At the end of a meandering driveway lined with striking thuja emerald green trees is Urlar, a beautifully presented house beneath the dramatic rise of Benbulben; the plateau-topped nunatak rock formation in a landscape often referred to as Yeats country. Located off the main Sligo to Donegal road, about three minutes’ drive from the property is Drumcliffe Church, which is the final resting place of Nobel laureate William Butler Yeats, who immortalised the area in his poem Under Ben Bulben. His elder brother, painter Jack B Yeats, spent a decade of his formative years in the area with his grandparents and many of his earlier paintings depict the surrounding landscapes.
Sitting on a one-acre site, the house, constructed in 2007, was designed by its owners Jonathan McMorrow and Lynette Slevin, who took inspiration from their travels, most notably those of traditional country houses in the United States.
Extending to a generous 331sq m (3,564sq ft) over two floors, the front entrance of the building along with a turret is clad in local stone that the couple reclaimed from old properties on family lands. Local sandstone is also used internally; in the front hallway where it creates a dramatic contrast to the sleek porcelain tiles, and in the livingroom where it’s used in the chimney piece which is the focal point of the room.
Through a stone arch in the front hall is an open-plan diningroom and kitchen by Donegal-based Cherrymore Kitchens, which was installed in 2016. With a mixture of matt grey and mushroom-colour units, the room is remarkably bright thanks to its triple aspect, and a patio off the room allows all-day sunshine. Of interest here is a super picture window that perfectly frames the plateau of Benbulben. There are also views to the clear cut limestone of Knocknarea Mountain to the front and from upstairs you can see the local beach and Drumcliffe Bay.
Off a large landing upstairs are three generous bedrooms (the fourth is downstairs) and, as you would expect in a house of this size, the principal is one of the standout features of the property.
It takes in the turret and runs over the archway and garage with his-and-hers dressing areas and his-and-hers bathrooms with an elevated bath and full marble walls. There’s also a gym here for rainy days when beach walks aren’t an option.
The couple wanted a courtyard feel to the rear of the house so added an archway connecting the front and rear, which also gives interest to its facade. Now a southwesterly patio lies to the rear, and the fact that it has the same porcelain tiles as the kitchen creates a seamless divide between indoor and outdoor dining areas.
There’s also a garage which is plumbed and has buckets of space for all types of sports gear. Lissadell beach is a two-minute drive away and the local sport centre is half a mile away, where the Drumcliffe Rosses Point GAA teams train. For walkers, the property lies on the Benbulben loop, and hikers have mountains for miles all round.
It’s a really lovely spot and the B2-rated house has the best of both worlds being out in the countryside with a dramatic setting under one of the country’s most photographed mountains, while also having the benefit of the Yeats Tavern as its local hostelry, a mile up the road. It is also just seven miles from Sligo town for shopping and nights out.
Slevin and McMorrow are off on a new adventure and have placed their home – in turnkey condition – on the market through Sherry FitzGerald Draper, seeking €695,000.
