Dog’s Bay, a horseshoe of pearly white sand ground fine by seashells, is one of Connemara’s most beautiful beaches. Favoured by hardy swimmers and dog walkers, it lies a few minutes’ drive from the fishing village of Roundstone, which fills with second-home owners in summer but was gloriously quiet during my clear January weekend stay.
Perched above that bay is a striking glass villa — a modernist reinterpretation of a traditional cottage set in a stark, elemental landscape. Small fields stitched with moss-covered stone walls and spindly, winter-bare trees surround the house. Its main draw is the view: the south-facing orientation catches both sunrise and sunset, painting mornings with candyfloss clouds and evenings with glowing orange light, the Aran Islands soft on the far horizon.
This is a luxurious beach house in every sense. A hot tub looks out over the water for warming up after swims (Dog’s Bay is a two-minute drive), and the hosts supply robes, fluffy towels, and slippers. Dogs are warmly welcomed — a hook and bowl greet them at the door, there’s a dog bed beside the large stone fireplace, and canine portraits hang on the walls. A dramatic 100-foot wall of glass frames the vista from the pitch-roofed living and dining space and from two principal bedrooms, each with a walk-in wardrobe and a generous bathroom with a tub positioned to watch the sea.
The kitchen is fully equipped and a long ten-seat table makes the house ideal for families or groups to cook, eat, and linger together. The kids’ room sleeps four: a three-person bunk plus an extra bed reached by ladder, with toys and books on hand. For dull weather there’s a home-theatre-style art TV with streaming and an electric Yamaha piano that invites singalongs.
Called Brandy & Soda House — named for the lane locals used on their way to the pub — the property was rescued from dereliction by Galway-born Damien McKeon and his Melbourne-born wife, Sarah Lucas. They saw the view through broken windows, cleared the overgrowth, and rebuilt interiors that pair an Australian lightness with large photographs of Connemara’s land and seascapes.
A generous welcome hamper arrives with warming brandy in bespoke glasses, soda bread, local cheeses, seaweed salt, and jam made by the nuns of nearby Kylemore Abbey. If you prefer not to cook, Roundstone’s O’Dowd’s pours creamy pints of Guinness, and nearby Vaughan’s serves Killary mussels and garlicky crab claws.