A mother of four who couldn't afford to bring her children on holiday after Covid-19 devastated her company, has vowed to save people thousands through Irish home swaps.
Sinead Canney is swapping her own home in Sligo in the coming weeks with a house in the south of the country so that she and her friends can have a free get away for their college reunion.
The Galway native's own three boys are all into outdoor sports so she is also trawling through registered homes on her new letswap.ie site for a suitable escape for them all in the New Year.
She also has an older daughter who is living in Australia.
Sinead only launched the business in late August but is surprised at the high level of both inquiries and registrations to her online company.
"I worked in international education for children who wanted to do exchanges abroad and that all fell by the wayside in Covid-19," she said.
"Even after the regulations were lifted, parents were still very wary of sending their kids away for months.
"I was heavily dependent on Government supports and with three boys under 13, I just couldn't afford to bring them away, especially when prices and the cost of living started to rise.
"We are a very outdoor family and I used to love to go down the country for events and book into Airbnbs but suddenly I was finding it hard to even get an Airbnb due to lack of availability and affordability.
"Then I was hearing stories of how people were paying thousands of euro for a house down the country for a week's holiday.
"I have house swapped before with other families from France and Spain who I met through my international education and I suddenly thought about finding like-minded people here in Ireland who would like to house swap.
"It is a private website, so you can only view the houses once you've signed up to the website. And even then, you private message the other family so no-one else can see when you are planning to get away for security reasons.
"Obviously, I ask anyone willing to house swap to have contents insurance and lock away any valuables that you may have in your home. It is all based on trust but the other family you are swapping with will be doing the same.
"You may also be able to swap bicycles and other outdoor equipment instead of having to transport everything with you for the trip.
" As an entrepreneur, I also really believe in paying it forward, so anyone registering is given the option of donating €20 per swap which will go towards my current chosen charities of Domestic Violence Response in Galway, the Simon Community and North West Stop.
"I am hoping that the site will save families thousands in getting away for a break and exploring our own little country and I hope it will help those disadvantaged too, through charity donations."
