Former West Cork school in the running to be the  Home of the Year

A STUNNING West Cork home which almost brought a judge to tears with its beauty won the first episode of the new series of ‘Home Of The Year’ this evening.

The former schoolhouse owned by artists Ian Humphreys and Sarah MacCarthy will now go through to the final of the RTÉ competition, which aims to find Ireland’s finest property.

Series judges Hugh Wallace, Sara Cosgrove, and Amanda Bone gushed over the Cork property as they toured its beautifully restored rooms, including an artists’ studio which wowed the trio.

Blown away

Architect Amanda gave the house 10 out of 10, saying: “I’m blown away by it, gobsmacked, speechless… the size of the entrance, the beautiful main room, and every corner of the artists’ studio fascinates me.

“I’ll have to stop talking now before I start crying.

“West Cork is a magical place full of magical homes, and artwork is the lifeblood of this home.

“Your eye is drawn to all the paintings on the walls.”

Owner Ian said he fell in love with the area and the old schoolhouse, which was built in the 1900s, some 20 years ago, and finally got the chance to buy it in 2019.

Caretakers

He and Sarah carried out a number of renovations, such as removing plaster to expose original brickwork, and levelling the floor in the large main room, and see themselves as “caretakers” of the property.

They say the house is great for parties and entertaining, and love it when people knock on their door to share their memories of the old school.

Ian added: “It has an old, rustic, romantic charm.

“I don’t mind if someone likes it or not, because I like it!”

The other two judges on last night’s Home of the Year were also generous in their praise.

Respect

Architect Hugh said: “It’s beautiful, idiosyncratic, and quirky, like being back in primary school.

“The owners have shown great respect in reimagining it as their home.”

He also praised the upcycling and recycling elements in the property, but did feel it leaned a little towards “shabby chic” at times, and felt there should be “more soft textures and large rugs”.

The other judge, interior designer Sara, said: “Wow! There’s so much to take in here. It has a West Cork Bohemian vibe. It’s whimsical, and the living room is magical.”

The other properties in the episode, an eco-minded self-build in Co Clare and a 1960s semi-detached home in Dublin, also scored highly, but were edged out.

The Cork property will now go through to the final of the 10th series of the popular Home Of The Year series in April.

Previous Cork winners of Home of the Year include an eco-friendly, split-level house in Castletownbere, which won the first series in 2015.