The Irish cottage that once belonged to Liam and Noel Gallagher’s grandmother is for sale for €350,000 (£302,306).
Margaret Sweeney, the Oasis brothers’ maternal grandmother, lived in the two-bedroom house in Sonnagh, near Charlestown in County Mayo, for more than 20 years until her death in 2000.
The Gallaghers’ mother, Peggy, grew up in Mayo — with her 10 siblings — before moving to Burnage, Manchester, where the brothers were raised.
“When we used to have six weeks holidays in England for the school summer, my mam used to religiously drag us by the ear over across the Irish Sea,” Noel Gallagher said on the Late Late Show in 1996, adding that the smell of burning turf on returning to Ireland “reminds you of your childhood”.
“We used to go out in the country, picking blackberries to make jam. And my gran didn’t have any running water so you used to have to go over to the well,” he recalled in Paolo Hewitt’s biography of the band, Getting High: the Adventures of Oasis.
“We used to love getting up in the morning. Chase cows around the field and that, throw stones at them ‘cos we were from Manchester. And bringing in the cows to get milked. We used to love doing that because it used to take about six of us to get one cow through a gate.”
Noel Gallagher also describes scrapping in the hay with his cousins, his first visits to the local pub after Mass, and family gatherings, always followed by a sing-along. “They all used to start taking the piss out of each other,” he said. “I remember sitting there crying with laughter.”
The brothers’ visits to Sweeney continued throughout her life, and Charlestown maintains a proud connection with the band.
“I remember clearly when word got round that the boys were back in town; even if it was only Liam, everybody followed him,” barmaid Olive Durcan told The Irish Times. “He played the guitar in [the pub] JJ’s and there was a big singsong.”
When Oasis performed in Dublin earlier this year, Liam asked the crowd: “Anyone here from Mayo, Charlestown?” And when fans cheered in response, he said: "There's only about five people there, you can't all be fucking from there."
Sweeney’s former home is a 900 square foot bungalow. There’s an open plan living and dining area, with a stone fireplace and fuel burning stove, dividing the space from the kitchen behind.
There’s a large family bathroom and two bedrooms, one with built-in wardrobes and an ensuite. In 2003, after Sweeney’s death, the cottage was renovated and extended by its current owner, with its walls and floors insulated.
Most remarkable about the cottage, though, is the six acres of land that Noel Gallagher reminisced about. The land is intersected by the river Sonnagh, and the grounds contain a natural spring and the ruins of a former corn mill.
“This is a very peaceful setting, and residents can enjoy a delightful ‘Wonderwalk’ along the banks of the Sonnagh river on their property,” say the agents, who believe that the land could be used for holiday lettings or glamping pods, subject to planning permission.
“This Irish gem offers the rare chance to own a piece of rock ‘n’ roll history — once owned by the grandmother of Oasis stars Noel and Liam Gallagher and where the iconic duo spent summers growing up,” says Leal Ignatius at Hamptons International.
“The property features modern amenities, including an open-plan living area, ensuite master bedroom, and gardens along the river. Its location near Charlestown village and Knock International Airport makes it convenient for holidaymakers, or those seeking a countryside retreat.”
This month, a Grade II-listed Cotswolds manor rented by Liam Gallagher in 2024 was listed for £5.895 million, with the singer and his fiancée, Debbie Gwyther, reported to have been house-hunting in the area earlier this year. His Hampstead cottage, Vale of Heath, was listed for £1.65 million in 2020.
