Johnny Paddy’s place is a ruin.

How it became a ruin is the subject of much local debate. Having been left the farm by his uncle, Johnny, John sold the land to the forestry in 1994. The house and an adjacent field was let, but the tenant was unpopular with the locals. One night in 1994, the house mysteriously burned down. Various theories abounded at the time: the tenant had bypassed the meter, a jealous neighbour had set light to the house, the forestry agent had commissioned an arson attack … However, none was proven.  The sad fact was that the farmhouse was burned out and the tenant disappeared. John’s parents were heartbroken to see the family home ruined.  John and his brother, Mike, made a promise, there and then, that it would be rebuilt.

Unfortunately, in the meantime, there came the Celtic Tiger and it became apparent that, even between them, John and Mike would not be able to afford the cost of rebuilding. So the house remained a ruin … until  now.

On 12th July 2010, we received planning permission for a new house on the site.  This blog is a record of the building works.