A Cottage Orné in Cahir

That is how the style of the Swiss Cottage in Cahir is described ... Cottage Orné (or, in English, ornamental cottage). It is an example of a building in the Regency picturesque style.

Dating back to the early 1800s, it was at this pastoral retreat that the Butler family played at being peasants. The furnishings inside the cottage, however, are a clear indication that they had no idea what peasant life was really like.

The only way to see the interior of the cottage is by taking an OPW tour — which was covered by our Heritage Card. Our guide was great. In addition to telling us vivid stories that brought alive what life back in the day was like, she pointed out the mis-matched elements of architecture, explaining that this was done on purpose to mimic nature ... where nothing is perfect.

P.S. No photos allowed inside, so I purchased some postcards to scan.Read more