The Harbour Masters House
Shannon Harbour, Birr, County Offaly, Ireland
The Harbour Master’s House was built in 1806; just five years after the Kingdom of Ireland and the Kingdom of Great Britain were merged in the Acts of Union. It was built to house the Shannon Harbour Master and his family. Shannon Harbour was purpose built to support shipping on the Grand Canal which joined Dublin to the Atlantic, crossing Ireland to the Shannon River. If you descend from Irish Immigrants, your family likely passed through Shannon Harbour.
My hosts, Grainne and Jim Kirwan were wonderful. Grainne’s father was Harbour Master. She grew up in the house.
The Harbour Masters House, Shannon Harbour, County Offaly
The house itself is 3 stories high. I stayed at the front of the house on the ground floor, my window overlooked the formal back garden. The hall windows overlook the Grand Canal.
The sitting room, The Harbour Masters House, Shannon Harbour, County Offaly
There were comfortable public areas. See the resident Border Collie, like the dogs in the movie Babe?
This was my room, The Harbour Masters House
Shannon Harbour
This was my room.
My very comfortable bed, The Harbour Masters House
Shannon Harbour
My bed was very comfortable.
The window overlooked the formal back garden, The Harbour Masters House, Shannon Harbour
The window overlooked the formal back garden.
The formal back garden in the morning mist
Ready for Tea
Breakfast is available early here. It is served in a very convenient comfortable room that overlooks the formal back gardens. Because the Harbour Master House on the Grand Canal at Shannon Harbour caters to fishermen and birders. They had an assortment of cereal, fruit, yogurt and buns and things for early risers.
Coal effect gas fire
I live in a log cabin in Hendersonville, North Carolina. In my living room I have a gas fireplace that is made to look like it is a log fire. At breakfast they have a cozy gas fire that is made to look like a coal fire.
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