Cork manor house up for Home Of The Year

The Irish are a nosy lot, and when you combine that with a near-obsession for land and property, it is little wonder that Home Of The Year is one of the country’s most popular TV shows.

The annual search for the property that will be crowned the finest on the island returns for an 11th run on RTÉ1 on Tuesday at 8.30pm.

Among the stunning 21 homes on show this year will be contenders from Cork - including a manor house in the Rebel County that appears in the first episode.

There is also a change among the judges this year, as award-winning interior designer Sara Cosgrove has been replaced by Siobhan Lam, who will join stalwarts Hugh Wallace and Amanda Bone in touring and rating three properties in each episode and choosing a winner to make the grand final in April.

The contenders in the first episode include a manor house in Cork where Ross and Susan O’Donovan live with their young son, Jack.

Ross inherited the house and farm from his grandfather. The home is 180 years old and has been in the family for more than 50 years, and the couple is hugely committed to a sympathetic restoration, right down to the smallest detail.

They have taken the time and effort to restore many elements such as the sash windows and shutters, the original ceiling cornices and ceiling roses, and the original architraves, doors and rim locks.

Along the way, the couple have made sure to complete works that will secure it for years to come, so it can stay in the family for future generations.

The Cork house is up against a former shop in Tipperary, and a single-storey Victorian Terrace in Dublin in the episode.

Home Of The Year celebrates creativity, individuality, and clever design in homes across the island of Ireland.

They range from reimagined semi-detached houses to architectural marvels and restored period homes, so the series promises to inspire viewers with a diverse range of design styles.

Interior consultant Siobhan, founder of April and the Bear, will bring her passion for quirky design, fearless colour, and statement pieces to the table this year.

Hugh Wallace is an architect and founding partner of Douglas Wallace Consultants, while Amanda Bone is an award-winning architect with her own business.

Each week, the judges visit three exceptional homes and score them out of 10 based on individuality, functionality, and clever design.