Enniscoe House

After much cajoling, pleading, and whining, I convinced my Greatest Husband Ever to take me to a luxury hotel for at least one night when we were in Ireland. I chose Enniscoe House because it was halfway between Connemara and our next day’s destination, Donegal. We also wanted a day to relax and just vacation. Sometimes when people travel, they don’t stop to actually enjoy themselves and do nothing. So Enniscoe House because our “Do Nothing” day. And it will be one of my favorite places.

The day became known in my mind as the Day For Getting Lost. The wonderfully wide N59 completely transformed into a narrow mountainous road. Once again, the views were achingly beautiful with high mountains. We even passed Leenane, Ireland’s only fjord (shown here at the right). After missing our turn in Castlebar and another one in Pontoon, eventually we made our way to Laherdane. Why? To visit Leonard’s Pub, (my married name). The pub is conveniently located beside Leonard’s Funeral Home, which was a real kick. As soon as we walked in, heads turned and we got the ‘You’re Not From Around Here’ accusing look. Laherdane is a town where everybody knows everybody. But we took pictures and spoke to a few folks who might be distant relatives of my father-in-law.

We drove to Enniscoe, an 18th century manor house, where we booked our stay. The house is just amazing. Made of rose stone, it’s like stepping into the 18th century. Our room, shown here, overlooked a view of Lough Conn and the mountains. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live in a place like this all the time? There was an Aubusson rug and all the furniture was antique.

The Victorian walled garden was beautiful, on an intimate scale. With sculpted hedges and perennials bursting with color, you feel like you’ve stepped into the Secret Garden. We enjoyed tea and pie and wandered through an agricultural museum that had old photographs and farming equipment.

We walked through a forest path until we reached the lough. It was quiet with trees shading the path and St. John’s Wort blooming along the way. Blackberries grew in thickets on either side, and when we reached the lough, I dipped my hand in. It wasn’t as cold as I thought it would be. You could actually swim in it without catching hypothermia. If you ever get a chance to visit Enniscoe, definitely take advantage of eating dinner there. (After all, the nearest town is 20 minutes away and to drive there in the dark is suicidal–no lights). Our hostess Susan served a six course meal of cheese souffle, potato leek soup, chicken, chocolate cake, and farm cheses. It was to die for. And there’s something special about dining by candlelight in an 18th century manor. You can almost hear the ghosts of the past.