An extract from the Ireland magazine - Words & Photographs by Ruth Ribeaucourt
Breac.House is a modern, luxury sanctuary tucked away in a landscape softened by heather, bracken and lichen-blanketed drystone walls. From its perch on the Horn Head peninsula, every room has far-reaching views of the Atlantic Ocean’s white-tipped waves, the iconic Muckish and Errigal Mountains, and in between a perfumed patchwork of rusts and greens. A few days spent here are a breathtaking reminder of just how majestic the Irish countryside can be.
Created by Dubliners Cathrine Burke and Niall Campbell, this ‘adults-only’ retreat is the culmination of many years of travelling and dreaming of a space that would allow them to share their love of food, design, heritage and nature. While the duo may not have had a clear image of how the physical building would look at the start of the project, they knew exactly how Breac.House would make people feel.
“It had to feel natural, materials driven and have a very tangible connection to place,” says Cathrine. “Often in the hospitality industry things can be very beautiful, but also a little too sanitised - so the single most important thing for us was that we wanted to know the craftspeople who were making the items our guests would touch and experience. From the local carpenters who did the beautiful oak joinery, to the handwoven textiles by Eddie Doherty, framed seaweed prints from Superfolk, sculptural basket weavings by Joe Hogan, the bespoke furniture created by Tricia Harris and Simon O’Driscoll, to the Irish-made luxury mattresses on every bed. Everything we do is driven by relationships and we love sharing these craftspeople and their stories with our guests.”
Since opening in Donegal in 2017, Cathrine and Niall have succeeded in redefining the meaning of modern Irish hospitality. Their focus is on thoughtfulness and generosity, and the ultimate goal is that guests take from Breac.House exactly what they crave ... even if they don’t always know what that is. “Sometimes people just need to relax and rest and other times they might need somewhere that engages entirely different parts of their brain. So we try to provide space for whatever it is they need for the little bit of time that they’re taking. Hopefully we also create an experience that leaves you with a deep sense of connection to our beautiful countryside.”
