The Slieve Bloom region is to market an organised system of gites, the holiday concept for long so popular in France.
The first batch is now ready for occupation by holidaymakers.
Details of the scheme will be made public tomorrow by the Slieve Bloom Development Society Ltd at Kinnitty in Co Offaly.
The Knocknaman Cottage is the first in a series of self-catering units using upgraded old farmhouses in the area.
Some years ago the society identified 100 such homes in the Slieve Bloom region which had fallen into disrepair or were not being used by farmers.
The society put together a package to bring the homes up to standard for holidaymakers, especially those who want to walk in the mountains, fish or play golf.
"There is a shortage of accommodation in the area and we decided this would be a good way of getting units on the market and also a method of getting muchneeded money to local farmers and other rural dwellers," said one of those involved, Mr Ivan Sheppard.
"We eventually got a package together using funding from the various agencies to help do up the cottages and make them attractive to visitors," he said.
"The society leases the buildings from the owners, who enter into a contract to decorate and manage the properties. We as a society will market the accommodation.
"This is a good way of getting hard-needed cash to farmers in the area who are experiencing very difficult times, especially now," said Mr Sheppard.
"I reckon that having one of these homes with a high occupancy rate would be as profitable to a farmer as having 40 suckler cows." The average cost of refurbishing the accommodation is £60,000.
The properties are renovated to the highest standard, with modern fittings, heating and all other comforts.
Five further homes are almost ready for guests and there has been a great deal of interest from people in the area about the scheme.
Mr Sheppard said the LEADER programmes in Laois and Offaly had been extremely helpful in putting the package together and encouraging people to take part in the scheme.
"It's really like the French gite system," he says.
"They are normally reworked farm buildings or dwellings and they are instrumental in helping keep revenue and people in rural France.
"Ours is the same idea. That is what we want to do and this is the first step on that road."