Watch The Great House Revival

2018
3 Seasons

The Great House Revival is an Irish television series that aired on RTE ONE. The show is a renovation and restoration program that focuses on historic properties in Ireland. Each episode features a different property that has fallen into disrepair, and chronicles the journey of the owners as they attempt to restore it to its former glory.

The show is presented by architect and conservation expert Hugh Wallace, who walks the owners through the process of restoring the property. Wallace offers expert advice on everything from restoring original features to choosing appropriate materials, and helps the owners make decisions that balance historic authenticity with modern practicality.

The properties featured on the show vary greatly in size, style, and location. Some are grand country houses with sprawling grounds, while others are smaller cottages in more urban areas. Each property has its own unique history, and the owners often share fascinating stories about its past.

One of the most compelling aspects of the show is the emotional connection that owners have to their properties. Many have inherited the homes from family members and feel a deep sense of responsibility to preserve the property for future generations. Others have purchased the homes with the intention of restoring them to their former glory.

The show also highlights the challenges that come along with restoring historic properties. These challenges might include dealing with crumbling walls, outdated electrical and plumbing systems, or finding appropriate replacement materials for original features. Many owners also face financial challenges, and the show often explores creative solutions for funding the restoration.

Despite the challenges, the owners are driven by a passion for heritage and a desire to create a beautiful, functional space. Watching the transformation of the properties from their dilapidated state to their stunning new form is incredibly satisfying, and the show often features stunning before-and-after shots.

In addition to the restoration aspect of the show, The Great House Revival also explores the social and cultural significance of the properties. Many of the properties featured on the show have played an important role in Ireland's history, and the owners often share anecdotes about famous visitors or historic events that took place on the property.

The show also highlights the importance of preserving Ireland's cultural heritage for future generations. By restoring these properties, the owners are not only creating beautiful homes, but also ensuring that important pieces of Irish history are preserved for years to come.

Overall, The Great House Revival is a fascinating and engaging look at the process of restoring historic properties. It is a perfect option for anyone interested in architecture, history, or renovation, and will leave viewers inspired to learn more about Ireland's rich cultural heritage.

The Great House Revival is a series that ran for 3 seasons (18 episodes) between May 6, 2018 and on RTE ONE

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Seasons

3 2 1

6. Sigginstown, Co Wexford

April 3, 2022

Historic re-enactors Liz and Gordon Jones have travelled from Connecticut in the USA to create their retirement home in an Irish castle. It's roofless and looks like it might be blown down by the next gust of wind, but they buy Sigginstown Castle in Co Wexford and spend three years lovingly restoring it. They enlist the skills of the Irish crafts community to help them fell oak trees for timbers, make their own bricks and fire their own tiles, just as the castle's original builders would have done. It's a labour of love and could not be more time consuming, but they revel in the battle of saving a historic building before it falls to the ground.

5. Craughwell, Co Galway

April 3, 2022

Linsday and Kevin Deely, their young sons Sam and Tom and their two dogs have left their comfortable suburban home in Oranmore in search of country air and space. They bought a patch of land in Craughwell, which housed what appeared to be a 1980s bungalow and barn. When the cottage turns out to be a traditional cottage with thatch replaced by tiles, they throw themselves into a loving restoration and barn conversion. That means cutting costs by moving into a mobile home on site and taking on DIY demolition themselves. After months of hard graft with the help of French stonemason Laurik Matthieu, the house emerges as a stunning combination of old country charm with elegant architectural finishes.

4. Drum, Co Monaghan

April 3, 2022

Co Monaghan local Paul McPhillips and his former ballerina Judith Caffrey, from Co Offaly, bought Anderson's pub shop on the quiet main street of Drum for just, a rare Protestant village within the Republic, only miles from the border. With a purchase price of just 48,000 Euro, it leaves them with a budget of 250,000 Euro to restore it as their home, while also reinvigorating the village with a cafe and accommodation. If they succeed, it will become the only business open for miles around and they hope it will bring new life into the area. But Covid stoppages make progress painfully slow and they are forced to take on most of the manual labour on this straggling, tumbledown building themselves.

3. Dunleer, Co Louth

April 3, 2022

Gym manager Kelly and barber Paddy were gifted a patch of land in the small town of Dunleer, Co Louth by Paddy's parents. They plan a comfy newbuild, but hidden under a ball of ivy on site, they uncover a towering mill built in the 1830s. It was missing every one of its 43 windows and most of its roof and floors, but these thirtysomethings see beyond the ruination and set about converting it. They face the challenge of lockdowns, the threat of losing their mortgage, and camping out with their respective mammies during their first pregnancy and the birth of their daughter Caragh. But the crisp, contemporary and comfy home they manage to create within the walls of a literal ruin makes their struggles worthwhile.

2. Stradbally, Co Laois

April 3, 2022

Tiktok star Maryrose Simpson's Nana left her a three bedroom corner house on the main street in Stradbally, where their family have lived for five generations. Maryrose's father died when she was twelve and she treasured every detail of his family home. But lockdown delays and spiralling prices push her to make hard choices and radical changes in the building. The end result is a thoroughly modern home and office base for her online career. And all within a lovingly restored exterior which reinvigorates the historic streetscape.

1. Passage West, Co Cork

April 3, 2022

Tech professional Rob Hennessey fell in love with his bargain-price Victorian house on the banks of the Lee the moment he saw it. But with only the slimmest of budgets to patch up its holey floors and rotten joists, he has to upskill fast and take on the majority of the restoration with his own two hands. Over the course of two years he meets new partner Katie and completes the project as an astonishingly high spec family home for her and new arrival, baby Caoimhe.

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Where to Watch The Great House Revival

The Great House Revival is available for streaming on the RTE ONE website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch The Great House Revival on demand at Hulu.