Labasheeda - The Bed of Silk

Labasheeda is a picturesque village nestled into the gentle slopes that slip down to the shore of the River Shannon.

The Labasheeda Peninsula has a rich archaeological record, stretching back almost 2,000 years, with several stately homes, ancient churches, holy wells, Napoleonic Era military constructions and more, all within easy reach (and on barely-trafficked roads) by bike, car or on foot from your Beds of Silk base.

Opening in 2019, Beds of Silk was developed by Manus McGee and Pádraig Neylon to provide luxury affordable accommodation for visitors to the region, and to open up the Labasheeda Peninsula to tourists eager to explore sights off the beaten track.

Beds of Silk is a place for you and your partner or friend to get away from your daily hectic lives and rediscover true nature by the Shannon Estuary. The peace and tranquility of the surrounding area is yours to discover!

Inspiration for Dance

The Labasheeda Set is renowned in traditional Irish set dancing and you can get a head start by learning the steps here.

The Dan Furey Weekend is held every autumn in the village and the festival celebrates the renowned set dancing teacher, Dan Furey. Dan lived his life on the Labasheeda peninsula and devoted much of his live sharing his love of set dancing with young and old. 

Inspiration for Poetry

Labysheedy (The Silken Bed) by Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill

I'd make a bed for you
in Labysheedy
in the tall grass
under the wrestling trees
where your skin
would be silk upon silk
in the darkness
when the moths are coming down.
Skin which glistens
shining over your limbs
like milk being poured
from jugs at dinnertime;
your hair is a herd of goats
moving over rolling hills,
hills that have high cliffs
and two ravines.
And your damp lips
would be as sweet as sugar at evening and we walking
by the riverside
with honeyed breezes
blowing over the Shannon
and the fuschias bowing down to you
one by one. The fuschias bending low
their solemn heads in obeisance to the beauty
in front of them
I would pick a pair of flowers as pendant earrings
to adorn you
like a bride in shining clothes.
O I'd make a bed for you
in Labysheedy,
in the twilight hour
with evening falling slow
and what a pleasure it would be
to have our limbs entwine
wrestling
while the moths are coming down.

Inspiration for Music

An art-punk band based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is called Labasheeda, and you can check them out here: http://www.labasheeda.nl/biography. The link between the band and the village is unclear: perhaps they were onetime visitors, or were just taken by the beautiful name.