Have been a carpenter all my working life and specially working on old listed buildings Your attitude is spot on and you want to do it right I've just retired and will be spending some time next year travelling Ireland Happy to camp out for a few weeks and help out maybe knock up your windows Retirement is so fulfilling Love your dream Best regards David in Somerset

Hi Mossy Bottom, followed you from the start, I'm a plasterer for 30 years and have experience in plastering old cottages. I'll give you a full week of my time and a few other of my plastering friends would help and pull in my campervan to stay in. I'm from beautiful Donegal, so feel free to contact me anytime. Good luck from Pat the plasterer!!

You know what? .....having arrived to the age of 62.....spent a lifetime dreaming to have an old cottage to restore and land to be self sufficient , and be sustainable.....at this age I wish now I’d just done it when I was your age! Even if it takes 40 years you will get there before I ever will !! So live your dream and make it happen , I’m in awe of what you are doing

It's obvious. Your dog loves you.

Preservation not renovation! Do not let others influence your well thought out plans. I see your vision! This cottage is calling to you... And to are listening. Thanks for following your heart.

Any person who honors history, the land, and loves a faithful dog has my utmost respect and best wishes.

Seeing you restoring that old cottage, I must warn you. Once you make it nice enough for Leprechauns to move in, you will never get them out.

The replies from people offering physical assistance and expertise made me weep. So wonderful to see there are still real people in this world. You guys rock! :) :)

I love the fact you are keeping this old cottage with all its little oddities in tact, I wish I could just jump in the car and come down and help out I love the place, I have been looking online to see if I can find any funding from Heritage or Grants that might help, but as yet I can find nothing, but do have a look as you might find something out local. I wish you all the best and look forward to seeing this old Lady rise up again. Much love Dede xxxx In Mayo, xx

Live out in galway and we renovated a old cottage and re thatched the roof. Definitely a great experience

I was wondering where you’d gone off to. Happy to see you again! Bless you for wanting to maintain the historical integrity of this cottage. Far too many of them have disappeared from the landscape.

Great plan mate! Remember to consider how you will keep the sky light windows clean!

Hi, I stumbled over your vid and was hypnotized by your kind eyes and positive energy. I also admire your love and enthusiasm for creating something beautiful. Also you are speaking from my soul. I am planning to buy a piece of land in the next weeks and live in a caravan with solar and rainwater collection. All the best to you. Love from Austria 🌼, Nicole

Every time you mention how cold it is in Ireland, I just smirk and roll my eyes from Minnesota.

Just a couple of thoughts. Have you considered a small lean to extension for the bathroom, you could house a washing machine there too. I know Aga's are lovely but people say they use insane amounts of energy so are not a 'green' option, plus they can throw out too much heat at times too. UGH, a modern log burner and an aga might make things too hot! Love the project though, do understand if you think an extension is too much of a compromise. However new and old can look cool!

Thanks for showing us all that our dreams are possible: someone is out there living them 😊👌

He loves you with all his little heart.

I just discovered your channel. My mother grew up in a cottage something like you have, in Limerick County. They didn’t sleep in an alcove, there were 3 very tiny bedrooms. They did sleep about 4 kids in a small bed, using their coats as blankets. No complaints though. All 14 kids had happy stories growing up in the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. That cottage is still in use by some of the family as a holiday home. Still very basic, but welcoming. I’m looking forward to coming along on your journey. And I love your dog!

You've come a long way, Best of luck you seem to have done your research.

I absolutely love this channel. This is pure, soul-healing content.

You are an inspiration for many. You are resourceful and living proof that, we can reduce waste and live in a meaningful and sustainable way. Connecting to land and nature is a healthy and rewarding existence. Your days are full of learning and progress. It’s a joy to see.

It’s nice to know that you want to restore rather than knock it down, it’s your dream live it well.

I so admire Your Journey on your Vintage Old Irish ☘️ Cottage

You are the Bob Ross of restoration.

I love your home. What you are doing is nothing short of historic preservation. Beautiful!

As I myself is living in an almost 300 year old limestone house at Gotland, a very much dryer place than Ireland, I have done some work on the house. I have insulated all the walls, partly because it's colder here but also because of the dampness the thick limestone walls produces as you heat up the room. The more you warm the house the more dampness the walls will absorb from the ground and release it to the room and the walls will never feel really warm and neither the room. So I recommend that you isolate the walls with for example rockwool with a moisture stopper of plastic or some kind of tarred paper and also with a gap of a few cm to the stonewall and not make the insulation too thick, all this to avoid any kind of mould, especially important in Ireland I guess. But I recommend advice from local builders as you don't want too much insulation as you must let the dew point to be at the right place in the wall. Ps. I left the embrasures around the windows and the doors uninsulated, only plastered.

I love that you are going to preserve this lovely cottage. We did this in Brittany and loved it.

Yay. Lovely to see you and your dear boy.....💯👍... but.......knock it down!?!?! No blooming way!

I think all of your ideas on the cottage restoration are exactly right. The use of wool for insulation and hemp as well. I know this will all take time but you are doing the right thing in the right way. Best to you and your darling collie.

i clicked on your video out of curiosity, and i fell in love with your cottage. i live in the u s in a 550 square foot 100 year old house, and not in good shape. i have lived here for 10 years, and just finished some of the plumbing. i wish you luck. it is nice to see people saving old homes rather than tearing them down

p.s that dog adores you, he's such a character!

Good luck with completing your beautiful home!!!!!! I agree that it's so sad when old cottages are knocked down; it's important to keep the old culture of the Irish countryside. Good on ye!!!!!!!

It’s your approach to life in general as well as the cottage and animals that makes me keep watching to see if there’s a new video. People want to share in your adventure and dream so the funding will happen. We’re all with you. Keep us posted.

I watch your postings with a smile on my face, and quietly kicking myself for not following my dream when I was able. I admire your wise decisions regarding your property and deep research you've taken. I love the healthy spirit of your project and wish you all best; looking forward to following you on your journey - you're a true inspiration. Much love and great envy (keep breathing that fresh air) from central London.

I wish you every joy imaginable. Good luck with it all. Moss at the end though...🤣🤣🤣🥳xxx

Great project ! It's nice that you are trying to keep and respect the original cottage.

Following you from South Africa! We're so jealous of the Irish security and safety that allow you this kind of living. You're an inspiration to your generation to return to the simple and rich life away from concrete jungles. Good luck with the restoration of your cottage...a man needs a proper hearth to house a wife and raise a family!

Anyone else notice the dogs ears go up when he said the word “ball“? 05:04

I should be showering and cooking dinner but your videos are always brilliant so I guess that can wait 😃

Conservation holds our history. This work is beautiful, and I want to continue to encourage you to protect Ireland's heritage.

We are all wishing you along... You have your vision so you will succeed... And that dog loves you soooooo much he is presious.... Cant wait to see the different stages of the renovation, @remember dosn't matter how long it takes its the climb that's important ❤️🙏❤️

You are a true romantic! Yes, I’m with you in restoring the old cottage and to continue the history of the place. Skylights will be wonderful!

The footprints of history are never small as long as love and respect for the place deepens. Bravo for your journey of love and respect for a time set in place! I'm holding an image of you and your dreams in golden light. Blessings to you and Mossy Bottom!

I agree 100% regarding restoring this original building, it's part of the fabric of the landscape and I admire your high standards !

I love the handmade windows good choice

I so like your attitude to the buildings and land. Good luck. Don,t compromise. Love to Moss, he looks as if he just had a good brush. Beautiful!.

Delighted to hear....."I'll see you really soon"......more videos on a regular basis will build your channel! Just love following your dream!

I love the idea of hemp insulation I never heard of that so organic love this idea

You have a beautiful life ☺❤Thanks for sharing it !!!!

Remember anything is Possible just believe in your Dreams

Hempcrete is a good way to go for flooring and repairs

One of my neighbours thatched his barn himself and did a good job....may well be worth looking into this !

I love corrugated iron roofs ! there are alternative zinc panels pre insulated that are also 'farm buildingy'

So good to hear from you..hopefully donations toward your dreams make it easier...giving us updates and overviews are enjoyed...historical preservation need to be respectful..giving it your very best shot....thankyou..⭐

Do it your way, I lime plastered my own 18th century cottage..amazing stuff to work with

Right attitude, keep the old house. We live in one, stripped off the inside plaster which acted as blotting paper sucking damp up the walls. Just bare stone now. Love it that those hands carried in the stones from the fields around us all those years ago. How could anyone knock it down!!

You should frame that still image of you and moss looking at eachother at the end....one beautiful moment captured there

I know how it feels to try to build a place and have limited funds. It takes a few years as you slowly get the funds - one project at a time - but its doable and feels fantastic once a goal is reach!

Watching from neighboring County Mayo. Looking forward to seeing the restoration progress. So many old buildings such as yours have been lost to demolition and redevelopment over the decades. It’s so refreshing to see, keep up the great work.

By the way you may be interested in watching "Bealtaine Cottage" on YT. Colette O'Neill has restored a cottage and land in West Ireland and lives a sustainable lifestyle with her dog too. Her cottage and land were pretty run down and she's been restoring the land for over 15 years now and it looks amazing. She shows it can be done, she might inspire you.

Such a wonderful project. Very excited to follow along and especially curious about the hand-built wood framed double glazed window! I would love love love to restore a cottage like this in the wilds of Scotland. There are SO MANY that have been left to ruin that with some love and a simple set up would be a cozy place to live. Cheers Xx

KEEP THE COTTAGE!!! I lived in Ireland and those cinder block homes are sad to replacing those amazing cottages. And they are COLD! I’d rather be cold in an old building with history and charm then those soulless cinder block homes. Keep up the amazing work and honor the home and the land. BRAVO!

Yay he's back! You'll do great things with that beautiful home!

Kudos to you! I share your views on why to save an old building. I think some people just have an old-house sensibility while others want things square and pristine and new. I've been restoring for over 40 years and consider myself more a custodian of my old houses (3 of them) than the owner who "must" put their stamp on things. Humans are perfectly imperfect and so are old houses. And I can promise you that soon enough, a new house will no longer be straight, level and band-box perfect. I let the house tell me what it wants. Don't rush and it will. Your instincts seem spot-on; I encourage you to ignore the naysayers. Of course construction people want to build new. I don't try to convince them. I listen to my heart. Love your videos. Please pet Moss for me.

Maybe if you angled mirrors on the opposite slope to the skylights you can get more light into the house like the Egyptiens did with their mirrors.

you living your dream keeps my dream alive. thank you so much for the content, it's amazing :)

Could try a sod roof! More traditional and carbon friendly. Good luck to you and Moss!

Living in a house that you love and restored yourself is priceless. You will feel it every day of your life that you are surrounded by those wonderful old walls.

It is a beautiful palace! If you don’t mind advice from an experienced carpenter & energy guy: if you want the stone on the inside & energy efficiency; you must insulate the exterior, probably using 2x6 wood frame & glass wool. You can still lime over the sheeting. The cathedral roof is a must and skylights are nice, dormers can gather more light & are less likely to leak. The roof must be well insulated (2x12 with glass wool would be nice). The roof needs a good vapour barrier on the warm side of the insulation (prevents condensation & keeps heat in as most heat is lost by convection.) There must be air flowing in a ventilation space between the insulation & the roofing to connect vented soffits to continuous ridge ventilation. If you line the window & skylight/dormer wells (which will be very deep) with mirror (can be light weight cheap plastic or mylar) light will reflect beautifully all over. I would consider lowering & insulating the floor (aircrete?) &/or raise the door frame. I am surprised the lime is soft. I thought lime became limestone as it absorbed CO2 from the air over time. Maybe the paint prevented that. 2nd thoughts: I would hate to see you break your heart spending a lot of money & time trying to make this into what will be an unsatisfactory energy efficient home. Better to build a separate small energy efficient home & make this into a greenhouse/workshop by removing the roof & encapsulate the stone house using lengths of galvanized electric conduit bent into a hoop starting on the top of the north wall. A cover of polyethylene film can be removed in summer to give full sun & kill pathogens. The stone house would be on the north side of the greenhouse. The stone will absorb heat during the day & radiate it at night. This way you still have the beauty of the stone house yet made very useful. The stone will have more surface area for heat transfer thus work more effectively if it is not plastered. It is a place to start seeds & you will have produce weeks earlier when they are more valued. In fall, fully grown root crops like turnup can be transplant back to the greenhouse & planted very close together in leaf mold, when they can live in a semi dormant state so you have fresh vegetables, even greens, all year.

Thank you for your vision and your love of history and character. Your home will reflect your care.

I can’t wait to see the process of the renovation I so believe you can manage all of it in time

Moss’s face at the end! 🤣😂🤣 He looks petrified. In four years, if this cottage is still waiting, I would love to volunteer in the restoration! I’m so glad to hear the stone walls are staying exposed and the ceiling is going to a lofted state. The mezzanine sounds amazing too! Brilliant plan for the skylights. Such an incredibly lovely building. Restoration doesn’t make sense to most who look for completion over process and historical preservation. Yet, I’m all about the latter. As the saying goes, they don’t make things like they use to. Such a passionate project. Many blessings to you, Moss and all the amazing life forms your land is sustaining. 🙏🏻🙌🏻💞

Wow, i like your resolution to restorate the cottage into the original state. I really appreciate when some people build and make things themselves these days. Good luck and don´t worry. One friend of mine implemented a similar project. It´s slow process but the way is remarkable and one day it will happen. Just hold on :)

May I suggest what is called a 'conditioned roof', that is a warm attic with insulation directly under the exterior waterproof layer. All my suggestions come from my experience with old housing here in Ireland.

Love what you are doing and the ligfe style you have chosen to lead. Keep going.

You never give the impression that contributing is necessary. Very glad you have found a great space and are thrilled with the cottage. Knocking it down would be a shame and a wrong choice for you. Good luck and wishes in your endeavour.

Great video and good luck with the restoration. If you google www.national archive.i.e you should be able to see who lived in your cottage when the census were taken in 1901 and 1911. That might give you some leads to the family who previously lived there along with some photos and history of the cottage. I did this recently for the cottage my dad was born in in Donegal and it was fascinating.

I love your little cottage, and I can't wait to see how cute and cozy it will be when you are done. I'm enjoying your videos so much! And Moss is such a sweet constant companion :)

You're living my dream! If I were young & able-bodied, I'd be doing exactly what you're doing. Every square inch will be lovingly restored by you - that's a grand legacy.

You are amazing ! Thanks for sharing this journey with us ! I never thought I would be so interested in cottage restoration in my life.

It does cost/take more time to restore an old cottage but will be so worth it! I'm a builder and moving to Ireland in the new year to do a similar thing

Love the fact you want the old house...far more character than a breeze block job. You're in no rush...looking forward to seeing your development and I'd love to learn from your videos. Thx

It is so sad to observe how in my country (Spain, but I'm sure in many others too) many countryside areas and towns are slowly becoming more and more unpopulated due to people lacking the help and funds to do what you're doing with old houses and the farming/living off the Earth kind of living. To me, this is what life truly is about. You're living the dream of many, don't rush and continue doing things so greatly. Sending you all my good wishes and a big hug to lovely Moss! Stay warm up there now that winter has come!

Have recently restored an old cottage, still a lot of work to be done but we absolutely adore it. Eventually we will build on but for now it’s perfect. Completely agree with you about the imperfections making it what it is. Best of luck! Looking forward to following your journey 💚🙌🏻

I'm glad you have a love for the history of your home. I wish you well.

I have been working on my off grid home in the mountains for 18 years long. ( nearly finished now...) I would love to give you some tips and help you avoid mistakes I’ve made. I can help especially with your own power production (I have installed both solar and wind), insulation matters, ( I’ve used sheep wool insulation as well as new eco friendly mineral wool) and other things as well. Please let me know if you’d like to chat . Best of luck ! Forgot to mention that I have installed a solar water heater and a wood burning water heater. I think they’re called “donkeys” in parts of the u.k.

Loving your plans for the cottage your a true inspiration 😀😀

I assume you will line the chimney to avoid creosote penetration, one of the best stoves from the past was the Stanley Fionn with boiler, now discontinued but available secondhand, big enough for your space and giving plenty of hot water, would drive a decent size radiator if needed.

It absolutely makes my day when a Mossy Bottom video appears in my feed!

I look forward to seeing your progress, slow though it may be. I think having the floor go in will be a huge milestone and suddenly change the feel of the cottage even if it isn't as much work as cleaning all the concrete off the stone. It's also interesting to hear your solutions because I had thought that rising damp was something that those cottages just came with so it's nice to hear that there are ways of dealing with that. Best of luck.

Love your update and vision for the cottage which will be awesome and so very rewarding in the end.

I think we can all agree that the dog is the star of this video! That's all, I have no idea about restorations just sharing the dream of maybe one day being able to start this kind of project myself.

As in any endeavor...just enjoy the process and don't get much attachment to the end result. You have a ton of work ahead, but no doubt you'll get what you dream of.

I would never tear down that cottage. Old things need to be cared for and loved. How do we ever keep the history if everything is taken down and replaced with new? I am on your side with your plan! Go for it and enjoy every minute of it.

God bless you! I am so glad you are going to make real windows! You may need collar ties...keeps the roof from pushing out. What a wonderful place.

I'm so glad you are restoring this beautiful building and not knocking it down.I am three years into a similar project in an a 17C French farmhouse in the mountains of South central France. The similarities in the approach struck me during both the videos. Our place is a good del larger than your beautiful place, but it is the nature of the buildings that are in this stunningly beautiful rural part of the country. We have kept the exterior stonework the same and added 12 skylights that bathe the place in a beautiful soft light. Anyway, the best of luck with the project, I shall keep watching as toy progress.

Yes! Hemp is super - I've retrofitted my cottage from 1847 with hemp (via HempFlax [NL] and IsoHemp [BE]) on the inside of the outer walls, then covered in lime ....

I look forward to your journey. I like the fact that your a history keeper. I love most things old but Hubs was a builder and did not like working on old houses. Your cottage will be wonderful. Enjoy the process. Blessings.

Your cottage needs your dreams and love...keep strong and make that come true. Once history is destroyed it is gone forever, only photos and (in most cases now a days ) memories are left. You are blessed to have the actual touchable history before you. Follow your plan.

Daniel, thanks so much for the update. I love what you are doing and I too would live in the old cottage. Update us on your autumn harvest. Looking forward to the next installment.