Our family gathered in Ireland for a 93rd birthday celebration and spent three days at Rossnaree House.
We booked the home because of it’s history and central location. We spent full days exploring the surrounding area – the Brú na Bóinne valley, the Mountains of Mourne and a visit to the Irish National Stud. Coming back to the house was slipping back in time as we relaxed in the drawing room with a warm fire.
The internet worked in the drawing room, but phones took a backseat to the experience of simply being in the space. You’re surrounded with such history in the home and in the land! Sunrise over the field of daffodils with Newgrange across the river felt close to the druids that called this land home. We walked the land down to the river accompanied by donkeys and sheep. “Rosenaree” means wood of the kings – the walk took us past an ancient structure that could be part of the naming.
The evening of my mother-in-law’s birthday, Aisling created a celebratory and delicious dinner – she dressed the formal dining room with china and candles and flower arrangements and delighted our group. If she offers, accept!!
A few specifics about the house – it’s very clean and easy to move into, welcoming. It’s also a little like moving into a house you’d see on a tour – you half expect to see ropes across chairs warning “do not sit”, but there are no such restrictions. There is one bedroom on the main floor, and a half bath on the main floor as well. There are stairs to the other bedrooms and bathrooms. Bring warm jammies and socks! Electric heaters are a great addition to the fireplaces, but it’s an old stone house. You snuggle in grateful for the warm duvets on comfortable beds.
We didn’t cook a lot, we found excellent restaurants close by, and of course, the amazing birthday dinner by Aisling. We did use the small kitchen for our breakfasts – a good coffee maker, fresh eggs, bread and jam were perfect. It would have functioned well had we chosen to eat in; it is a room for cooking, rather than gathering. The heart of the house for us was the drawing room.
Our explorations took us across the country to other amazing spaces, the introduction to Ireland at Rosenaree House set a magical tone for the trip.