At the far edge of Ireland
Cathrine Burke and Niall Campbell, owners of Breac.House
by Julie-Ann Sherlock
Located on the Horn Head peninsula in Donegal, Breac.House is a very unique place. This design-led boutique bed and breakfast makes the most of the captivating landscapes of the Wild Atlantic Way with breathtaking views built into every guest room.
For owners Cathrine Burke and Niall Campbell, it's all about the local environment. Designed by award-winning local architects Tarla and Antoin MacGabhann, Breac.House deliberately complements the surrounding landscape and embraces its beauty. Local craftspeople and builders were chosen to complete the work, using predominantly locally sourced materials to connect it to its location.
Breac.House not only embraces the local environment, but it also respects it too, with its eco-friendly, sustainable approach gaining rave reviews in Condé Nast Traveller.
"It was critical to us (when building in such a sensitive area) that everyone involved would be connected in some way to the area and bring that natural understanding to the project," Cathrine explains.
"From the very beginning, the entire business from design, guest experience, food and operations was driven by our location — minimising the negative aspects that tourism businesses can have and maximising the benefits to our local community. Horn Head is a Special Protection Area and so everything is driven by that," says Cathrine.
Being mindful of the environment through air source pump heating and the use of rainwater for the toilets is only part of the couple's sustainability commitment as they strive toward the ‘Gold Standard’ with Sustainable Travel Ireland. The delicious food offered by Breac.House also goes a long way to reducing any carbon footprint as it's almost all locally sourced.
"There was never any possibility that our food would be anything other than local. This is not just an eco-conscious concern; our experience connects guests to our location and our community. We are absolutely blessed with the produce on our doorstep," explains Cathrine, who designs and prepares the menus with complete control over all ingredients.
"All fresh produce, eggs, smoked salmon, pork, honey, etc., come from the immediate area. I make all our yoghurt and butter from local organic milk. We grow much of our own fruit and supplement it with produce from a local organic grower. To be honest, almost everything except the oranges for the morning juice is local! The only other exceptions are dry goods like flour and oats that come from Irish organic suppliers. We are also very proud members of Donegal Food Coast and never miss an opportunity to shout about our local producers."
A commitment to local artisans extends to furnishings, crockery, paper products, a bespoke range of bathroom toiletries and beyond. Muck ‘n' Muffins produces the pottery, bedding is by Eddie Doherty, The Pear in Paper takes care of their printed needs and bathroom products — housed in bespoke "ritual boxes" crafted by The Veneerist — are from the Donegal Natural Soap Company.
With a connection to beautiful surroundings at the heart of the Breac.House philosophy, the luxurious bedrooms come with private outdoor spaces showcasing panoramic views. Use of the wood-fired sauna, seaweed baths and bicycles gives guests a chance to truly immerse themselves in the environment while relaxing or exploring.
Escaping the chaos of the modern world, a cosy cocoon awaits the weary traveller in one of the coolest places on the planet at Breac.House.