We often dream of escaping the stresses and strains of city life and moving to the west of Ireland, to our cabin of clay and wattles made. But it’s not long before we arise from our daydream and go back to our daily grind, realising that it’s just not practical to up sticks and head for the hills. Journalist and writer Brighid “Biddy” McLaughlin has built her own piece of rural Irish heaven right in the south Dublin enclave of Dalkey, and when you walk through the bright red half door set in the whitewashed front wall of her cottage, it’s like stepping into another world – and another time.
Rockbrook Cottage is its official name, but to locals in Dalkey – and to McLaughlin’s family and friends – it’s better known as Biddy’s Cottage. Wind your way down along the coast from Dalkey village and there it is, on a narrow part of the road looking down towards the sea. It’s as though a giant hand uprooted this ancient dwelling from atop a rugged Donegal promontory and planted it among the gated mansions and castles that line the coast from Coliemore Road to Vico Road.
While this vernacular fisherman’s cottage, originally built around 1875, remains true to its roots in terms of its appearance both inside and out, its location in the heart of what is arguably Ireland’s wealthiest residential enclave has propelled its asking price to €1.2 million and to a point where the pool of potential buyers will, unsurprisingly, be a shallow one. The price being sought has certainly raised more than a few eyebrows on social media since the property came to the market.
With the cottage extending to just 541sq ft (50.24sq m), that’s a heady €2,218 per sq ft. However, Rockbrook Cottage is by no means the most expensive house on a per square foot basis to have come on the market or to have sold in Dalkey over recent years. That particular title is held by the nearby Bartra Martello Tower, which, at 775 sq ft, secured €2,296 per sq ft when it sold for €1.78 million through Sherry FitzGerald in 2016.
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For Nick Crawford, the estate agent handling the sale of Rockbrook Cottage, the price per square foot is a “crude and inaccurate yardstick”. He says: “This is not just an ordinary cottage. This is arguably the best located cottage in Ireland and as agents we put a very high value on Coliemore Road. We have sold four apartments since 2021 on Coliemore Road with an average price of € 1.456 million.”
For McLaughlin, meanwhile, Rockbrook Cottage has allowed her to give full expression to her lifelong fascination with Irish folklore and heritage. Looking around, you’d think you were back in your great-granny’s cottage of childhood memory, with the crackle of the turf fire and the smell of oatcakes toasting on the cast-iron harnen stand over the fire.
A cast-iron crane spans the fireplace, and pre-famine iron pots sit on the hearth. Everywhere you look is some relic of an older Ireland
McLaughlin is a Dubliner, but her parents hail from Donegal and Waterford and for her this cottage provides the best of both old worlds. “My father restored it over six years, and he did a wonderful job, really made great use of the space,” she says. The cottage sits just up the road from Coliemore Harbour, and McLaughlin likes to go for a refreshing morning swim there before coming home and making a nice cup of tea. Across from the harbour is Dalkey Island, which was used as a base by the Vikings in the 7th century. Some 14 centuries later, cast members of Vikings would use Biddy’s Cottage as a base while filming episodes of the hit series.
Lucky visitors are greeted by what looks like a small horseshoe on the half door; it’s actually a donkey shoe. Inside, the main room is wide open, stretched between two turf fireplaces, with vaulted ceiling and old-fashioned rafters. In the middle of the room is a wooden ladder leading up to a loft. “My son used to sleep up there when he was younger – and he used that pulley to bring up his food.”
Just one fireplace is in use at the moment, and there’s a turf fire burning when The Irish Times visits, giving off that unmistakable waft of the west. Above the fireplace is, of course, a St Brigid’s cross; there’s another one on the far wall, but this one has only three arms. “That’s the cross for the cattle,” explains McLaughlin. Around the fireplace are the requisite pictures of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the pope and John F Kennedy; a very old framed photograph of McLaughlin’s great-grandmother, and a photograph of McLaughlin with playwright John B Keane. A cast-iron crane spans the fireplace, and pre-famine iron pots sit on the hearth. Everywhere you look is some relic of an older Ireland, whether it’s a rocking chair by the fire, or lobster pots hanging from the ceiling. Will she leave any of these collectible items for the next owner? I ask. “Only for the right owner,” she says.
You’re right beside the lovely village of Dalkey, with its artisan shops, restaurants and great pub life, with Finnegan’s pub a favourite with the local literati
Off the main room is the kitchen, which used to be the outhouse, but is now a modern, well-equipped kitchen configured for a professional chef and done up in funky marble and shiny copper. Cooking is a huge passion of McLaughlin’s, and she has published a cookbook, Behind the Half Door, in collaboration with Kady O’Connell, and featuring recipes created right here in this kitchen.
Another passion of McLaughlin’s is storytelling, and the cottage has hosted many an evening of storytelling as friends gathered around the fire telling tales while McLaughlin served up some lamb shanks in Riesling, or some other such hearty dish. You might recognise the odd famous face in the gathering, such as Pierce Brosnan.
To the back is a luxurious double bedroom with fitted wardrobes, and an elegant, old-style bathroom with free-standing cast-iron bath, Edwardian sink and WC. It’s a neat juxtaposition with the traditional feel of the main cottage.
In the main room, one of the benches opens out into a settee bed, and there’s room to sleep guests in the loft, but essentially this cottage is perfect for one person or a couple with a grá for Irish heritage, and an appreciation of the rich treasures of our past, both physical and cultural
This is a charming property, with sea views, right in the heart of one of Dublin’s most sought-after locations – which the likes of Bono, Enya and Van Morrison have called home. You’re right beside the lovely village of Dalkey, with its artisan shops, restaurants and great pub life, with Finnegan’s pub a favourite with the local literati. The village also hosts the annual Dalkey Book Festival, which brings the world’s greatest writers flocking to the village. The Dalkey Dart station will bring you into the city centre in about 30 minutes.
Over the years McLaughlin has lived here and also rented it out to visitors looking to find a rare piece of rural Ireland in the south Dublin suburbs. Now, McLaughlin feels the time is right to make a move and start a new phase in her life. She’s hoping to buy a place in Sicily, where she has been spending a lot of time, and she’s also planning to make more visits to Donegal and Waterford to keep in touch with family members.
To the side of the cottage, beside a flower bed, is a stone of sorrow from Donegal where you can sit and be healed of your sorrows and cares. McLaughlin, whose sister Siobhán was murdered in 2006, has found healing through her strong family ties, her deep connection with her family history, and living her best life in this idyllic haven in Dalkey. Now, Biddy’s Cottage is ready for a whole new story to be told.
Rockbrook Cottage, with an F Ber, is on the market through Crawford’s, seeking €1.2 million.
