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Bedrooms	11	Bathrooms	11
King Beds	4	Queen Beds	2
Double beds	5	Half Baths	1

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Founder's Mansion

County Galway, Ireland

The house is perched on a hill above the village. It's a 2-minute walk down to the High Street. Views are over the village and the church and the Twelve Bens Mountains.

One crosses a mature and exuberant garden to reach the house. Enter an inviting hallway that has Connemara marble floors, golden-yellow walls and crisp white woodwork. The drawing room is to the left, the dining room to the right.

The drawing room is sunny and bright. Decorated in traditional Irish style that is consistent with the house. It has two large, comfortable sofas covered in white damask, several easy chairs, a piano and an occasional table and four armchairs. There are family antiques including a grandfather clock, cocoa brown walls and bright white woodwork. A turf fire, paintings, Oriental rugs, white cotton curtain and high ceilings add to the warm ambiance.

The long dining room has a large window looking onto the front garden and, beyond that, glimpses of the village.

Walls are taupe and curtains are white. The long mahogany table seats 16 comfortably. An additional small table can be added, but it's a bit of a squeeze.

Adjacent to the dining room is a comfortable study that has a cushy leather sofa and a leather wing chair, an antique writing desk. Walls are silvery-green, the carpet is beige. There is a fireplace with a carved mantle, Sky TV, video player and DVD, books, games, DVD's. A large window looks toward the front of the property. This is a great place to completely relax or have a quiet conversation away from the rest of the crowd.

A terrific office/library is near the kitchen. It has finely crafted built-in book cases, an Aga stove for beauty and warmth, a pine dresser. There is high speed wireless internet connection, a fax machine and a writing desk. People gravitate to this room, as did we.

The cook's kitchen has a Siemens double oven and a commercial hob, two Belfast sinks and a large American refrigerator with an ice maker, a commercial dishwasher and a microwave. Counter tops and the back splash are dark green tiles. Three walls are tongue and groove paneling.

Walls and Shaker-style cupboards are painted cream. There is green stained-glass in some cabinet doors. This kitchen is no-nonsense, but it's not scary. Even non-cooks love to sit at the farm table. The adjacent utility/ironing room has two washing machines and two dryers.

Four of the bedrooms have a king bed that can convert to twin beds. Two bedrooms have a queen bed. Five bedrooms have standard double beds.

There are three bedrooms on the main level. One has a king bed that can convert to twin beds. The headboard is antique mahogany. There is a cupboard and a desk and chair. The tall window looks out to the gardens. The en suite bathroom has a tub and shower over tub.

One bedroom has a double bed and a single bed, each with duvet and white cover. There is a built-in clothes cupboard and a desk and chair. Walls are white. Curtained windows look onto the front garden. The en suite tiled bathroom has a shower.

The third bedroom, where we've stayed, has a king bed that could convert to twin beds and nice chests of drawers and a writing desk. The room's colors are gold and red - it's a bright room even on cloudy days. The en suite bathroom, black tile and white fixtures, has a tub with shower over tub.

The upstairs bedrooms are in the main house and a wing. The bedrooms in the wing are smaller and more utilitarian, but most bedrooms have TV, direct dial telephones, comfortable beds and high quality linens. From the upstairs hallway, one can go directly outside via a little bridge.

One of the bedrooms is reached via an arched doorway at the top of the stairs. It has a queen bed with a brass head board. The window looks down to the side gardens. The en suite tiles bathroom has a tub with shower over tub.

Another bedroom is to the right at the top of the stairs. It has a standard double bed with a white cover. and a nice chest of drawers, a writing desk and a clothes closet. Walls are green and the window looks down to the gardens. The sunny green and yellow en suite bathroom has a tub with shower over tub.

The room shown below is to the left at the top of the stairs. It has a standard double bed and a dressing table, clothes closet and chest of drawers. Walls are soft yellow over original white painted wood work. The blackmailed en suite bathroom has a tub with shower over tub.

This room has a queen bed with a headboard upholstered in Irish tweed. There is a beautiful antique armoire, a desk and a chest of drawers. Walls are soft white with sharper white wood work. The black-tiled en suite bathroom has a shower stall.

One bedroom has twin beds with white cotton covers. There is a tall armoire, a writing desk and a chest of drawers. The black-tiled bathroom has a shower stall.

This room, at the far end of the hall, has a king bed, a tall armoire, a desk and a chest of drawers, a comfortable chair. This room has two windows, both of which look down onto the gardens. The tiled bathroom has a shower stall.

This is a homey bedroom that has a queen bed made of local pine, two roomy built-in clothes cupboards and a combination desk/dressing table, a comfortable chair. The black-tiled bathroom has a shower stall.

This is a smaller bedroom, but it is very nice. It has a queen bed and vintage storage pieces. The large tiled bathroom (not black!) has a bathtub with shower over tub.

The mature gardens are beautiful with room to stroll and play. From the driveway, you'll see the main garden that has a small pool with fish. And there's an anchor from a ship of the Spanish Armada. There is attractive garden furniture.

From the front garden there are views of the mountains. The rest of the garden has a high evergreen hedge.

The swimming pool area has a 6-person sauna. The pool can be used from June through August. The hard tennis court is there for you to enjoy year ‘round.

A 2-minute walk takes you into right into the village center. Clifden is a lively and friendly place with excellent restaurants, authentic pubs and very nice shops - including a high-end grocery store. It is an excellent base for touring the gorgeous and haunting area called the Connemara. The beaches are beautiful, empty and clean. At every turn, you'll see glorious mountain scenery. There are Irish craft shops, many ancient Celtic sites and places to ramble in the Twelve Bens Mountains. County Mayo, just to the north, is beautiful. There's lots of golf, of course, and we can tell you all about that.

Day trips to the Aran Islands (Inishbofin, Clareisland, Inishturk) can be arranged by ferry or, for smaller parties, the owner might take you there in his motor boat. This must be arranged in advance. Children are warmly welcomed at this property, but be aware that the pool is not gated. Shannon Airport is 100 miles. Galway City is 45 miles. Dublin is 180 miles.