The Cottage was built during the famine-era — in the 1830s — and has a long and storied history. Over the years it became one of the most recognisable and well-known buildings in Galway, situated at the end of famous Salthill Promenade.
Back in 2018, Brían McHugh from McHugh Property Holdings Ltd bought the cottage from the previous owner, the late Mary Sjothun (née Flynn).
And so began the process of re-designing and creating Blackrock Cottage, the restaurant.
The Cottage re-opened its doors at the end of 2022.
“We didn’t have to keep the cottage as it wasn’t listed. But we wanted to be respectful of an 1830s cottage and its history. So we worked with Galway City Conservation Officer, Jim Higgins, to keep the beams, the slates on the roof and lime mortar,” Brían explains.
“I think Sean Dockry architects have made a great job of creating a commercially viable building with a modern extension, marrying the old with the new while maximising the views.”
The raised terraces, one of them with a fire-pit, were designed to allow people to sit in sheltered areas while looking out over Galway Bay. The garden was landscaped with herbs and edible flowers that are used in the kitchen.
It boasts one of the most spectacular views in the country, overlooking Galway Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
