Germany has voted and the exit polls show opposition leader Friedrich Merz and his Conservative Party on course for a lackluster victory in Sundays election. Alternative for Germany, or AfD, scored the best result for...
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AN “ECCENTRIC” couple transformed a cow-house into a “magnificent” home on The Great House Revival.
Renowned architect Hugh Wallace returned on air to transform derelict and unloved properties into stunning dream homes.
In this new series, Hugh guides viewers through a diverse range of restoration projects in the Irish countryside, from Cork to Clare.
For the third episode of the new series, Hugh headed to Roscommon to meet Dublin-based architects Fiona Brugha and Paddy Dunne.
The couple found a substantial 1870s colonnaded stone building, which was once the cowhouse belonging to the vast Rockingham Estate, nestled in the dense forest of Lough Key.
They planned on turning the thick stone walled ruin into a contemporary family home for themselves and their two small children.
The defining feature was the row of tall arches running the full length of the building, which gave most rooms in the house a view of the surrounding forest.
They purchased the property for less than €100,000 and had a budget for the works of €350,000 but a restoration project among the trees didn’t come without challenges.
With the help of Hugh, Fiona and Paddy worked around the old building’s quirks to construct their sleek dream home in the forest.
After months of waiting, they finally got word at the end of March 2023 that the steel was on the way to get up and running.
The couple had patiently waited and hoped that a nearby cedar wood tree in the forest that surrounded the property would fall so they could use it.
And they got exactly what they wanted right in time after a storm knocked the tree down and they got to use the timber in their home.
During the building process, Hugh urged the couple to insulate the home properly and shared the bleak realities of what will happen if they don’t.
However, Paddy said that he didn’t know if insulating the walls was “necessary”.
Eleven bespoke windows were installed in July 2024 and they came into trouble due to the weather conditions.
After a quick trip to get a special tool, they fixed their slight problem.
However, one of the custom-cut window glasses completely shattered during installation.
And while the window company agreed to replace the pane, it was still an unfortunate set back to the couple’s move in plans.
After years of hard work, they finally finished their renovations and invited Hugh back into their new home to see the finished look.
20 months after first visiting it as a a ruined and roofless cow-house, Hugh couldn’t quite believe how “amazing” it looked.
Hugh approached the build via the new drive through the developing “wild garden” and commented on the stunning “glazed arches” that he said delivered elegance.
He added: “Through the innovative glazed pivot front door I go and inside my breath is taken away. Wow. I think it’s stunning.”
The fallen tree provided for the timber-like feature on the ceilings which Hugh admitted he had thought the idea was “nuts” prior but it brought a “surprising softness and cathedral elevation”.
Paddy jokingly replied: “Maybe it is nuts, but we like it.”
The original floor was put back in after installing under floor heating.
Hugh remarked: “This floor looks great.”
The pair explained that they had “fun” picking out individual fossils for the floor, including 380 million year old oysters.
Hugh commented: “They’re fabulous, aren’t they? I would expect nothing less than hand selected fossil flooring from this fabulously eccentric family. Everything in this home is architectural.
“But then it’s balanced against furniture which is comfortable. And to me, it’s very soft.”
However, Hugh was still concerned with the house’s heat and as he walked into the master bedroom he asked: “When’s the insulation going up?”
He added: “It’s funny when you come into this room you can feel the temperature drop.”
Fiona replied: “It is cooler… no harm.”
Hugh responded: “Funny, you can see the line of damp.”
Fiona added: “We might inject DPC if the damp doesn’t go down.”
RTE viewers were all blown away by the property and also expressed concern over the insulation.
Margaret wrote: “What a fabulous home they have created on #thegreathouserevival. Every detail has been thought through. I wish them a lifetime of happiness in their home.”
Olivia tweeted: “Love it, although I’d love to know how it really functions in cold weather with the air to water and just the stone walls.”
Patrick remarked: “Wow, it looks amazing.”
Philip said: “Bloody hell – it’s gorgeous!”
Diarmud added: “Absolutely stunning show tonight in #thegreathouserevival. The cow house turned into a family home is magnificent. Wonder have the sorted potential heat loss issues yet though?“
Betty commented: “Beautiful but I feel they made a mistake by not insulating etc.”
DWTS host Doireann Garrihy has sent fans into a frenzy over her jaw-dropping look on TV tonight.
The popular presenter was back on screens last night alongside her usual co-host Jennifer Zamparelli for another episode of glitz and glam.
Newlywed Doireann stepped out in an appropriatly glamorous dress for Orchestra Night on Dancing With The Stars.
The presenter spent the night at “Doireann’s Den”, where she interviewed contestants after their performances.
The 32-year-old sported a stunning mini-black sheer dress, that’s price-tag will set you back quite a bit!
Doireann’s fabulous frock had floral detailing and a round neckline.
The dress was from Bronx and Banco, and retailed on Revolve’s website for the eye-watering price of €687.
Doireann paired the dress with some black lace heels from Mantra footwear.
She rounded off her glamorous on-air style by wearing her hair down in loose curls and donned a stunning shimmery make-up look.
Doireann posed in the stylish frock in her “den” and posted the stunning snaps to her Instagram.
Showing off her stunning work look, she wrote: “Orchestra Night. As magical as ever.
“Hate to see you go @gearoidfarrelly , the gent that you are.Thanks as always to the best team.”
Friends and fans were quick to her comment section to gush over her look for tonight’s show.
Doireann’s sister Aoibhinn said: “What a look.”
Arthur Gourounlian commented: “Like a little porcelain doll.”
Anne remarked: “Gorgeous gorgeous girl.”
Another fan added: “Glowing!”
It’s been a busy weekend for the RTE star, as tomorrow marks her first day back on air since leaving 2FM last summer.
Before coming back to the airwaves, Doireann appeared on the Late Late Show.
The Down comic was joined at the top of the show by Doireann where she started off by discussing her return to RTE 2FM.
She said: “I had done four years of breakfast, ten years of kind of mad busyness, and I just needed a bit of a break, and so I took a leap of faith and took a break.
“I never could have anticipated how much I would miss it. I knew I would miss it. I just didn’t think I would miss it as much with the year as it was kind of planned out. I knew what I had coming up. I was obviously getting married.”
GEAROID Farrelly was booted off Dancing With The Stars tonight.
But things weren’t all fine and dandy in the dance-off — with the comedian blaming a missing voice-over for an error that led to his axing.
The Dubliner became the fifth star eliminated after a nail-biting dance-off with Mrs Brown’s Boys actor Danny O’Carroll, 41, and pro partner Salome Chachua.
And it couldn’t have been harder for the judges — as both men scored an identical 33 points in their initial dances.
But with the pressure heaped on, Gearoid, 47, messed up the opening of his repeat Charleston with Stephen Vincent to Beyonce’s Crazy in Love — with all of the panel choosing to send him home.
Explaining the mishap, he told The Irish Sun: “At the start of our [first] dance, there’s a voice-over that goes, ‘Now dancing the Charleston, it’s Gearoid Farrelly and Stephen Vincent’.
“That didn’t play on the dance-off, so that was my cue. I just never recovered. I made a balls of it. But I’d rather go out having made a big mistake than it being close and down to the wire.
“But I’m relieved as well, cause I love Danny O’Carroll, he is a gentleman and I have enjoyed every second working with him. This has been the happiest few months of my life. I just loved it.”
Gearoid also paid tribute to pro Stephen Vincent as the “captain of the ship” and bigged up the other professional dancers.
He said: “Viewers just see the choreography and them dancing with us but they are also therapists who talk us off a ledge on Wednesday.”
There had been shock Danny ended up in the dance-off ahead of lower scorers.
He had impressed earlier with a sexy salsa to Lionel Richie’s All Night Long. And judge Arthur Gourounlian told him: “I could watch you dancing all night long.”
Orchestra Night was opened by Kayleigh Trappe and Ervinas Merfeldas, who got 32 for their Charleston.
TV chef Kevin Dundon got just 24 for a foxtrot, while neon-clad Olympian Jack Woolley and pro Alex Vladimirov picked up 37 for a fiery sambo.
Model Aishah Akorede got 36 for an American smooth, avoiding a third dance-off.
Gymnast Rhys McClenaghan got a near-perfect 39 for contemporary ballroom.
GARY LINEKER was put into ‘Early retirement’ by Danny Murphy on Match of the Day.
The ex-Liverpool star was on punditry duty alongside Alan Shearer and the presenter on Saturday evening.
As they reacted to Arsenal’s home defeat to West Ham, Shearer and Murphy both agreed that the title race was done and the Premier League title is heading to Anfield.
Not putting up a defence for the Gunners’ title hopes, Lineker then quipped: “Perhaps not bother for the rest of the season.”
However, Murphy got a cackle out of Lineker when he retorted: “Early retirement?”
Back in November, it was announced Lineker is stepping down from presenting Match of the Day after 25 seasons.
He will be replaced by Kelly Cates, Mark Chapman, and Gabby Logan who will rotate the role.
Mikel Arteta’s side faint hopes of winning the Premier League further diminished on Sunday as Liverpool defeated Man City 2-0 at the Etihad.
The Reds extended their lead at the top to 11 points thanks to goals from Mo Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai.
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However, boss Arne Slot is not counting his chickens yet – despite Liverpool fans singing, “We’re going to win the league.”
The Dutch tactician said: “The fans can sing whatever they want, but we know how hard we have to play for every single win.
“So I don’t believe that [the title is won]. It’s so hard to judge the league table before every game has been played.
“If you play against City at the Etihad and win, it is always a big win, but three days ago we had a draw at Aston Villa and people told me we weren’t in a good place. Then three days later we win and it changes again.
“We know how hard it was to beat Wolves last week and we have Newcastle next after a 3-3 draw at Newcastle, so every game is difficult.
“In any other league, this lead would be comfortable, but not this one. Even the [FA Cup] game at Plymouth showed us that.”