History of Buttermilk Lodge
Your hosts at Buttermilk Lodge are Cathriona and Patrick O’Toole.
Patrick is “Connemara born and reared”. Pat grew up and still farms 3 miles from Clifden in Taobh a Locha, Streamstown. Patrick has been a keen farmer since childhood, with a great love of the land and sheep farming instilled in him by his Mom.
Cathriona is originally from Ballinasloe, where the famous Horse Fair is held each October. She came to Clifden on her first work-placement from her Hotel Management course in Galway. Cathriona is a keen Connemara Pony enthusiast and was most happy to re-introduce Connemara Ponies to the O’Toole farm!
They saw this site advertised in October 1995, while living in London, where they met. Cathriona was working as a hotel manager in Mayfair and Patrick had a construction company. They completed the site’s purchase in May 1996 and in September began building under the guidance of Pat’s Dad, Martin. In January 1997 they moved home for good and a busy few months followed, including a short break from building to get married, and opened Buttermilk Lodge in July 1997!
In recent years they have changed some of their rooms into self catering apartments which have proved most popular, and after 26 years of early mornings etc. they have decided to change the accommodation into one and two bedroom self-catering apartments.