Lots off Irish History

本站添加: 2026-05-23

[00:00:03][music] [music] [music] >> Okay, so this is just a little job that we've been called up to by people that really follow our and like our channel.

[00:00:45]Jean and Brian.

[00:00:47]So, the park this building Corracloona National School was built in 1891.

[00:00:54]And they're finally going to find job on the restoration of it.

[00:00:59]As you can see, it's a smashing schoolhouse that has been turned into a living dwelling at the minute.

[00:01:08]So, anyway, the history of this place we're up near Kiltyclogher.

[00:01:12]So, this was the schoolhouse for one of the founders of the 1916 Rising Sean Mac Diarmada that he went to school.

[00:01:21]His home place is just up the back couple of fields away.

[00:01:25]He used to walk down every morning with a handful of turf for the teacher run to the fire to keep the school warm.

[00:01:31]So, this is where he got his education at the start of it.

[00:01:35]But unfortunately, after 1916 Rising in Ireland Sean was captured and brought to Kilmainham Jail at 33 years of age and he was executed.

[00:01:48]So, his legacy still lives on.

[00:01:52]People still call to this house or school and visit his house up back here.

[00:01:59]He was a remarkable man.

[00:02:03]It's now owned by Jan and Brian.

[00:02:06]Two fantastic people who have done a fantastic job restoring the property back to where it was.

[00:02:11]So, myself myself and Francis just doing a couple of small jobs inside.

[00:02:16]In the en suite, but there's a leak.

[00:02:19]Couple of slates missing, a bit of lead missing on the chimney.

[00:02:22]So, hopefully that'll add another few years to the building before it need any more work.

[00:02:29]So, that's what we're at today.

[00:02:30]But, what history have we got?

[00:02:34]So, myself and Francis are going to get cracking at this job.

[00:02:41]So, we're just getting prepared, getting tools out of the van.

[00:02:44]Going to lift them tiles in the bathroom, sandstone pavers.

[00:02:49]Fix the leak.

[00:02:50]All right, Francis.

[00:02:51]What time is it, Daisy? Huh?

[00:02:53]When do you wake up?

[00:02:55]You want to be the first? I was awake long time. Too early.

[00:02:58]Soon now.

[00:02:59]Yeah. So, we're going to get cracking on. You can see inside the cottage, just a small en suite toilet, come shower.

[00:03:08]And it is an sandstone wet room.

[00:03:13]Where the sand has washed away underneath the sandstones.

[00:03:16]So, myself and Francis is going to strip all out, rebuild the sandstone, and repaint it all up.

[00:03:22]And just keep a level on the floor for water again.

[00:03:28]So, that's what How's the weed of ex life, son?

[00:03:30]It's just beautiful. Huh?

[00:03:32]It's just beautiful. Loads of fiber.

[00:03:34]Yeah.

[00:03:35]Love it.

[00:03:36]The back of the van.

[00:03:39]Class.

[00:03:41]Grand day up here in Kiltyclogher.

[00:03:45]Folks, this is Brian here. All the way from New York to buy this property. When did you buy it, Brian? You and Jan?

[00:03:50]>> About 10 10 11 years ago. 10 11 years ago.

[00:03:54]And tell them about the history. You just didn't realize what you guys had bought until you guys actually had bought it. We had no idea. No idea. When we came here, um you know, we just wanted a nice place to stay and sort of retire and And such a place. Be be in the golden years. Yeah. Yeah. So, um the schoolhouse looked like to be the right size. Yeah. It was nice and we wanted to do it up. Yeah. So, we shored up the outside and we had some workmen in. And a fellow was working on the chimney.

[00:04:24]Yeah. And he turns and he says, "You know, the schoolhouse was uh a a really famous Irishman used to teach school here."

[00:04:33]And we were we said uh Yeah.

[00:04:35]And he says, "Have you heard of Sean MacDiarmada?" Yeah. And we were "No.

[00:04:40]Never heard of Sean MacDiarmada."

[00:04:41]Imagine. And then we stayed and we realized we had actually bought what is essentially a national monument.

[00:04:49]>> monument. Treasure. Um a treasure.

[00:04:51]Exactly so. Um Sean and his family lived up the the lane there.

[00:04:57]He came down. Hm. This is where he went to school. Yeah. And this is where he taught.

[00:05:05]Um and um you know, we moved in in about 2016.

[00:05:11]Yeah. So, that was the 100-year anniversary of the centenary. Imagine.

[00:05:15]>> Of the proclamation. He was the second signer Signature. Yeah. And if in in all truth, had there not been a Sean MacDiarmada, there's a very good chance there would not be a Republic of Ireland today. 100%.

[00:05:30]>> Because he through his intelligence, his courage, and his vision created largely created with the other members of the Horizon the Ireland we see. Yeah. we live in this space.

[00:05:48]And in a lot of ways, you know, it's kind of an honor to live in that space. It's amazing It's amazing to think that if you didn't do this property or buy it 10 or 12 years ago, what condition would it have been in today? Ah, it was pretty shabby when we got it.

[00:06:03]>> Somebody had to say it. It was pretty shabby. And it's amazing that you guys came from New York and saved this property and didn't realize the history of the place. Right. We had no >> It's just amazing. We had no idea. And um now it's our home. Yeah. You know? Yeah.

[00:06:22]Whatever that means, this is our home and it's a historic home.

[00:06:25]>> as well. Yeah. Lovely, warm, dry building. Exactly so. Unbelievable.

[00:06:32]So, hopefully you have many a happy year here. Thank you for that. You'll be You'll be well minded because this is just a national treasure. Well, and you're helping us keep it that way and we appreciate that.

[00:06:43]>> And we just look at the views and they're looking at us.

[00:06:48]Just fantastic.

[00:06:50]Fantastic.

[00:06:51]Well done. Thank you.

[00:06:53]>> Well done for saving us. All right.

[00:06:55]Thanks. Bye-bye now.

[00:07:07]So, we just have a couple flags over here.

[00:07:10]And as you can see sand.

[00:07:15]We're living on sand.

[00:07:18]So.

[00:07:20]No wonder there's sand here.

[00:07:22]>> [snorts] >> So.

[00:07:24]That was Get all the sand out. And so we have to rebuild them.

[00:07:30]Sand is going to be washed away.

[00:07:33]That should do it.

[00:07:35]As you can see, the kitchen waste is coming along the back wall as well.

[00:07:41]We have to be careful.

[00:07:43]So, we double check levels in this trap before we re-bed anything down and re-point anything.

[00:07:50]So.

[00:07:52]Frankie, we're like archaeologists here, aren't we?

[00:07:54]What? Yeah, we didn't find any any any bones yet. You didn't find a biscuit in with all the money yet, no?

[00:07:59]>> No. Should be in the back.

[00:08:02]Sean.

[00:08:04]Where's the biscuit tin?

[00:08:06]All guys, as you can see, we've re-bedded on cement. So, we're just going to let them set for a while.

[00:08:14]Now, we're going to point them up and put the toilet back in.

[00:08:19]Leave it for a couple of hours and I can walk away then.

[00:08:34]If the building could talk, huh?

[00:08:37]It'd talk to us.

[00:08:38]It's talking to us.

[00:08:40]You want a small paintbrush, yeah?

[00:08:43]Small paintbrush?

[00:08:45]I'll just rub these joints out. Yeah.

[00:08:49]Nice little brush you want.

[00:08:54]Want to have a cup of tea while that's drying, Frankie?

[00:08:57]Huh?

[00:08:59]What do you have?

[00:09:03]More tea, yeah.

[00:09:04]More tea, yeah, thanks a lot.

[00:09:36]All right.

[00:09:46]>> [snorts] >> Nice little bit of heritage walk.

[00:09:53]I found them fine.

[00:09:54]Huh?

[00:10:06]I'm at Jen's residence. Jen is just going to give me a quick tour.

[00:10:16]Well, Jen.

[00:10:17]Hey, Des. Lovely spot you have here. It is a lovely spot. It is a lovely spot.

[00:10:22]Particularly lovely because you and Frenzy are here.

[00:10:25]>> Oh, yeah. For sure. Where's Murphy?

[00:10:27]There's one boy. There you go. That's one.

[00:10:30]Everything's kind of torn out and stuff.

[00:10:33]>> it?

[00:10:34]Huh? It is quirky. Look at this.

[00:10:36]>> Quirky is a good word. You could spend all day here. I'd spend all day here now looking at all this stuff.

[00:10:42]It's just a treasure trove.

[00:10:46]Well, of art. Everything that came piling out of that closet is a bit of art. And it all has to go back in there.

[00:10:52]Jen restores >> to the water, right? You restore art for a living, don't you?

[00:10:58]I don't know if it's for a living, but yeah, I do. You do it for a passion. It is a passion.

[00:11:03]>> It is a passion. I'm doing a lot of restoration work >> unbelievable.

[00:11:08]for most of the auction houses and for private clients now.

[00:11:12]>> Yeah.

[00:11:13]Paintings come in and I get to spend time with them and send them home looking and feeling better. My God.

[00:11:19]>> great. It's mighty. Can I just have a quick Can we have a quick walk?

[00:11:23]>> If you Yes, but things are a mess. Is the old schoolhouse?

[00:11:28]That's That's uh Look at the stairs.

[00:11:31]>> That's St. Paul up there at the top.

[00:11:34]>> He came out of an auction a few months ago. Yeah. And this uh He's He's a light shining above him. He's He's exactly so. He's medieval.

[00:11:44]And I don't really know how he ended up at an auction in Belturbet. But he did.

[00:11:47]>> My god. Look at the pictures.

[00:11:50]There's a few pictures.

[00:11:52]I was in the art handling business for a few years.

[00:11:55]>> Who's this guy?

[00:11:56]That is a man named um Can I see us? Bernard Acton. Big smiley head on him. He's a lovely, funny guy. He just makes me laugh every time I see him. He's been up there for years and he's just just hilarious, him and his shears. The stonework in the cottage is just impeccable.

[00:12:17]Back in the state. It is amazing.

[00:12:20]>> So, that's the fireplace.

[00:12:22]Yep. So, years ago Pauric and the young lads used to come down or Shawn McJermyn and the young lads used to come down with turf.

[00:12:28]Yeah. Hand it to the teacher.

[00:12:30]That's right.

[00:12:31]>> And she put it into the fire to heat the school.

[00:12:33]>> to heat the school. My god.

[00:12:36]It's just It's like I don't know.

[00:12:38]It's like an auction house in here. It's I'm afraid so. Big grand piano. But there's always something to look at and when you live bedroom door as quietly as we do, it's nice to have things to look at when you sit quietly and just Yeah.

[00:12:53]>> Look at that.

[00:12:54]>> [laughter] >> How would you be still going to auction houses picking up bits and pieces?

[00:12:57]>> We try and I'll take a run out of room.

[00:12:59]It's Yeah, well, there's no room.

[00:13:01]There's no room. [laughter] But, you know, the things that come in get restored and then they get sold at the same time. And then gone again. So, that's been a nice It was nice for a while. Um a lot of the auctions are just not any fun anymore, you know, since we went online, everything is uh you're not bidding against the farmer in the corner. You're bidding against somebody in um It's a hard business now. Yeah, exactly.

[00:13:26]It's a hard business. Look upstairs for a quick look. Oh, look at it.

[00:13:29]Look at these stairs. Cool.

[00:13:35]This place is just amazing.

[00:13:38]Now, it's amazingly cluttered in the mail. Back down always so.

[00:13:43]Look at just full of decor.

[00:13:46]Old decor.

[00:13:49]Hello, Angus.

[00:13:51]So, this is the view from upstairs down.

[00:13:56]Absolute class.

[00:13:59]Okay?

[00:14:01]Very warm cottage, isn't it? It is.

[00:14:04]Holds the heat well, yeah.

[00:14:08]Holds the heat well.

[00:14:09]Don't don't ever shortchange yourself on insulation. You will regret it. No.

[00:14:15]So, thanks for giving us the opportunity to work on this baby.

[00:14:19]>> for coming. It's the best.

[00:14:21]>> You guys are the best. You've always been the best. You always will be the And thanks to you History I just love working on something that was part of Irish history. This surely is part of Irish history.

[00:14:32]>> a mighty man and he spent a huge portion of his life right here in these walls and that's an honor to to actually be a part of Irish history.

[00:14:43]>> This where he got his early education.

[00:14:45]He did.

[00:14:46]He died a young man then. He did. 33. A martyr. Yeah.

[00:14:50]Not to put too fine a point on it, but that was it. Fair play to you for restoring restoring it.

[00:14:57]>> It's a blessing to live here.

[00:14:59]It's lovely. Thanks, Jen, for sharing your home with us.

[00:15:02]>> Thank you, Desi and Francie. You're still upside down in the bathroom?

[00:15:05]Francie's down in the bathroom there, so Mark On the floor. Yeah. Doing great work.

[00:15:10]>> Yeah, so. As he does. Thank you. Thank you.

[00:15:13]>> Lovely.

[00:15:14]We'll see you again, folks. My great pleasure. Thank you.

[00:15:17]>> Bye. Bye. Bye.

[00:15:38]>> [music] >> Oh.