Lackan Cottage Farm has been our home for nearly 14 years.

We’re Claire and Steve Golemboski-Byrne, and long before we came here, we were already living off-grid. When we found this place, we didn’t change how we lived — we simply carried that ethos with us and built everything around it.

Both our own home and Birch Cottage run entirely on renewables, powered by solar and wind. We grow our own wood fuel, and as much of our food as the land allows. It’s not a statement or a trend for us — it’s just how we’ve always lived.

This land is also home to our daughter Lyra, three cats, and two horses: Mel (the big one) and Paddy (the little one). Life here is quiet, practical, and deeply rooted in the rhythms of the place.

Everything you’ll experience at Lackan Cottage Farm has been made with care — by us, or by people we know. The cottage itself, the interiors, the woodland spaces — all of it has grown slowly over time. We’ve used recycled materials wherever possible, built many of the furnishings by hand, and worked with local friends and artists who’ve contributed materials and pieces you’ll find throughout the cottage.

We believe that where you stay should reflect how it’s lived in. Warm, considered, and honest. Nothing here is done for show — it’s done because it works, because it lasts, and because it feels right.

When you stay at Birch Cottage, you’re stepping into a place that’s genuinely lived, thoughtfully made, and quietly cared for. We hope you feel that in every detail.