submitted: 09/28/10

This was such a perfect home base for our first week of stay in Ireland. A comfortable cozy charming home with all the amenities and a Magical Garden to sit and relax... (that's what we called it). Loch Derg was beautiful and the forest trail just moments from the front door was spectacular. We enjoyed our times in both pubs, Larkins and Ciss Ryan and we we're completely welcomed by the locals. We took several day trips too, one to The Rock of Caschel and The Holy Cross Abby. We drove out to Killalough (about 15 minutes) and took the boat ride of Loch Derg. We drove to Gallway, which was about an hour and a half, that was a charming town and lovely for shopping. We also met many locals in Nenaugh, Ciss Ryan & Larkins, that gave us some behind the scene tips. The best treat was the hike up to the Millinium Cross and the drive was only about a mile away. We loved Garry Kennedy, I had the best sleep of my life and we would go back in a Heart Beat!!

Owner response:Thank you for your kind comments. Delighted you enjoyed your stay.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway.

Garrykennedy Cottage - Lakeside Luxury

Guest: peachphish (Amelia Island Florida)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 07/07/10

This is a wonderful central location for day trips or half day trips to all kinds of attractions. The house is comfortable, clean, well appointed and there is a full instruction manual for operating the appliances and such that function differently in Ireland than they do here, so there's no stress. There were baby ducks and baby swans in the lake while we were there - it's a very peaceful place. The pubs were great, the food at Larkin's is of good variety and quite tasty. Overall, I feel like we really had the luck of the Irish when we found GarryKennedy Cottage. The whole process from finding it online, to making the arrangements, to getting there, staying there - all of it was easy - all except the leaving part. It was really hard to leave. I would absolutely recommend it to family and friends.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

The Perfect Visit

Guest: JPGonzo (Stockton, California, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/12/10 Review Submitted: 07/06/10

Garrykennedy Cottage was the perfect blend of old world charm with all the modern amenities. The pictures on the site only tell a partial story of how wonderful this cottage really is. When we arrived we were warmly greeted and felt instantly at home. Although Garrykennedy is perfectly located to tour all the wonderful sites (Rock of Cashel, Cliffs of Moher, Limmerick, Bunratty Castle and more) the village itself is delightful. We enjoyed the friendly pubs, wonderful food and amazing views right from the cottage. Take the time to enjoy Lough Derg itself. We loved Killaloe and Ballina. Our group was from the ages of 7 to 70 and there was something for everyone. The "Cottage Handbook" also made everything so easy with dining recommendations to trip ideas. I'm now partial to Garrykennedy and think it's one of the best places to be in Ireland!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Highest Ratings for Garrykennedy Cottage

Guest: Dennis (Rochester, New York USA)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 07/14/10

The biggest and most difficult decision I needed to make for my family's two week vacation in Ireland was about booking a "country" home for us to stay in. I knew from my first conversation with the owner that I had made a good decision. When we arrived after a easy drive from Dublin the entire family was sure as well. Garrykennedy is a very comforting place, with a gorgeous lakefront and two friendly inviting pubs where owners and patrons alike make you feel comfortable. However, plopped right in the middle is the real gem.........Garrykennedy Cottage with its inviting courtyard, beautiful gardens a great Irish country look. (pushed our American buttons) The very complete cottage "manual" sent to us by the owners prepared us for the "how-tos" of our stay but could prepare us for how wonderful the property was. We immediately met the charming, and very thorough, cleaning lady who soon left us to an immaculate and comfortable "home away from home" that we enjoyed fully for our weeks stay. The rooms are spacious, well appointed and the bathrooms were modern (with a country feel.........wooden floors) and had all the conveniences. Soon after our arrival I received a call at the cottage from the owner asking if all was well and did we have any questionsn or concerns............the same was done the night before we left. We found the cottage central to all things we wanted to do. The town of Nenaugh is a treasure with great shops, people and pubs. We took day trips to Galway, Kilkenny, Dingle, the Cliffs of Moher and Cork always finding ourselves back at the cottage to use the fantastic kitchen ( I am a better than average cook and found the range to be the best I have ever used) to prepare our evening meal. I would recommend this to anyone and so would my family. When we regrouped at our home to share our Ireland vacation pictures and stories we each shared our favorites.............two (of the six of us) said that the stay at Garrykennedy Cottage was the highlight.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

May 2010

Guest: cmwilli (Bethesda, MD, USA)
Date of Stay: 05/15/10 Review Submitted: 06/28/10

Our stay at the Garrykennedy Cottage was wonderful. The listing description was very accurate not only on location but also on the cottage's rental appearance as well as amentities. The cottage was very clean, well maintained and modern. All the niceties of home. the owner called personally on the day of our arrival to make sure all was well, answer any questions and to give us a personal overview of the area around Garrykennedy, places to see and pubs for dining. Larkin's next door to the cottage was a very inviting family oriented pub with good food and traditional music. The cottage was well within driving distance of many wonderful sights. The owner has compiled a very complete guide which is at the cottage for places to visit within 2 hours of the cottage. As a side note the roads in Ireland are very rural in nature and even a short trip may take two hours, but enjoy the leisurely drive and relax. I would visit the cottage again without hesitation. This was one of my most enjoyable vacations in some time.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Thank you for being what you said you were--perfect!

Guest: Pam&Tom (Chambersburg, PA)
Date of Stay: 04/17/10 Review Submitted: 06/02/10

We had a such a wonderful time, and this place made such a great first impression on us, that we will definitely be back to Ireland. The most friendly people everywhere that we traveled, and the perfect time of year--April--with not one shower. Luckily we got in just before the airports were closed due to volcanic ash. Unluckily, they were opened in time for us to have to leave on schedule.

Owner response:Thank you for staying at Garrykennedy Cottage and for the great review. Look forward to seeing you on your next vacation to Ireland.

Recommended for:People with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Dream Vacation

Guest: Bridget (Big Bend WI)
Date of Stay: 04/03/10 Review Submitted: 06/26/10

Our week at Garry Kennedy Cottage was fantastic. The accomodations were superb offering the character of Ireland and the comforts of home.Our large group was accomodated quite well and we had plenty of space to spred out and enjoy the cozy fireplaces. We enjoyed the modern kitchen and the bright and air dining space.Coffee in the yard was a pleasurable experience. We did a lot of touring during the days but spend alot of evenings enjoying the waterfront area. Larkins was a delight so welcoming and so close to the cottage. We enjoyed the food and music there. We really appreciated the wealth of information offered before and at the cottage to meet our every need while we were there. The addition of WIFI was a special bonus and allowed us to stay in touch with family. Everything was organized and every effort was made to make our vacation one to remember.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Jim and Jane McDougall (Sycamore, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 10/05/09 Review Submitted: 10/05/09

We rented Garrykennedy on May of 2009 and very glad that we did. It was bigger the pictures showed, very clean and well equipped to handel our every need. The location of the cottage also worked out very well for us as we did many day trips which brought us back to the cottage late afternoon. The cottage is very modern with old world charm that well exceeded my expectations. Everything worked out well for us and we would highly reccomend this cottage.

Recommended for:

Garrykennedy Cottage - 2009 Visit

Guest: Marie F. (White Plains, NY)
Date of Stay: 07/11/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

We had a great week at the Garrykennedy Cottage during July 2009. The Cottage is much nicer and much bigger than the photos suggest. We loved being able to stroll down the street to Larkins Pub for a burger, a pint and traditional music - and to the marina to watch the boats coming and going. We took to the roads most days touring; visited the Cliffs of Moher, the Rock of Cashel, Kings Johns Castle, Dingle and the Ring of Kerry and the Guinness Brewery in Dublin. Most of all we enjoyed returning to your lovely cottage each evening. It was so welcoming and comfortable. The kids used one sitting room and the adults used the other. Plenty of room for all of us. We lit the fire and wood burner a few nights which made the place so cozy. The beds were super comfy. We all slept so well. The house was very very clean and the housekeeper was very helpful. We really did not want to leave and can’t wait to return. Thanks for a wonderful week. We will never forget our stay at Garrykennedy Cottage. Marie & Don F., New York

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Tip is the Best

Guest: No more (Atlanta, GA, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/06/09 Review Submitted: 04/23/10

Our family of 5 adults and 2 young children had a grand two week visit. Being back in Ireland was a treat and the cottage and village were just what we wanted. The cottage is charming and comfprtable and very well supplied both with necessities and welcome extras. The little garden is delightful. Roy and his wife at Ciss Ryans Pub were welcoming, gracious and invaluable in making out visit unforgettable.They let our kids play on their backyard trampoline and also helped with phoning and making special arrangements. The location of the cottage enabled us to travel easily to the places we wanted to see, and being on Lough Derg gave us many happy hours just being " at home." Renting a boat opened up wonderful adventures on the lough from fishing to picnicking --- just the cows and us --- on Holy Isle with its charming monastic ruins. The trip was such a success that my daughter and her husband have named their new puppy Tipper (for Tipperary) and my son and his family have a framed hurling poster proclaiming "Tip is the Best" in their family room.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A Lovely

Guest: Irish five (Rochester,NY)
Date of Stay: 07/12/08 Review Submitted: 07/29/08

GerryKennedy Cottage is located in a quaint little village on the shores of Loch Derg. This cottage is one of the few places we have rented from online photos and description that the actual home far exceeded the website description. The cottage,built in the 1700's, still reflects its history yet it has been magnificently updated to provide every possible modern amenity We were a family of five who rented this particular home primarily because of its proximity to family in Nenagh. We had plenty of room to relax and have quiet space and to entertain and visit with family. The gardens are lovely and provided views of the lake and the old castle while still being very private. The owner was very helpful both while planning our trip and during our stay. The village hosts two pubs and plenty of friendly people that made us feel welcome. We enjoyed their stories and music. There is a store within walking distance for the quick necessities of milk, bread etc. There were very nice stores in Nenagh (6 miles). While the cottage is ideally located to the major 'must see' attractions of Ireland what made this place special was that for a week we weren't tourists visiting Ireland we were experiencing Ireland first hand.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A fabulous cottage !

Guest: moe (skokie, Illinois)
Date of Stay: 06/12/08 Review Submitted: 05/07/10

I know its been a wonderful vacation when I have trouble remembering which day of the week it is. But alas, we must leave now. The Cottage was everything we hoped for and more. We fished and slept and ate and slept and went on many excursions and slept. Did I mention we slept ? Slept like babies every night. Larkin’s Pub in the village (3 doors down the street) had great food and service. Loved the Garden, the birds (especially the magpies) and of course the lake views from the front of the Cottage. I really don’t want to go home. Can I stay ? Please ? ? Thanking you for your hospitality and the stay at your cottage. It was perfect in every way! I especially loved the reclaimed antique tiles in the kitchen and the warm solarium, I spent my mornings (before anyone else got up) drinking tea, sitting in the garden... watching the magpies and cats play a stalking game, or drinking tea and mapping out the day in my head in the solarium. Good food? - Again, we loved Larkin's (practically ate, o.k. and drank a bit, there every night). We loved the Forest Walk along the lake, the ruins (castle) and the overall central location of the cottage. You were so accommodating and easy to communicate with as well. In closing, we adored the cottage and hope to be your guests again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

We had a wonderful stay at Garrykennedy Cottage

Guest: gandon21 (Signal Mountain, TN)
Date of Stay: 06/07/08 Review Submitted: 04/21/10

We enjoyed our stay at Garrykennedy cottage thoroughly. Thank you so much for allowing us to stay there. We have been regaling about your cottage and the beautiful location to everybody who will listen. It was so comfortable and so full of character. In addition, your kindly neighbor with the two cats gifted our eleven year old granddaughter with a lovely antique looking doll. Rebecca, our granddaughter, carried her doll in her backpack with her head bobbing along behind her all the way back to Signal Mountain, TN.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Wonderful Home

Guest: RonansMom (Santa Monica, CA )
Date of Stay: 05/18/08 Review Submitted: 11/08/10

We were the first to stay in the Cottage after the renovation and were just blown away by how lovely the home was! We took several photos of the cottage to remember our wonderful time in Ireland and thought you might like to have them. The Cottage is very special and the renovation modernizes the cottage in a sensitive manner and enhances its charm. Thank you for letting us stay at you beautiful home. Everyone in town was welcoming and helpful. The location was perfect--not too long of a drive to key sites but secluded enough to feel away from it all. Thanks you!! Cynthia Santa Monica, CA

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Comments from Owner Guestbook

Guest: HRGuestBook3737 (HR GuestBook)
Date of Stay: 12/01/07 Review Submitted: 12/05/07

Our stay at the cottage was story book material ! It exceeded our expectations in every category. We had sunny weather every other day during our stay. The lake was simply picturesque. Larkin's Pub was beyond friendly. The cottage was extremely comfortable and equipped for our every need. We have already starting planning our next trip there. We can't say enough wonderful things about the cottage. Thank you so very much for a wonderful vacation and a lifetime memories.' Our Sincerest Gratitude, Kate B & Friends, New York, Oct 2002 We absolutely loved Garrykennedy Cottage. The location was great and cottage has lots of character. Prices were very reasonable. I'm a clean freak, and the cottage was very clean! The rooms were huge. Loved the garden and the flowers. The web site was so descriptive that there were NO surprises. My husband appreciated the fact that you responded to his e-mails within an hour. No complaints! Catherine and Greg L. Austin, Texas, USA

Recommended for:

Garrykennedy September 2007

Guest: Bobbi and Paul (Tucson, Arizona)
Date of Stay: 09/15/07 Review Submitted: 04/22/10

We had a glorious time at the cottage! The village of Garrykennedy is a delight and the people wonderful and welcoming. We loved meeting your neighbor Simon and his wife and getting to know their menagerie of animals. He'd stop by in the mornings on his way to the field so we could see his Argentinean ponies, Napoleon and Spartacus with his dogs, Zac and Sydney in tow. We enjoyed the great day trip driving routes from the cottage but for the most part, we sat by the fire, read, walked, fed the ducks and swans and, in general, just relaxed which was our intent when we rented the cottage. A friend from Nenagh (6 miles away) came for a short visit one evening and we caught up with the family members when in Dublin before leaving for Italy . All in all, it was a superb visit and just what we wanted. Having been to Ireland many times, this time was extra special as we felt we "lived" there. Thank you for sharing the very special Garrykennedy Cottage with us.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Garrykennedy Cottage, a wonderful vacation that we remember fondly.

Guest: Joanie H. (Greenwich, CT USA)
Date of Stay: 04/07/07 Review Submitted: 04/21/10

We are just home after our week at your cottage. Tough to get back to the realities of work. We had a lovely stay at Garrykennedy Cottage. And although we did do lots of driving, we thoroughly enjoyed having the cottage to come home to every night. We frequented Larkin’s Pub and Restaurant in the village (3 doors down from the cottage) and always received a warm welcome. The four of us took many pictures of the cottage, and loved all the comfort and space. It was great to have that space, after being in the car all day. My nieces and I met some of the local teen age boys, who were camping in the area and had some laughs with them. We put about 1600 km on the rental car (over 7 days), and had an additional bus trip into Dublin one day. I loved the visit to Blarney castle - the grounds were beautiful. I found some Irish cross stitch samplers to make in Adare. The weather was super. It was sunny every day. The temps started at around 40 degrees each morning, and went up into the 50s and 60s every day. Could not have been better. Thank you again for your hospitality and the use of your beautiful cottage. Sincerely, Joan H. and Family, Greenwich , Connecticut , USA

Owner response:Thank you for the feedback. Glad you enjoyed your stay. We look forward to seeing you again at some point in the future. Regards, Brian

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Spectacular place to stay-

Guest: Susie (Oklahoma)
Date of Stay: 07/22/05 Review Submitted: 07/17/10

Having never before rented a property from an internet listing I was a little nervous renting Garrykennedy site unseen. However, with seven of us traveling-a house made a lot more sense than multiple hotel rooms. In addition-we were looking for a central location to leave our belongings and do day trips-as our rental van would be very crowded with 7 people and luggage. Brendon was very reassuring-and answered all sorts of questions for me. When we arrived at the property-we were all blown away by how wonderful it was-it exceeded all our expectations. Garrykennedy Cottage is a great base for exploring Ireland and a fun place to stay. Even before the recent renovations the cottage was lovely. The house was very clean and welcoming-kudos to the housekeeper who was leaving as we arrived. The Cottage was very comfortable for the seven of us-with plenty of space for part of the family to read or chat while others watched television.. The garden was spectacular. The table outside got a lot of use on nice days. The first afternoon in Garykennedy, we had lunch at Dan Larkin’s pub and restaurant and its good food and live music garnered our loyalty immediately. The young adults had a great time on Saturday night down at Larkin’s pub talking to locals and other visitors. Garrykennedy Cottege is a great central location for day trips. We really enjoyed the short drives to great sites like Dysert O'Dea's castle and Abbey, The Burren and Kilkenny.. But our absolute favorite site was the Cliffs of Moher. We also enjoyed the lakeside forest walk at the end of the village and spent some time fishing in the beautiful lake. I heartily recommend Garrykennedy Cottege as the best way to visit Ireland-and hope to return soon to see the recent renovations.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, sightseeing.