Season 3, Episode 4: 3rd Oct: Great Irish Interiors – Newbridge House 8.00pm, RTÉ One
Newbridge House in Donabate, Dublin, is an 18th century Palladian villa in the care of Fingal County Council. For Curator & Collections Manager Cathal Dowd Smith, the off-season is a chance to undertake some conservation works on the exterior and roof.
On the inside, cracked wallpaper needs professional care and some priceless curtains need freezing to kill any insects. Passed down through the generations of the Cobbe family, the house was handed over to the state on the condition that the family could live there from time to time.
Alec Cobbe has plenty of useful insights into the history of the house for Cathal, while an unearthed chest has some surprises for both of them.
Great Irish Interiors Season 3 Overview
Following the success of season one and two of Great Irish Interiors, once again, Moondance Productions have been granted exclusive access to chart a number of historical interior restorations around the country, through the eyes of those involved. Now entering its longest season yet, with an eight-episode run, Great Irish Interiors has broadened its horizons to include the incredibly stunning properties of Northern Ireland.
We follow the teams as they endeavour to return the interiors of these iconic houses and castles to the condition and style they were in at the height of their glory. With the experts often just working from archives, and very little photographic evidence, they have to be creative, but accurate. They scour records and artefacts as the history of the houses unravel before their eyes. These buildings are frozen in time, a moment encapsulating the immense wealth, stunning craftsmanship and deep-rooted connections of Irish history.
Over the course of each episode, the featured properties grow into a richer and more immersive institution. Paintings are conserved, experts evaluate treasures stowed away and rooms are restored for the public eye. We discover hidden secrets in tandem with the team as they prepare for a new era of visitors.
In this season of Great Irish Interiors we visit Fota House, Castle Ward, Newbridge House, Glenveagh Castle, Florence Court, Malahide Castle, Mount Stewart and Dublin Castle.