The Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural & Sports Centre commemorated this Authentic Donegal Irish Cottage in 2004. The cottage was originally built over 200 years ago in the townland of Carrickataggart (the rock of the priest) 8 miles from Ardara, in County Donegal, a small and typically beautiful Irish town with a population today of about 725 people and lived in for generations by the Shovlin Family.

Philanthropist Gerry Laverty a well known Irish designer of Dunkineeley, County Donegal, purchased the beautiful cottage for his wife and four children and lived there for a number of years. The cottage was carefully disassembled and shipped across the great Atlantic Ocean in pieces and sections; first the chimney and center wall and then 
all of the rest including many of its original handmade Irish furnishings and arrived in 
New York Harbor where it was unloaded and shipped to East Durham, NY and 
reassembled.

The thatched roof and stone structure are typical of cottages found throughout Ireland 
and still in use today. A beautiful rendering of the cottage as it is situated on its original 
Donegal hill was painted by Edmund O’Sullivan, the famous Irish American Painter. 
Reproductions of the beautiful painting are available for sale. Please contact a festival 
representative to view and invest in this beautiful image.

During festivals, Irish turf is often burned to demonstrate how the Irish cooked and 
brought warmth to their damp homes using this centuries old tradition of burning dried 
peat from the bog. Authentic ‘Bord na Mona’ Turf brought here direct from Ireland is for 
sale for those who wish to experience this famous Irish tradition – any proceeds go to 
the betterment of the MJQ Irish Cultural & Sports Centre and thanks for your support!