. . . and that view!
Yes, after 13 years of owning this special house, I have sold it to a lovely couple who I know will treasure it like we did. I am moving into Schull (all of 8km away) on Thursday, and I am looking forward to being able to walk everywhere, especially to Amar’s cafe.
Nead an Iolair – it means Eagle’s Nest and was Robert’s choice of a name for the house – has been the subject of many of our posts and as a final honouring of the house and the acre it sits on, here is a round-up of some of the posts we have written about it all, over the years.
Although we have kept no pets, we are far from deprived of the company of animals. Finbarr the Pheasant, for example – our heads tell us it cannot be the same bird all these years, but our hearts just think that we have looked after him so well that he has adopted us. He has had up to four wives – there are currently two and it has kept him busy, herding and courting them and fending off other males. All played out in front of our living room window.
And let’s not forget our other Finbarr, Our Lockdown Mascot, the bug hotel designed and installed for us by Kloë and Adam, of Two Green Shoots. He’s still there – say hello if you pass.
And we still miss Ferdia – the friendly fox who would eat out of our hands (anything except broccoli) and who loved to sit on the terrace while Robert played his melodeon. Occasionally another fox trots by but none have taken Ferdia’s place as a constant visitor.
If I come home in the evening, rabbits are leaping into the hedges as I drive in. When I throw open the curtains in the morning, they are sitting outside my window.
Robert was a hare fanatic, and we did have a brief dalliance with a young hare we called Berehert (below), but they have become quite rare now in our neighbourhood.
The choughs are wheeling overhead all day, with their distinctive call and their aerial acrobatics.
Small birds come to the feeder, and there is a robin that I am this close to coaxing onto my hand.
And although we don’t see them, the moths are everywhere – from hardly visible against a stone wall to spectacularly coloured.
It has been a joy to discover the beauty and variety of these silent creatures of the night.
Every now and then a bird or animal will appear for a brief time to grace us with its presence – like Spiro the Sparrowhawk, who perched outside our bedroom window and cased the joint before swooping off low over the back wall.
Or like this bundle of ferocity – The Wild One – a stoat who terrorised the pheasants, despite being a lot smaller than they are.
One acre – that’s what we have here. I documented the wildflowers that have popped up all over the acre, both in my wildflower patch and just on the land on general.
The chamomile is spreading and every now and then, something really unusual shows up – like this tiny sharp-leaved fluellen that has managed a toe-hold in my driveway and came from God knows where (below). My slideshow, Lying in the Grass, will give you an idea of the variety of plants I have found here.
The storms that sweep through in the winter can do some damage. When we moved in, we had the gorse jungle in our front haggard dug out. All that did was expose our pine trees to the winds and each of them toppled in turn.
The lovely wall surrounding our property also gave way over time, leading us to get Diarmuid to come and Build a Stone Wall. Watching him, we discovered that this was a craft and a skill that hasn’t changed in hundreds of years.
I will miss our amazing view across Roaringwater Bay. We can see several medieval castles, the Baltimore Beacon, the Fastnet Rock, most of the islands. We hear The Roaring on a calm day after a storm. We see the sun going down further and further south each day as the year turns, sometimes sinking into the sea and sometimes dropping behind an island or a hill.
And even though Robert is gone almost two years now, I still find myself saying we, because his presence is so palpable in this place that he loved, and all my experiences here were shared with him. I know his benign spirit is coming with me to Schull: he would have loved the new house and totally approved of my move.
And yes, don’t worry, his Finola Window is coming with me
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Best of luck with the move, Finola. As you say yourself, you’re only going 8 kms, so it won’t feel like being uprooted. I miss the wildlife and wild flowers I had on my doorstep, in West Cork, but low maintenance and convenience has it’s appeal, too!
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Hi Finola, so sad for you to leave Nead an Iolar but I hope you will be very happy in your new home in Schull. Please keep up the blog, it is brilliant and essential reading for all of us who visit and love West Cork. Who knows we might even meet during the Summer in Schull. The very best for 2026. Robert Broderick
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Another amazing post. What stunning photographs and words. I wish you every happiness in your new home. Schull is lucky to have such a wonderful new resident.
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Hoping that all goes well for you on Thursday, Finola. Thank you for sharing this album of memories. Friends and a cafe within walking distance – perfect – and I’m looking forward to hearing more when you’ve settled in.
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Just been looking Schull up (google maps) and it looks delightful. ‘Auspicious House’!
What a move, though. I understand that it had to be done. Never easy, all those visitor friends. Things change.
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Oh Finola! Sad to be leaving your beautiful home with so many happy memories. What a wonderful tribute you wrote.
Here’s wishing you all the very best in your new home – it sounds like a good move and so convenient.
Lots of love
Virginia xxx
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Congratulations with your move Finola, and may you have a lovely and interesting a time as you had in the house overlooking Roaring Water bay. Schull is a beautiful place. I so enjoyed your write-up and all your photos, so many lovely creatures that surround us all. Who knows we might even bump into each other in Schull one day and go for a cup of tea in Amar’s café.
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Good luck with the new house, as much as with the old. And it will be easier for visitors to find (!), so you’ll probably be worn out from callers. xx
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I’m already nostalgic, W. Cork of the Welcomes! What a journal, what photos, very best wishes to you, Finola, in Schull, and looking forward to new pastures. Paddy.
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Such beautiful photos. The wild flowers, the creatures, the sunsets. Thankyou for sharing your joys. Wishing you many years of happiness in Schull and surrounds.
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Dear Finola,
Bon courage as you move forward into 2026 with this move. You and I know well that changes come and we must move foward.
Sending a hug from Canada.
Susan
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thank you for sharing such wonderful and inspiring memories!!! so sad to leave , but so wonderful you will still have a magnificent view, good neighbors and a community so close by. Lots of love
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Best wishes on the move Finola. Léonie and I have fond memories of helping you and Robert
unpack 13 years ago and of several visits to the mystical headland overlooking Roaringwater Bay since then.
Happy New Year and looking forward to meeting you in Amar’s Cafe in 2026…..
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Good luck with your move! And thank you for the posts, keep them coming! Best wishes.
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I shall miss this stunning view and all the happy memories and associations but wishing you much joy and comfort in your new home Finola
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Good morning, Finola
What great photos and memories. So glad the window is going with you!
We hope your move goes smoothly. And we look forward to hearing how much you are appreciating your new location. I’m sure you will make new wild friends at your new home.
Go gently.
Vivien and Denis
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Well Finola, life consists of chapters, my father used to say – and you and Robert made the very most of your long chapter in that spectacular house and location, it seems to me. We Rosbrinners will miss you here but may the next chapter be equally rich and rewarding for you – different though it will be for sure. Meanwhile thank you for all those glorious photos of Rossbrin Cove, a place you clearly have loved so much and which will always welcome you back ! Good luck with the move, and may it go smoothly.
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And another thing – I have just re-read your previous post on Ferdia and foxes generally (actually I missed it back then !) and can heartily recommend to all fox-lovers the book Wild Lone ( published in 1947 in UK). Complete magic. Also The Running Foxes published in UK 1969 is also very charming.
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Such beautiful photos! When you settle down Schull will be a great place to live.
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Wishing you a happy and successful time in Schull, Finola, it’s a hard decision you have taken, but understandable.
Wherever you go the cherished memories will follow, and you will never be without friends,
Valentine and Catherine Trodd, Galway.
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A beautiful tribute Finola and the closing of a chapter. Here’s to the next one and good luck with the move.
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All best wishes for the move and may you have many happy years in the new house.
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Gre
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Thank you for sharing your news. I’m sure in one sense you are very sad to be leaving such an amazing home but I think you are very wise to move somewhere that you can walk to all the amenities and Schull is beautiful and offers so much even a film festival! I wish you all the best. Loved the sunsets btw.
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I hope you’ll be very happy in your new home finola while your old home makes another story with its new people. Hope to see you around Schull.
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A wonderful post, but so poignant. I’ve recently moved into a retirement flat, so I know some of what you’re going through. I hope you have had lots of help making the move and wish you every possible blessing in your new home which I’m sure will open new doors and windows in your life.
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Thank you for sharing your memories (again), Finola. Linda & I send best wishes for your new place in Schull.
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What a wonderful tribute to the gorgeous home that you and Robert shared for so many years. We feel fortunate to have experienced it for ourselves, and to have met Finbarr and his harem. Sending love as you shift your base to Schull. M&J ❤️
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What lovely memories ye both had in Nead an Iolair high above Rosbrin Cove. Glad the transaction is complete and that you are ready to make the next move in your life. At least when you close the door behind you – you’ll still have that ‘window’ . that wonderful present from Robert and what a fitting way to take him with you. Bon Voyage ….follow the gull to Schull and have a great time there. Best Wishes Eugene
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Oh Finola, what treasured memories you’ve shared here. I hope the new custodians of this special place appreciate it as you and Robert did.
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We will miss that view but your new home beckons with more good stories to come. You have chosen well and I am certain Robert would have approved.
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no transition is easy, but this tribute to your beautiful home is perfect, and yes I know Robert would love the new place and his heart goes with you!
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no transition is easy, but this tribute to your beautiful home is perfect, and yes I know Robert would love the new place and his heart goes with you!
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And you will come soon, right?
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Hi Finola – I find this post resonates very much with me – my husband, Billy passes away on 22nd October so I am still getting used to being on my own! Good luck with the move and looking forward to more of your posts when you have settled. Best wishes, Phyllis O’Meara
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I am so sorry, Phyllis – I know you must be totally heartbroken. Time is your only friend. I wish you the best.
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