Sign in

Sam’s Cottage

@samscottage.bsky.social
90 followers 217 following 42 posts

A traditional Irish cottage in Co Antrim, Ireland restored in 2023-24. "It is time now for me to build a house... A house which, seen, will be recognised As a dwelling and yet an outcrop, part of the place". John Hewitt www.samscottage.co.uk

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Frank O'Connor @frankoconnor.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Before there was longterm decaying properties Now there are much needed homes Well done to all involved & good luck to the new occupants Have no doubt we can end #DerelictIreland with the right political & cultural will Everyone should have a home ❤️ Bandon Road, Cork City
Before there was longterm decaying properties
Now there are much needed homes
Well done to all involved & good luck to the new occupants
Have no doubt we can end #DerelictIreland with the right political & cultural will
Everyone should have a home ❤️

Bandon Road, Cork City
0195
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Irish Wildlife Trust @irishwildlifetrust.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
www.rte.ie/radio/radio1... Though illegal since 2024, listed invasive plants are still readily available for purchase, e.g. Spanish Bluebells Nature Advocacy Officer Oisín Ó Neill outlines IWT position: 1) we need enforcement of existing law 2) we need to add Cherry Laurel to this list.
rte.ie
Invasive plant species remain on the market
In 2024, it became illegal to sell, exchange, transport or breed more than 30 non-native plant-types in Ireland under both Irish and EU law because they are deemed to be invasive. However, some of the...
23317
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Tom Coates @tomcoates.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
It’s weird that Helen of Troy being played by a black actress is a problem, but most of the rest of the Mediterranean, Greek and Turkish characters being played by incredibly fair and blond haired people of British, Irish and Scandinavian descent isn’t. And by weird, I mean entirely predictable.
92112611783
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
Spanish bluebells need to be eradicated from the island. www.rte.ie/news/2026/05...
rte.ie
Illegal invasive plant species found for sale in Ireland
Several high-risk invasive plants that are illegal to sell in Ireland have been found for sale to Irish shoppers.
000
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
ebisback.bsky.social @ebisback.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
Mamdani for President 💥
537162714204
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
#architecture
030
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Sam’s Cottage is the winner of Best Home Upgrade award in the Royal Institute of Ulster Architects in 2026!
Cottage near derilictionThatched cottage with decaying roofRestored cottage with owners and architect standing outsideArchitect Patrick Bradley outside restored thatched cottage
120
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
You might consider voting in the Royal Society of Ulster Architects public choice award and, if you do, you might consider voting for Sam's Cottage. Also please ask all your relatives, friends, contacts and anyone else whether they too might like to do the same! Thanks rsua.org.uk/public-choic...
rsua.org.uk
Public Choice Award 2026 - what gets your vote?  - Royal Society of Ulster Architects
Architecture isn't for architects - it’s for everyone. It shapes our everyday lives: our homes, our work, community centres, schools, hospitals and everything else in between. So we’re bringing archit...
000
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Sam's Cottage featured in the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) publication House + Design, now available online. www.riai.ie/discover-arc...
riai.ie
Discover Architecture | RIAI.ie (The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland)
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) is the Regulatory and Support body for Architects in Ireland. Support services are also provided for Architectural Technologists.
010
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
Sam's Cottage shortlisted for the RSUA Ulster Architecture Awards! rsua.org.uk/project-shor...
rsua.org.uk
Project shortlist announced for new all-Ulster Architecture Awards - Royal Society of Ulster Architects
The Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) has announced the final contenders in each project category of the all new RSUA Architecture Awards. This year, for the first time, the Awards process has...
010
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 18/10/2025
I have never seen one of these in Ireland before. Calliteara pudibunda, I think. My (gardening) fingers for scale at one point. Beautiful creature.
021
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Jenne Pape @mudandstud.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
I wish I had been able to go on a weekend like this when I was an undergraduate. If you've ever wondered about the houses of ordinary folk in history, or (if you know me) wondered what it is that I actually get up to, then book in and have an amazing weekend in Oxfordshire!
052
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Jenne Pape @mudandstud.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
An absolutely pleasure to speak to Bracebridge Heath U3A today about mud and stud, and a delight to be speaking to Horncastle History & Heritage Society tomorrow evening - in the heart of Mud & Stud country!
132
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Marion McGarry @marionmcgarry.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Who doesn’t love an Irish cottage? ‘Lost Houses’ showcases forgotten homes & overlooked architectural fragments in Galway City’s rich cultural & social landscape, in the Architecture At The Edge exhibition 2025 👏 Visited with students from BA Design @atu-ie.bsky.social @oflynnatu.bsky.social
1144
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 09/10/2025
Calling all #arachnophiles Is it just me or are spiders getting bigger? Is it climate change or just a propitious year for them? This chap was photographed just before being caught and released 40 or so meters away. For scale the worktop is 3cms. what species & have these always been in Ireland?
100
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 05/10/2025
@trcava.bsky.social any idea what is happening here? I accept the they are not unusual on a fallen log, but at the base of (what I hope is) a healthy tree It's in Ireland.
110
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
Storm Amy in County Antrim. It is not so much the wind as the noise. The dog is a bit spooked.
020
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
Are spiders in Ireland bigger than they used to be? I don't ever remember seeing any as big as this when I was wee (unfortunately this one is no longer with us, but it is more compliant at being measured). 8cm leg span!
Spider beside ruler with legs extended to 8 cm.
010
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 27/09/2025
The story of Sam’s Cottage. If outside the UK you may need a VPN. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...
bbc.co.uk
Restoration Rescue - Series 2: 1. Ballymena Cottage
Architect Patrick Bradley meets a couple in Ballymena who are on a mission to restore a row of derelict cottages into their new family home.
010
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Love Ballymena @loveballymena.online · 21/09/2025
𝗧𝗩 | Can a crumbling 19th-century cottage become a dream home? Join Ballymena’s Stephen and Marie as they team up with architect Patrick Bradley to save a piece of Northern Ireland’s heritage in Restoration Rescue. Photos and more below!
loveballymena.online
Restoration Rescue: Ballymena couple revive historic cottages in new BBC Series
Discover how Ballymena’s Stephen and Marie restore 19th-century cottages with architect Patrick Bradley in BBC’s Restoration Rescue. Watch on BBC iPlayer from 22 September.
131
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Friends of the Earth Ireland @foeireland.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
We welcome the Climate Change Advisory Council’s Annual Review of the Built Environment, which strongly echoes long-standing civil society calls for decisive government action to decarbonise Ireland’s homes & protect people from energy poverty. Find out more👇 bit.ly/45NkTqu
friendsoftheearth.ie
Climate Advisory Council Call for End to Fossil Fuels in Homes
No More Winters of Cold Homes, High Bills, and Fossil Fuels: Friends of the Earth Welcomes Advisory Council’s Calls for Change
073
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Angry @angrystaffer.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Epstein survivors say they’re compiling their own client list. “We know who abused us. We saw who came and went. This list will be survivor-led—for survivors”
523221954979
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
ɖɠɠųɬıɛཞཞɛʑ 🏔️ @coloradodgg.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Reason #12,398 never to step foot in Florida ever again apnews.com/article/flor...
apnews.com
Florida will work to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates in the state, officials say
Florida will work to phase out all childhood vaccine mandates in the state, building on the effort by Republican Gov.
021
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
'This country needs migrants' Zack Polanski, the new leader of the Green Party in England and Wales, speaks to #BBCBreakfast about his views on immigration
851700493
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
So our military just bombed a boat in international waters and extrajudicially killed suspected drug traffickers without so much as a conversation, let alone a trial? Then posted it on social media? And we’re all supposed to just trust their account?
1977170185525
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Andy Craig @andycraig.bsky.social · 02/09/2025
That Pritzker press conference was... surreal, and I think marks a significant moment of escalation in the constitutional omni-crisis. This was the governor of a state saying plainly the Union itself is being torn apart and his state is being militarily invaded by an authoritarian regime.
447249416423
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Saddletramp🇪🇺 @saddletramp.bsky.social · 01/09/2025
Climate change deniers now going from “the earth is not warming up” to “ yes the earth is warming up but it’s cyclical. It’s natural and not man made”. Why do they think scientists with no political association are lying to them? Why do they think scientists are wrong and Richard Tice is right?
96313
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
A mast year, but the storms have taken their toll.
Acorns, some attached to small branches.
010
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
You have to start to wonder if the interior decorator is actually trolling him.
72175351692
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 27/08/2025
Late evening sun in Ireland.
180
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 16/08/2025
Looking towards Mull. Beautiful.
Looking towards Mull in the Scottish Highlands
030
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
ringwac 📎 @ringwac.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
011
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
Glorious. Sam's Cottage. Co. Antrim.
040
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Curlew Action @curlewaction.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
We’re giving a shoutout to one of nature’s hands-on dads! Male Curlews take an active role in raising their young. They help incubate the eggs, protect the nest, and look after the chicks once they hatch. Their commitment is crucial to the survival of these special birds. 📷 Tony Pope
0207
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
lola1985.bsky.social @lola1985.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
💙✊💙✌️💙🦋
435680
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Ian Beavis @ianbeavis.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
Portrait of the now extinct British subspecies of the Large Copper from John Curtis's British Entomology (1824) when it was still flying
16314
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
The Journal @thejournal.ie · 28/05/2025
The worst case scenario is a fine of over €26 billion - the equivalent of 11 National Children’s Hospitals given that the final cost of that project is forecast to come in at around €2.3bn. jrnl.ie/6716603
jrnl.ie
Climate target failure: Ireland faces up to 11 National Children’s Hospitals worth of fines
Ireland is moving further away from achieving its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions reduction of 51%.
0135
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 28/05/2025
A *Save Our Sprat* campaign was recently launched, to push for an immediate ban on all sprat fishing in Irish waters, with a very well-attended public meeting held in Bantry just over a week ago. You can find out more and sign the petition here: www.saveoursprat.ie
saveoursprat.ie
We here at Save Our Sprat want to stop the indiscriminate fishing of Sprat in Bantry Bay to ensure its future as a key link in the food chain on which our marine life and the people around the Bay are dependent on.
14817
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 25/05/2025
booking.fairbnb.coop/en/listing/o...
booking.fairbnb.coop
FairbnbCoop:Oona's Cottage, a unique newly-restored cottage
A cottage newly renovated in 2024 under the direction of an award winning architect (he did the containers in Grand Designs), Oona's Cottage (named after o...
000
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 25/05/2025
www.samscottage.co.uk
samscottage.co.uk
Historic accommodation in a cosy cottage in County Antrim | Sam's Cottage
Discover Sam's Cottage, a beautifully restored set of historic cottages in County Antrim. Only Oona's Cottage is rented for a relaxing getaway, featuring modern amenities and scenic views. Convenientl...
000
Sam’s Cottage @samscottage.bsky.social · 25/05/2025
pb-architects.com/projects/sam...
pb-architects.com
Main - Main
000
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Ulster University @ulsteruni.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
This #EarthDay, we're celebrating repair, resilience & Rathlin! Rathlin Island hosted their first island Repair Café & it was a huge success! ✅ 23 items repaired 🌱 142kg waste saved from landfill 💨 1,581kg of CO₂ emissions prevented #WeAreUU | @futureislandisland.bsky.social
A group of approximately people of varying ages and genders pose together indoors for a group photo at a community event. They are standing in a semi-circle in front of banners reading 'NIRN Repair Café,' 'Future Screens NI,' and 'Ulster University.' An elderly man wearing a flat cap, glasses, and a blue sweater with an apron sits at a table examining a mechanical clock encased in glass. Various tools, including screwdrivers, are spread across the table in a well-lit room with natural light streaming through the windows.Two women are focused on repairing a mechanical device, on a cluttered table covered with tools, wires, and newspaper. One woman in a striped yellow sweatshirt is seated, while the other, wearing glasses and a blue fleece, is standing and guiding the repair with her hands. They are working together by a window, with natural light illuminating the workspace.
062
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
RSPB Northern Ireland @rspbni.bsky.social · 22/04/2025
Great news from Rathlin Island as the Corncrake has returned! Listen out for the rare “crex crex” call when you’re walking the island. Thanks to volunteers, farmers and our staff for making this possible once again.
Photo Credit: Andy Hay
1115
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Emily Carter @emilycurates.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
In #Okinawa, coastal fishermen now farm #coral, restoring #reefs like planting trees in a forest. With #ocean temperatures rising, half the world’s coral reefs have already vanished. These farmers are fighting back, one fragment at a time. [Heppoko Taylor]
231118022317
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
A pocket of filmy fern clings on up on the mountain commonage. A relic of the spectacularly rich Atlantic rainforest ecosystem that once covered these artificial sheep-wrecked wastes, and which is just *waiting* to return. 🌍
217817
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Rob Marchant @rob-marchant.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
New insights into #Land Use and Land Cover Change in the #Niger Delta of #Nigeria from 1986 to 2024 show an alarming rise in built up area and loss of #mangroves. This enhances flood risk and impacts on livelihoods. @yesiuoy.bsky.social @anthropocenebio.bsky.social www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14...
084
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
Yes, because what's holding the US back from greatness is our lack of "wood independence". 🙄 Logging these >100 year old trees will be disastrous for climate.
wapo.st
Trump administration orders half of national forests open for logging
An emergency order removes protections covering over half the land managed by the U.S. Forest Service as the president aims to boost timber production.
951851791
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Rob Marchant @rob-marchant.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
After a series of horrific decisions coming from Trump’s America it is hearting to see the swell of people in support of pushback #handsoff
19626
Reposted by Sam’s Cottage
Rob Marchant @rob-marchant.bsky.social · 06/04/2025
For some 6000 years the #olive tree has supported good life. It provide tasty fruit and oil that also cures. In winter its wood produces heat without smoke, and in summer its branches provide shade. A truly a great #tree - from juveniles to venerable veterans from the country to the city
0273