Our History

Dunrobin cottage was originally built around 1870 and offers the charms and features of a traditional Irish cottage but with modern comforts and facilities. Situated on Lower Main Street of Mountcharles in County Donegal it has excellent views of Donegal Bay.

Blue Stack cottage is located to the rear of Dunrobin cottage and enjoys an elevated setting, surrounded by mature gardens, which commands stunning views of Donegal Bay at the front and the Blue Stack Mountains at the back. Orginally an out-barn the building, which is split in two levels, was used as a holiday home.

Photo-gallery Man-made Images, the first and only commercial gallery in the Republic of Ireland solely dedicated to the art of modern photography (grand opening September 22nd 2006) is situated on the ground floor of Blue Stack cottage and has been renovated to the highest standards for this purpose. The top floor is used as a display space for in-stock photos of previous exhibitions at Man-made Images.

The gallery is run by Marcel Otten and Martha M. Otten (co-proprietors).

Both Dunrobin and Blue Stack cottages have had a long list of varied owners, one of whom was Mr. Hugh Harley, the American. Locals may remember Hugh Harley, who had a “Turner” above the mantelpiece in Dunrobin cottage and a string of old railway carriages, stuffed to the brim with books, in the back gardens for local children to enjoy.

Nowadays an “Anton Heijboer” (a famous contemporary Dutch painter) stands proudly on the very spot were the “Turner” used to be.

The photo-gallery will attract both adults and children alike; a different art-form - a looking glass into others cultures, into another world.