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Property details

Bedrooms	4	Bathrooms	4
Maximum Occupancy	8	Internet Access	Yes
Pets Allowed	No	Washing Machine	Yes

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Garrai Ban House

County Galway, Ireland

The house is located in Ballinafad, between Roundstone and Clifden. It’s next to Ballynahinch Castle, and has superb views of Ballynahinch Lake and of the Twelve Pins, mountains surrounding Clifden. The beautiful sandy Roundstone beaches are only ten minutes away.

You enter the property through a stone entryway and up the gravel driveway, passing the Gatekeeper’s Cottage. There is a beautiful stone staircase framed by two stone terraces with rose-covered walls. You enter into a very spacious yellow drawing room, and immediately see a baby grand piano. The walls are covered with artwork, and beautiful antique furniture is cozily placed around the fireplace. To the left on an open plan, there is a very big living room (two rooms actually), with another fireplace (all the fireplaces are antique Victorian fireplaces found by the house-builder). There is a velvet sofa, three easy chairs, also in velvet, two antique French chairs covered in petit-point, and coffee and side tables all around. It’s the perfect room to relax in. Just through the French doors, you can savor a glass of wine and admire the sunset over Ballynahinch lake on the terrace. Peach walls, Oriental carpets, and custom-made floral chintz draperies add to the warmth of the room. On the left, you’ll find the library with lacquered red walls, television and music set-up, a comfortable sofa, and an antique Syrian nacre-encrusted desk. The printed carpet is Connemara wool, the gorgeous draperies are custom-made by Schummacher. At the other end of the living room, you’ll encounter the dining room with coral damask walls and custom draperies made to match the Delft chandelier and sconces. The lovely carpeting is also made from Connemara wool. An antique English table and chairs, seating eight, and French Louis XVI armchairs complete the décor. There is a mahogany vitrine with Sevres porcelains. French doors open onto a stone terrace, overlooking the back garden.

Next to this, you enter the very comfortable kitchen with tile floor and warm wood cabinets. There is a dishwasher, microwave, oven and hob, all installed on Connemara granite counters. An antique Swiss accounting table and four chairs sits upon a petit-point rug. The walls are a warm clay color. Just off the kitchen is a small utility room, the perfect place for your Wellies.

The master bedroom is off the kitchen. It is big and airy, with an Irish wool carpet, and pale yellow papered walls. There is a queen-sized bed with a custom-made canopy and bedspread, as well as lovely window draperies. An antique Louis XV
sofa under a large gilded mirror, an antique dresser from rural Switzerland, and a lovely crystal chandelier complete the look. Again, there is an antique Victorian fireplace as well as a small dressing table. The large bathroom has tile flooring, bathtub and separate shower, and a lovely rose wallpaper. The carpeting is also made from Connemara wool.

The three other bedrooms are located next to the library. The pink bedroom has beautiful views of the lake and a fireplace. Two custom-made twin size beds are adjoined to create a king-size bed with a lovely printed silk coverlet. Custom-made draperies, dressing table, and a comfortable armchair finish this bedroom. There is also a bathroom with a large bathtub, wallpapered walls, and fluffy towels.

The second bedroom has green papered walls, two separate twin beds with a more Asian atmosphere. There is also a lovely wool carpeting, dressing table, and a delightful small bathroom with a shower.

The yellow bedroom has two twin beds adjoined to make a king-sized bed. It has beautiful yellow-papered walls, blue and beige carpet, a little dressing table, and a beautiful armoire (the other two bedrooms have all these lovely antique armoires as well).

Finally, there is a small and very unique powder room with a gorgeous custom-made wallpaper and Victorian appliances.
There is beautiful artwork throughout the house by various artists: French, Swiss, Russian, and Irish. This is a very unique house combining the comfort of an Irish home with the elegance and sophistication of Continental Europe. (The owner is a French interior designer who has combined antiques from her and her husband’s families to make this home very special.)
Unfortunately, due to the number of antiques in this house, we cannot allow children under the age of twelve or pets.

Please note: a deposit is due on arrival.