De Valera's Cottage, National monument in Knockmore, Ireland.
De Valera's Cottage is a single-storey farmhouse in Knockmore built with straightforward rural construction. The building has limestone walls, a slate roof, cast iron fixtures, and timber elements typical of 19th-century Irish countryside homes.
This cottage was built in 1885 as part of poor relief housing and became the childhood home of someone who would shape Ireland's modern history. The family moved there when he was very young and spent formative years in this modest setting.
This cottage represents the modest rural roots of a major political figure and shows how ordinary Irish families lived in the countryside during that era. Visitors can see the simple conditions that shaped the early life of someone who would later lead the nation.
The cottage is located in the countryside north of Bruree on the road toward Athlacca and is fairly straightforward to reach. Since the location is somewhat remote, it makes sense to plan ahead and allow extra travel time when visiting.
An unusually demanding detail stands out: the young resident walked roughly 22 kilometers round-trip each day to attend school because the family could not afford a bicycle. This exhausting daily journey shows the perseverance required just to get an education in those circumstances.
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