As vaccinations roll out across the country and among the countries where all our lovely guests come from, we look forward to the day when, once more, there will be the wonderful sounds of laughter and the activity of guests around the place. Our walks, woodland meditation zone and open spaces all await you and we will have your cottage all cosy and snug for your restful stay. So keep Fuchsia Lane Farm in your hearts and we will all meet again soon!
As a little teaser of some of the beautiful sounds and calming environment to be found on our farm or down at the quayside in Terryglass, we are sharing this little clip!
In the early years of the fledgling Irish State, shortly after Independence, the ambitious project of creating Ireland’s first Hydro Electric Power Station was born. This facility, when completed in the mid 1920’s provided most of the energy needs of the emerging Republic. Located on the River Shannon, harnessing the power contained in the volume of water in Lough Derg, this project was an ambitious and visionary undertaking designed to help bring Ireland into the modern world at that time.
Today the Power Station, operated by Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board, provides a much lower percentage of the Country’s needs, however it still stands as a powerful testament to our founding fathers.
The centre now provides for group and individual tours and bookings can be made during the summer season online via this link
Ardnacrusha Hydro Electric Station is approximately 50 mins drive from your Fuchsia Lane Farm self catering cottage in Terryglass and you can also include a visit to Limerick city or Killaloe/Ballina as part of your day.
We are so fortunate to be living close to Lough Derg, the largest lake on the River Shannon. This majestic lake has played a central part in the regions history and development. In ancient times it provided access to settlers and invaders alike, became a source of valuable fish for those living around the lake, then in early Christian times it enabled the early monks to settle and create places of learning on Holy Island and also Terryglass. Lovers of Ireland’s famous drink, Guinness, might be interested to hear that the lake also was a method of transportation for Malting Barley, grown by local farmers, which is an essential element in the production of the famous drink. Local farmers brought their harvest to the local piers along the lake and it was then transported in the famous Guinness barges up the lake and along the Grand Canal to Dublin. One of the local harbours in the area is Kilgarvan Quay and one can still see the old warehouse and winches used to load the sacks of grain onto the barges.
However the lake now has become a wonderful leisure playground for locals and visitors alike and a new enterprise has emerged at Kilgarvan Quay! A young energetic and sporting couple, Becky and Rueben, have established Lough Derg Watersports and provide canoeing and kayaking for individuals, groups and parties of all sizes and abilities along the Lough Derg Blueway. Guests can learn the basics, enjoy guided trails on the water and have lots of fun with their wonderful tutors! Full details can be found at loughdergwatersports.com and on Facebook and Twitter.
Over recent years we have all become more connected to the internet and being without our emails and social media accounts can be a big challenge for many of us. As hosts providing self catering cottages to the holiday rental market the first question guests used to ask us on arrival ranged from ‘where is the best place to eat’ to ‘where can we buy local produce?’ Over the last couple of years this has changed to (yes, you guessed it!): ‘Have you Wifi?’
We did our best to provide wifi by having it in the shared areas however this was not good enough. Snapchatting, checking out FB or planning ones itinerary for the next great day at Fuchsia Lane Farm required something better! So we decided to do something about it and in true rural fashion we decided to learn about this ourselves. We researched routers, cellular networks, Cat6 cables, repeater routers, crimping, etc etc. After making some mistakes, learning from them and remaining patient as we figured out DCHP settings, IP addresses and a whole load of other learning such as how to ‘fish’ cables up through ceilings, down walls, under cupboards and God knows where else, we can now say that each cottage has its own wifi!
We hope it makes for a more enjoyable stay here, it will be useful in making contact with your loved ones at home, sharing pictures and finding out what is on in the area and beyond. However, don’t forget that we still welcome old fashioned conversations and the knock on our door if someone needs some assistance and a real person to talk to!
Let your children improve their Tennis Skills this Easter!
Here at Fuchsia Lane Farm we are just 25 mins drive from Nenagh Lawn Tennis Club. This club has a long tradition of social and competitive tennis and its origins can be traced to the early 1900s where play on grass courts was the norm. The club has a strong family and social tradition catering for all ages and standards, a thriving Junior Program right through to the Adult grading system.
This Easter from Mon 21st March through to Friday 25th children can enjoy activities, games, fun and make new friends while they improve their tennis skills. It also affords parents an opportunity to enjoy a nice lunch, shopping or sightseeing while the little ones are busy!
For more information visit http://www.nenaghltc.ie/coaching/juniors/junior-coaching/
Here at Fuchsia Lane Farm Holiday Cottages we believe that family time is vital. Our Lodge Cottage is perfect for larger family groupings and the Studio Room, with its own tv, bunk beds and futon, make it an ideal space for younger family members to chill and have their ‘own space’. However, many of us have very fond childhood memories where we lazed in a tent and watch the ever changing colours and patterns reflect off the canvas as we lazed and enjoyed the cosy heat that is typical of a tent on a warm day. With this in mind we welcome guests who want to pitch their own tent at the Lodge Cottage to afford themselves some extra space. We can also supply one of ours for you, if you wish.
In this way guests can have the freedom of a camping experience with the comfort of the cottage just a few paces away!
