The Great House Revival Season 5

[deeahgwitch]

Anyone watching ?

I saw the first one, the house with all the family and friends.
I must watch the second!

Oh my ! That was a stunning restoration done by the two architects.

Was that the one where they renovated a ruined but very grandiose Big House cowshed in Roscommon.? I think I got more stressed over the shattered pane of glass than they did! I thought it was a lovely structure, but I didn’t like the sort of red cedar slats on the ceiling.

It was indeed the ruined but grandiose cowshed @HamSpray

I thought the cowshed was lovely but they were mad not to insulate at least the bedrooms.

From the outside l thought it looked like a garden centre cafe! It was very 'designer' but I think Hugh was right to question damp and insulation. Those seem basic issues to address, especially when converting a farm building to housing.
I think it looked lovely, but not comfortable?

I loved the design of the cowshed, but the reality of living there was very off putting, I felt cold just looking at it. I don't think the small chimney in the cornier of their living room / kitchen could compensate for the lack of insulation. I was shocked they were able to overlook the mould in their bedroom. The corridor of arch windows is stunning.

Anyone watch Cora Murphy's Cork city house renovation last night? It was a slightly frustrating episode (though far more realistic than many others), as you didn't get to see any of the work in progress at all, only the demolition, lots of references to trying to get a mortgage, asbestos, not being able to pay the builders so work coming to a halt. None of the work in progress, other than two weirdly lengthily-filmed visits to a cement place in Tipp that did polished cement, and which I assume were included just so it looked like something was happening. The finished house was gorgeous, though, I thought. Especially with what Cora chose to leave -- the unpainted stair treads, the unplastered brick, the rectangle of the original wall colour framed in the living room. Gorgeous stained glass, too. She has lovely instincts.

The builders were very patient. And yet again there were people lending a hand, like the florist.
I'm a lot happier about grants to sort out old business premises and liven up high streets than one of Dermots seasons where people seemed to have inherited abandoned properties on family land.
If I ever need a huge modern landscape I will visit Cora!

I too loved Cora's art @eggandonion

What a patient builder Gerry from Kerry was.

I'm always a bit surprised when money is really tight that people spend money on bespoke floors, kitchens, shower tray ( in this instance ) etc.

You never see people on these sorts of programmes, be they Irish or UK based, going to Ikea to get their kitchen.
Except for the one that was sponsored by Ikea- Home Rescue.
I'm not sure if they still sponsor it.

I never look at my shower tray. I don't like my bathroom if anyone wants to sponsor me...

Yes, as someone who had a psychotic builder I ended up having to call the police on, I do dwell on the sweet, patient builders who seem to be a staple of these shows.

Aoibheann MacNamara, who is admirable, but also a rather difficult individual to deal with (the Galway Ard Bia owner whose house in the Burren was on last week's episode), must have been a massive headache for her builder, when she kept delaying key decisions and deciding at the last minute she wanted a kitchen mezzanine, but her builder seemed like an unfledged angel!

Yes, I can honestly say that I have never given my shower tray a second thought, fond though I am of my bathroom, and fussy though I am about the view from my bath!

Yes, it's lovely to see people renovating old shop premises and re-enlivening city centres and country towns. Douglas Street is really coming back from the dead.

Will someone pitch to RTE a show in which Dermot Bannon and Hugh Wallace support rival renovations for a public vote? Or just Amanda Bone making appalled faces?

Come to think of it, what is the difference between Dermot Bannon's Room to Improve and Hugh Wallace's Great House Revival? Is it just that Hugh is only there really as a presenter, he's not the architect drawing plans and trying to persuade people into his vision, DB-style?

I don't like my bathroom because the man who put it in was an idiot who vanished for weeks at a time with ever increasingly incredible excuses. Grrr.

I'm a bit behind on this and only saw the cowshed last night. Stunning! However my first thought was that they need very good eye masks. The whole house will be lit up at 4.30am in the Summer, they have a window above their bed. That would drive me mad. I'm also annoyed they didn't name the fox, I was waiting for an update on her!

@GlacialLook yes I think Hugh doesn't really have an input and only gives advice whereas Dermot is the contracted architect. I suspect they have very different styles too, Hugh likes the older more authentic look, Dermot is all about open plan and windows. I love your idea about the rival builds with a public vote!!

Patrick Freyne had quite a funny piece partly about Dermot Bannon as martyred Christ vs Hugh Wallace as Zen Buddha in florals. Not sure if this will be behind a paywall, though.

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/tv-radio/2025/02/20/we-already-have-great-house-revival-what-we-need-now-is-feck-the-preservation-order-lets-knock-it-and-build-an-office-block/

I am always amazed at people buying dilapidated buildings but the Rock house was on another level.

The husband worked like a trojan and he did an amazing job on their landscaping. So many compromises when trying to turn a ruin it into a functional modern home, in their case the stairs looked awkward and possibly dangerous and the kitchen looked badly laid out,

Gorgeous location and a lovely couple, was so happy to see they had a new baby after losing the other pregnancy.

Oh my @Dolaly wasn't Rock House an amazing transformation.
What a couple !
Hats off to them.
The sheer perseverance to finish it.
Having a miscarriage in the middle of it all.
It was great they had another child and the wee angel statue in the garden was a lovely tribute.

I just watched the newest episode about the young man reviving his Granny's cottage on the farm. Wow I am so impressed with him, everything about him. I think I might be a bit in love with him!! The way he got involved in the community, his strong ethics and views on preserving the environment, even his honesty when it became really stressful, it all left me thinking what a wonderful young man he is.

I totally agree.
The way they all helped each other out - the “meitheal” was lovely to see also.
Knocknagoshel was near (one of) my nana’s home place so I was really interested in it.
It would be great if these townlands saw real growth in population across the island.

@deeahgwitch I'm generalising of course, but those lads were much more sophisticated than the rural lads I knew growing up.

I found the Douglas st, Cork one really nostalgic. I rented a flat there a million years ago it was not much better than the house before refurbishment but some of the happiest times of my life. I still think Fionnbarras pub is the greatest of all time.