Community Spotlight: Michael O'Reilly0

[Quincy]

Hello Everyone,

This month we have a spotlight from @Michael-O-Reilly0  who is a Superhost and Community Leader of the North Donegal Airbnb Host Club! Grab a tea, coffee, or whatever your favourite beverage would be, and enjoy this lovely spotlight by Michael! ☕

How long have you been hosting for, and why did you first start?

Our amazing Airbnb hosting journey started in 2016. We started hosting on Airbnb after being recommended to list our rooms on Airbnb by a gentleman named Tom. Tom was attending a week-long course at my place of work. He was unable to source accommodation for that week.  I offered him one of our rooms so that he could complete his course. During his stay with us, he told us all about Airbnb and after doing a little bit of research, we seen it as a great opportunity to promote and bring in tourists to our area, and generating tourism revenue for ourselves and our community, Seven incredible years later we are still happily hosting, and welcoming guests, (friends) from all over the world. Little did we realise at that time, that when we offered Tom a room for the week, that our Airbnb journey was about to begin.

Tell us a little about your listing.

Our listing is located in a beautiful, but peaceful part of Ireland, this  area is known as Meenderry, and it’s in the townland of Falcarragh in County Donegal, our listing area is situated on the Wild Atlantic Way. The wild Atlantic way is a tourism  trail on the west coast  of Ireland. The trail starts in Donegal and finishes up in County Cork its overall distance covers 2,500 km and stretches the length of Ireland. We have 3 rooms listed on Airbnb, and each room has been designed to cater for different number of guests, our first room has a panoramic view of the majestic seven sister’s mountain range, and this room can accommodate up to 4 guests, it also has a private bathroom, the other 2 rooms share a bathroom and each of these rooms can accommodate 2 guests.

What does the word community mean to you?

To me community means the coming together of people to share, promote and elevate good values. This can be done through in person meetups or through valued resources like our Airbnb Host Leader Clubs. I also  love to help out in beach clean ups. Beach cleans ups are a wonderful way to help us protect our natural environment, it also helps us to keep fit and to socialise with fellow volunteers. I also  collect old or unwanted clothes for our local charity shop, it's so rewarding to know that these clothes will help others and at the same time reduce our carbon footprint. Photography is one of my pastimes and it was an honor for me  to take photographs of our local darkness into light event. Darkness Into Light is a movement dedicated to ending and supporting those who engage in self-harm, and that there is always help available.

How long have you been part of the Airbnb Community and why did you join?

I have been a community leader since 2020, my initial interest in becoming a group leader was when I was on the Ireland Airbnb community board, it was an honour for me to be a part of this board and to meet the other board members. This Community board allowed us to share and learn the values of having a local community group and coming from a rural place in Donegal, I could see the huge potential this could bring to my area and to be a part of this was special. Our North Donegal host club started just before the outbreak of the Covid Virus and the subsequent shutdown of hospitality, but the connection we had online kept us all up to date and ready for when we finally returned to hosting.

Tell us about being a Host Club leader, what does it entail?

For me being a host club leader is an honour and privilege, knowing that we are in a unique position to help our fellow Airbnb hosts. Being a Host club leader, requires time, dedication and commitment, from answering any questions or queries our members might have in relation to hosting, to promoting best practice  but the Airbnb support network that is available makes the role so enjoyable and fills us with a sense of achievement.

If you could make it better, what one thing would you improve?

I would love to see hosts who are active members of a host club, rewarded with a small badge on their Airbnb profile, a bit like the one community leaders have, it could simply recognise that this host is also a member of ie say the Airbnb North Donegal Host Club.

When you are not hosting, what do you like doing? My favourite pastime is hiking and swimming i’m blessed to be surrounded by some lovely mountains and beaches and the views from the top are simply breathtaking

View from the Top Of Errigal Mountain

Where would your dream holiday be?

To go and see the Niagara Falls, on my all-time list of places to see.

Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter?

Spring, to see Flora and Fauna come to live, Magical

If you could live somewhere else in the world where would it be?

Has got to be Alaska, the country has some amazing scenery and fantastic wildlife. Looks like a place for pure tranquility.

Do you have a fun fact you’d like to share?

Remembering our first ever Airbnb guest, we did everything to make their stay as perfect as perfect could be, eagerly awaiting their review..They never left one

Anything to add?

Thank you Airbnb for making our world a more united, diverse and inclusive for all

Thank you @Michael-O-Reilly0 for this lovely story! I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I did 🤩

[Laurelle3]

@Quincy  thank you for introducing and @Michael-O-Reilly0 's . Michael thank you for sharing what Airbnb what means to you and where you live and host. We have only had a taste of Ireland in our travels and stayed in Youth Hostels and B&B's this was before we knew about Airbnb. 

It must be great to wake up each morning to see the mountain view and if the sunshine is out for a good walking day.

How many people live in your town the picture of your home looks rural?

I like the idea of hosts having a badge if they are an active member. I would also like to see a leaf or 2 to show if they are a Sustainable Hosts  too.

I have to agree with you that seeing both flora and fauna at different seasons of the year whether it is in gardens near by or if you go out into the sanctuary of a not much travelled road, bush or forest.

@Michael-O-Reilly0 Thank you for allowing us to meet you and I am sure you have a partner, other half who shares this roll with you. I wish you both many happy years travelling along the road of Airbnbing. 

Laurelle from Downunder 

[Quincy]

Hiya @Laurelle3, hope all is well down under 😊 I remember visiting Ireland back in 2015. I was visiting a friend in Carlow and exploring the area. 

Hoping to go back one day, and perhaps to the places that @Michael-O-Reilly0

recommended! 

@Laurelle3, around what time did you visit Ireland? 

[Michael-O-Reilly0]

Hi Quincy, I hope you get the opportunity to visit Falcarragh and the sourounding areas,  a warm welcome awaits, rgs Michael 

[Laurelle3]

@Quincy it was in 2006 and we met Enya's brother in the pub.

[Michael-O-Reilly0]

Hi @Laurelle3  thank you for your lovely comments. I am truly blessed to live in such a beautiful area and equally blessed too be able to share it with my guests. 

My house is rural but yet only  a 5 minute drive to our nearest town.

It's a small town with a close knit community. 

I love your idea of a symbol recognising hosts who implement sustainable features into their listings, such a lovely idea. 

I hope you get the chance to return to Ireland and visit my hometown, a warm welcome awaits you.

I'm married to Anne, and she is the foundation of our Airbnb listing🙂. She is the one who keeps everything running smoothly..

When time allows, I like to hike the local mountains..

Wishing you all well and hopefully, we will get the opportunity to visit

Australia..Best wishes Michael.

 

 

[Laurelle3]

@Michael-O-Reilly0 they say behind every man is a woman. So Anne your loved  one has everything under control.