Cosy seaside, rural heritage cottage

Pipers Cottage is a 400 year old stone structure, a "black cottage", which was lovingly restored to incorporate all the modern conveniences including heated flooring, cosy living spaces, delightfully appointed bathrooms and comfortable bedding. It has a patio and out door furniture during summer months.

Guests have access to gas bbq and their own laundry with washer / dryer.
The cottage also has a great heritage value (please see explanation below).

The property has its own little cove and is situated between a number of working cattle farms. It boasts beautiful views, spectacular sunsets and is situated on the mouth of Ventry harbour. It is located 3 miles from Dingle which boasts many pubs and excellent dining facilities, great music and craic!

Guests have their choice of drinking filtered and UV treated well water (free of chlorine and flouride) or town water.

The cottage is a few hundred yards off the Slea Head Drive; a spectacular drive which has been described by National Geographic as "...The most beautiful place in the world..." It takes little effort and not much time to complete the drive and is well worth it!
Sea safaris are available through Dingle Boat Tours to cruise Dingle harbour or to visit the Blasket Islands, to view the wild life including puffins, whales, dolphins, seals, deer, gannets, basking sharks and many more, depending on the season.
We are only too pleased to offer advice about attractions, pubs, music, restaurants OR to simply leave ye in peace to enjoy the trnquility of the setting.

The Dingle penninsular retains strong cultural links with the past. Each night of the week there are traditional music offerings in several Dingle pubs. Some are performances while some are sessions which offer opportunity for visiting musicians to join in, no matter what their level of musical prowess. Just ask the person leading the session if you are invited to join in and away you go! Many of the tunes and Irish songs date back centuries .

The Pipers Cottage is the last remaining dwelling of the Goodman family and was the home of Mary Goodman until she died in 1920. The Goodmans were Church of Ireland Rectors of Dingle during the 1800s. James Goodman was born in 1823 and his first language was Irish. He became an avid uileann piper (Irish pipes) and followed the family tradition becoming a Rector himself, moving to Skibereen which became his parish.

During the famine and its aftermath James proved to be unique in that he provided food and nourishment at his own expense, to all comers; catholic or protestant, he didnt distinguish based on religion. This was unique as the Chruch of Ireland encouraged pastors to offer food to catholics only if they renounced their faith; an action called "taking the soup". He was greatly loved by the people of Skibereen and they commissioned a life sized bronze statue of James which is situated at the enterence to the Church of Ireland in that town.

But wait, there's more. James Goodman became the first professor of Irish language at Trinity University, at a time when the anglicisation of the Irish was in full sway. The late Cannon Fenton of Dingle Catholic parish was also professor of Irish and, out of respect, he erected a monument to James Goodman in Ballymore, between the Slea Head Drive and St Michael's well.

....and there's more yet! James watched the demise of the local music and songs due to anglicisation and he undertook to look after noted musicians from West Kerry and West Cork, to learn the music and songs and to write them down. More than 2000 manuscripts have been printed in volumes for traditional musicians. In effect, James saved the music of the west of ireland and is therefore revered by trad music devotees world wide.
Understandably, the cottage was preserved and renovated in James' honour. In 2020 Radio Gaeltacht recorded a day of Goodman's music by noted musicians. The owner of James Goodmans pipes played the goodman tunes in the Goodman cottage.