House - vernacular house, Beifleacht, Co. Donegal
Tucked away on a southeastern slope in a mountain valley within Glenveagh National Park, County Donegal, lies a fascinating cluster of ruined buildings that offers a glimpse into Ireland's rural past.
House - vernacular house, Beifleacht, Co. Donegal
To reach this remote farmstead, visitors must venture approximately 1.2 kilometres along a bog road that branches south from the R254, the main route through the park. The site overlooks the valley to the south and east, whilst higher ground rises to the north and west, creating a naturally sheltered position that would have been ideal for a small farming settlement.
The main house consists of a modest two-bay, single-storey rectangular structure built from intermittently coursed granite rubble, originally covered with external render. The building’s interior reveals two rooms; the main room measures 4.1 by 6.7 metres with walls 0.6 metres thick, whilst a smaller adjoining room measures 4.1 by 3.9 metres. What makes this dwelling particularly intriguing is its central fireplace, which features a stone chimney hood supported on corbels that project into the room, reminiscent of medieval architectural styles. This unusual feature suggests the house could date back to the 17th century, though it may alternatively represent an 18th-century building that deliberately incorporated older design elements. The main room’s window in the southeastern wall includes evidence of a drawbar slot in its embrasure, a security feature that speaks to the isolated nature of the location.
The farmstead expanded over time, with a third room added to the northeastern gable and an outhouse creating an L-shaped range of buildings. Southwest of the main house stands another two-bay, single-storey structure without any fireplace, likely a later addition used for storage or livestock. The surrounding small fields, defined by low drystone walls, show no evidence of cultivation ridges, suggesting this was primarily a pastoral farm focused on livestock rather than crops. Today, these ruins stand as a testament to the hardy families who once made their living in this remote corner of Donegal, their lime-rendered walls and medieval-style fireplace offering tangible connections to centuries of Irish rural life.