Coolmore Cliff House

Detached three-bay single-storey house with attic level and with raised basement level to north, built c. 1880, having slightly projecting breakfront to the centre bay to the north elevation with canted bay window at ground floor level over bowed projection at basement level. Now in use as holiday rental accommodation. Single-storey porch under catslide roof to the south elevation; single-storey over basement extension to the west elevation. Pitched natural slate roof having overhanging eaves supported on paired brackets, smooth rendered eaves course to north and south elevations, paired brackets to the eaves to the gable ends and with a central pair of smooth rendered chimneystacks. Modern rooflight to the north elevation. Roughcast rendered walls. Square-headed window openings with six-over-six pane timber sliding sash windows at ground floor level, and six-over-three pane timber sliding sash windows at basement level. Central four-over-four pane timber sliding sash window to canted bay having margin glazing bars. Some replacement window fittings. Square-headed door opening to the east elevation of porch to south elevation having timber panelled door and glazed overlight with margin glazing bars. Set back from road in own grounds with lawns and gravel forecourt to site. Former single-storey stables to the west now converted to accommodation. Gateway to the south-east comprising a pair of rendered gate piers (on square-plan); gates now gone. Overlooks Donegal Bay to the north and Belalt Strand to the north-east. Located on a cliff top to the north/north-west of Ballyshannon, and to the south-west of Rossnowlagh.

This attractive small-scale house, of late nineteenth-century appearance retains much of its original character and form despite some modern alterations. Its visual expression and integrity is enhanced by the retention of much of its early fabric including natural slate roof and timber sash windows. Although a small house, it is quite sophisticated and unusual in design having shallow projecting breakfront to the north with canted bay window and paired brackets at eaves level among other features. This building dates to a period when Rossnowlagh was starting to become a fashionable holiday destination, and it is one of a number of houses of a similar date in this area that were probably originally built as holiday homes. This house occupies an impressive cliff top site with panoramic views over Donegal Bay and Belalt Strand, and is an addition to the built heritage of the local area.