About Tír na Meala

Tír na Meala was built in the early 80s as a honey factory, "Mil an tSuláin". It has been used as such for a number of years, but the factory was not economically viable. Currently, only a painting (by local artist Pauline Dodds) on the ceiling of the library reminds us of the building's original use.
It was bought by an English couple some years later who named it "Honeybrook".
A Dutch couple bought the house in 1997 and rebuilt it with guest rooms and a workshop which can be used for art courses. We acquired Tír na Meala in 2008.

Tír na Meala is situated in a quiet valley, surrounded by the rugged hills of Southwest Ireland.
There are excellent opportunities for walking in the area.

Coolea (Cúil Aodha in Gaelic) lies in one of the Gaeltacht areas where Gaelic is the everyday language and where the Irish cultural heritage is vibrant. One of the founding fathers of the revival of traditional Irish music, SeánÓ Riada, lived there. He was a lecturer in Irish music at University College Cork and one of the music groups he founded later developed into The Chieftains. His son, Peadar Ó Riada, still lives and records in his own studio in Coolea and is the musical director of the male choir Cór Chúil Aodha which was founded in 1963 by his father. Peadar was also one of the original owners of the honey factory.