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Kilfenora, Co. Clare
Description
This is quite possibly the cleanest hostel I've ever set
foot in. "I'm a bit of a Monica," says
Orla, citing the character on Friends
who is known for her fanatical cleaning.
Orla's family has quite a history in the hospitality business. So they knew what they were doing when they
opened Kilfenora Hostel.
From the time she was small, Orla remembers her mother
wanting to build a youth hostel. She
felt there was a need for a budget accommodation in Kilfenora, with its close
proximity to some of Ireland's most gorgeous site-seeing -- the Cliffs of
Moher, The Burren, The Aran Islands, the sandy beaches at Doolin, Lahinch, and
Fanore, Aillwee Caves, and Loop Head, to name a few.
For the past two hundred years, the family has operated
Vaughan's Pub. When the land next door
to the pub became available (it was historically used as the village's weekly
sheep market), Orla's family purchased it with the intent of beginning the
hostel. They asked Orla to take the
project on, and she accepted. She had
been traveling around the world and was brimming with ideas for the
hostel. The important factors she wanted
to create were 1) value for money and 2) a clean environment. She considers running the hostel the second
best thing to actually traveling herself.
And it is a comfortable place to come back to after a long
day of trekking around. Only a traveler
can know how to create this.
The chill out room has an the modern forms of entertainment:
a flat screen TV with cable access, DVDs, two computers with internet access,
cozy couches to lean back and escape into Hollywood after a long day of
sight-seeing.
The kitchen is brand new and spotless, equipped with an
array of modern appliances. You can find
any pot or pan you desire, as well as a blender, mixer, bread-maker, the whole
gamut. There is a brand new washer and
dryer for getting your clothes fresh, and a line out back for when the weather
is fine. The washer and dryer are set on
timers, 1 euro for 15 minutes.
Orla also has her hand in organizing tour packages for
schools and groups. She arranges all the
travel and sightseeing around the area, through her long list of family
contacts. She has the facilities for
weddings, functions, and events. Please
contact her for more information.
The family converted the barn next door to the pub into a
space for set dancing, held every Sunday and Thursday nights. It attracts a big crowd. The barn is also an authentic setting for
wedding parties and gatherings. During
our visit, it was done up with garlands of roses and bells of Ireland for a big
American nuptial bash.
Later we go next door to Vaughan's, run by Orla's
brother. We eagerly redeem our coupons
for two free pints, granted to us when we checked in at the hostel. The pints are frosty and delicious, and we
relax in the pub, watching the village roll by.
It is an incredible feeling being immersed in 200 years of family and
village history, depicted in the photographs that adorn the pub walls, in the
words of the conversations that drift our way.
Even though we are not part of the family, it feels like home.
Kilfenora Hostel is highly recommended - a great value.
How to get there
By car:
From Galway, take N18 south to Kilcoigan, transfer to N67
south to Lisdoonvarna. Take R476 to
Kilfenora.
From Limerick, take N18 north to Ennis, transfer to R476 to
Kilfenora.
By bus:
See www.buseireann.ie
website for all current travel details and restrictions.
Address
Kilfenora Hostel
Kilfenora, Co. Clare
Contact: Orla
Tel: +353 (0)65 7088908
Email:
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Web: www.kilfenorahostel.com
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