The Old Schoolhouse Self Catering Accommodation

Dowra
Co. Cavan

Tel: 086 2548901
Email: info@theoldschoolhousecavan.com

Website: www.theoldschoolhousecavan.com

There is nothing visibly old about The Old Schoolhouse. Michael McCann, the engineer who restored this 1930¡¯s Cavan schoolhouse to his own eco-specifications has created an exquisitely contemporary eco-friendly house, demonstrating that sustainable building can be stylish and fun, as well as warm and welcoming.

The main feature of the open-plan ground floor is the designer wood-burning stove, set flush into a recycled marble chimney.  Wooden framed windows line one side of the house providing not only a natural gallery effect, but also vast amounts of passive solar heating, with an additional contribution from four Velux roof windows, filling this minimalist space with endless light.  The additional underfloor heating and hot water is sourced sustainably from the wood pellet boiler and solar panels.  Other eco-musts at The Old Schoolhouse include a rainwater harvesting system, recycling and a reed bed.  One brilliant eco-extra is the use of roof tiles made out of recycled rubber tyres.

This house celebrates its eco-friendly principles in party style, as this house is made for sharing.  There are four double bedrooms, three with ensuite bathrooms, and an extra-long dining table, where two families or more could easily gather to plan a day out enjoying the lakes and forests of the Cavan-Leitrim borders.  There are also four bikes for visitor use, especially handy with the Kingfisher Cycle Trail running past the side of the Schoolhouse garden.  As if in defiance to schoolday memories, Michael McCann has filled his house with toys and gadgets, from the Wii and pool table in the games room to the surround sound system which fills the downstairs R&R areas.

However, The Old Schoolhouse cannot escape its pedagogical past altogether, as the engineering used in creating this eco-friendly house is used as a showcase for other Irish tourist businesses.  One feature of interest, for example is the provision of a thermostat on the return temperature of the solar collector to allow the transfer of excess heat to the underfloor heat store when temps exceeding 80C .

So this house never gets too cool with all that ecotechnology. With everything else, however, it is most definitely too cool for school.

Written by: Catherine Mack