About Us
The Legendary Molly Gallivan
Widowed with seven small children, Molly Gallivan had to call on all her resourcefulness to keep body and soul together. She supplemented her meagre income from her small mountain farm by opening a “Sibheen” (illegal pub). Here she sold her own home made “Poitín” (whiskey) locally known as “Molly’s Mountain Dew”.
In the early 1840s a new mountain pass was built, gradually becoming a prominent tourist route, linking West Cork and South Kerry. Molly Gallivan’s soon became a welcome stop for weary travellers, to enjoy some of Molly’s home baking and teas. Molly eventually set up her own cottage industry selling hand spun woollens, Aran sweaters and local crafts. During the First World War and War of Independence, tourism declined in Ireland. Molly Gallivan’s was converted to a grocery store, supplying the community with flour, groceries and other household goods.
Jeremiah Gallivan was the last of Molly’s descendants to live in the cottage. Jeremiah, a bachelor, farmed the land using the same traditional methods as his ancestors.
After his death in 1997 the cottage was uninhabited until our family purchased it in 1999. Our vision & dream was to preserve the old Cottage and Farm and return it to its former glory, as it was in Molly’s time.
Old Pictures Of The Cottage
Browse some of the images of Molly’s Cottage over the years.
Visit Today
Today at Molly Gallivan’s, visitors can wander back in time, enjoying the simple lifestyle in rural Ireland, as it was before the advent of electricity and modern conveniences. We have also re opened Molly’s old Tea Rooms and re-established her Cottage Industry. Our tastefully stocked shop contains an extensive range of locally made crafts, woollens and jewellery.
A Dream Come True
Back in September 1999 my wife Frances and I had a dream. That dream was to purchase Molly Gallivan’s old cottage and farm, here in the Kerry hills.
Our vision was to save a small piece of old Ireland, and in doing so, preserve some of Irelands unique and rich heritage and traditions, for our and hopefully future generations to enjoy.
Hidden History
Inspired by all the additional hidden history that we discovered on the farm which included a Neolithic Stone Row (3-2000 BC), Peat Bog, prehistoric field systems and Famine ruin, we set to work on many years of preservation and restoration. Today that dream has become a reality. Together with our three daughters we run a small visitor centre at Molly Gallivan’s. Each day we have the pleasure in welcoming people from the four corners of the World to share with us in our dream.
We invite you to Molly Gallivan’s to share this wonderful place with us and to experience the unique culture and heritage of rural Ireland, all in the natural and unspoiled landscape of the Sheen Valley.
