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There is no way to put a single price on a cottage – they are as individual as each person on this planet. They will never be like the identical 3 bed semi-d in a large housing estate that allows for easy price comparison. The Sunday Times released the …

I am absolutely loving the new Bord Failte Ireland Tourism Ad for 2011. I wish I could go there… oh wait – I live here! How lucky are we to live in such a fantastic country – financial & political woes aside – it costs us nothing to open our eyes to the natural beauty and potential that is all around us!

It is the dream of many cottage lovers to be able to live and run a successful and rewarding business from their cottage and recently I had the good fortune to meet with a couple who have done just that. On one of the hardiest days of the year my fabulous Focus ice-skated cross country from Carlow to Moate in Co. Westmeath to visit the cottage of Helen and Brendan Doherty – better known as the Caraiosa Centre.

Newly minted as I am to twitter I came across this article… Fair Play to Terry – anything that brings tourism back to Ireland deserves a big cheer! “TOURISM to the Mid-West is set to get a boost following the airing of the BBC1 programme, Terry Wogan’s Ireland, last Sunday night, which attracted over five million viewers. The second part of the documentary series will be screened on BBC1 this Sunday night, and will focus on his visit to Northern Ireland.

I have recently come across this festival and it sounds amazing. Last year saw the re-kindling of the oldest recorded festival in Europe – The Festival of the Fires on the ancient Hill of Uisneach.

Obviously the first place you have to start when renovating a cottage is with the foundations. Unless your cottage is built on solid bedrock (envious glance at Connemara cottages…) then chances are you will have to do some structural repairs to the foundations before you begin any renovation work. Needless to say at the outset an engineer is required for this.

I love this cottage, beautiful thatch, old red sash windows and white walls and all in a modern home! This cottage would be fantastic for someone looking to retire to a comfortable, modern cottage for some peace and quiet and the sound of the ocean. I could also see this as a retreat for an artist, crafts person or musician… Dingle itself is such a hub of craft and creativity. The auctioneers recommend it as a summer house but it would be a pity if this was not loved all year round! Unfortunatley there are no interior pictures so we’ll have to user our imaginations cottageologists!

This cottage is for all of those enthusiasts who love to combine old cottages with modern light and glass. From the front this is a very traditional looking Georgian city cottage but from the back it is a stunningly modern architecturally designed home.

Sellers are often very caught for money when trying to sell their property now and are unable to carry out renovations to make it more attractive. Open Architects have come up with a fantastic idea – they will provide before and after 3D images of a property, highlighting possible structural and decorative changes. Owners also receive estimates for the work involved and an outline timeframe from planning to completion. This can then be displayed along with the property as an added inducement to would-be buyers.

Ladywell, Fethard-on-sea, Co. Wexford Just a quick post – another lovely cottage for sale in Ladywell, Fethard-on-Sea, Co. Wexford. A beautiful, traditional facade and ornate thatch – it is just not possible to re-create this type of cottage new. It is …