17th Oct: Great Irish Interiors – Malahide Castle 8.00pm, RTÉ One.
Malahide Castle in North Dublin has played a significant role in Irish history, with ties to Oliver Cromwell and the Battle of the Boyne. The most notable restoration project is returning the drawing room to its iconic hue of Malahide Orange. Originally home of the Talbot family, the castle boasts one of the rarest Jacobite portrait collections of its kind, some of the earliest examples of Irish-style furniture and a dark oak room featuring Flemish panels dating back to the 1500s. As curator Cathal Dowd Smith and the teamwork to improve and restore the Castle’s rooms, they unveil a unique book, an original Talbot portrait and stories of ghosts.
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 Ormond Castle.