Origins: A Dwelling on Monastic Land (1838)

Set against the ever-changing landscape of Connemara, The Old School House has stood here since 1838 — long before it became what its name suggests. Originally, it was not built as a school at all, but as a dwelling on monastery land owned by the Franciscan Brothers. In its earliest years, it was a simple home, its place in the community yet to be fully defined.

A New Purpose: Clifden’s First Boys’ Secondary School (1889)

Over time, as the needs of the local community grew, so too did the purpose of the building. In 1889, it was formally opened as Clifden’s first boys’ secondary school, at a time when further education was not widely available in the area. For decades, it became a place of learning, shaping young lives until teaching ceased in the mid-1950s — and the name The Old School House remained.

Evolution: Carpentry and Pottery (Mid-1950s – Late 20th Century)

Its story didn’t end there. The building continued to evolve with the community — becoming a carpentry school until 1960, and later transforming into the renowned Clifden Pottery, which operated here for many years. Throughout each chapter, one thread remained constant: this was always a place of skill, craft, and quiet dedication.

Restoration: A New Chapter Begins (2015 – Present)

When the Sullivan family came across The Old School House in 2015, it was this layered history that drew them in. There was a sense that the building still held all of these past lives within it — not in an obvious way, but in a feeling. Their approach to restoring it was simple: to protect what was here, and to tread lightly.

The surrounding stone walls, built from local Connemara stone sourced in Recess, and crafted by a stonemason from South Connemara, remain an important part of that story. The gates, handmade by a craftsman from Leitir Móir, along with the work carried out across the property, reflect a deep connection to local skill and heritage.

Today: A Place to Pause

Today, The Old School House offers a different kind of welcome. While no longer a place of formal education or craft, it has become somewhere people come to pause, to reconnect, and to experience a slower pace of life — much as it always has, in its own way. In the garden, with views of the Twelve Bens, you can sit quietly, listen to the birds, and watch them come and go — a small reminder that while the building has changed, its connection to place has not.

The Potters Cottage: A Sister Story

What is now The Potters Cottage was once part of the working life of the school — originally used as a bike and turf shed, and later forming part of the pottery workshop during its Clifden Pottery years.

In 2017, the careful redevelopment of the space began, transforming it into a small, self-contained cottage. Completed in May 2018, it now offers a quieter, more intimate stay, while still carrying a sense of its past purpose.