SEASON 1
Moondance Productions have been granted exclusive access to follow a number of multi-million-euro historical building restoration projects around the country, through the eyes of those spearheading the projects. Focusing on the race to return the interiors of these buildings to their former glory, Great Irish Interiors reveals fascinating and previously unseen work done by historical interiors experts as they source, beg, borrow and steal furniture, artwork and precious artefacts for their sites in time to open these stunning buildings to the public for the tourist season.
EPISODE 1: DONERAILE COURT
Partners in crime in all things historic interiors, Mary Heffernan, Historic Properties Manager of the OPW and Christopher Moore, a Historic House Interiors Specialist, race to renovate one of Ireland’s most coveted stately homes, Doneraile Court in Cork.
EPISODE 2: KYLEMORE ABBEY
This episode follows the intricate and painstaking restoration of previously unseen rooms at the majestic Victorian Palace and Kylemore Abbey in Connemara.
EPISODE 3: EMO COURT
Emo Court is described as the jewel in Co Laois’s historical crown. This neo-classical mansion dates from the 18th century and was designed by James Gandon for the Earls of Portarlington.
EPISODE 4: RUSSBOROUGH HOUSE
Russborough House is home to one of Ireland’s most famed and coveted Art collections. It includes priceless works by Goya, Vermeer, Peter-Paul Rubens and Vernet.
EPISODE 5: JOHNSTOWN CASTLE
Located just outside Wexford town in Ireland’s sunny south-east, Johnstown Castle is a stunning example of the Gothic revival architecture of the 19th century.
EPISODE 6: CASTLETOWN HOUSE
Built in 1722, Castletown House, Co. Kildare, was the first palladian mansion in Ireland.
EPISODE 7: STROKESTOWN HOUSE
A house with a chequered history, Strokestown House was the seat of the Pakenham-Mahon family.
EPISODE 8: KILKENNY CASTLE
Originally built by Strongbow, in 1173, Kilkenny Castle was eventually the ancestral home of the Butlers of Ormonde.
EPISODE 9: GLEBE HOUSE
Glebe House and Gallery in Co. Donegal was the home of the renowned artist Derek Hill. Now under the care of the OPW, Glebe’s curator and director, Adrian Kelly brings us on a journey through the artist’s extensive collection.
EPISODE 10: FARMLEIGH HOUSE
Once a Dublin residence of the fabled Guinness family, Farmleigh, just on the outskirts of Dublin’s Phoenix Park, is the official Irish state guesthouse.
SEASON 2
Great Irish Interiors returns to chart several historical interior restorations around the country. In an exciting change, Great Irish Interiors has broadened its horizons to include the stunning properties of Northern Ireland. Throughout each episode, the houses 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.
EPISODE 1: FOTA HOUSE
Originally a hunting lodge, Fota House became a permanent residence in the 1820s and today is a centrepiece of Fota Island in County Cork.
EPISODE 2: CASTLE WARD
Castle Ward perches on the southern shores of Strangford Lough in County Down. Built in the 1760s by Bernard Ward and his wife Lady Anne Ward, the house is famous for its dual architecture and one of Ireland's biggest ornamental canals.
EPISODE 3: GLENVEAGH CASTLE
Nestled in the heart of Donegal’s Derryveagh Mountains, lies one of Ireland's most famous mansions; Glenveagh Castle.
EPISODE 4: NEWBRIDGE HOUSE
Newbridge House in Donabate, Dublin, is an 18th century Palladian villa in the care of Fingal County Council. Cracked wallpaper needs professional care and some priceless curtains need freezing to kill any insects.
EPISODE 5: FLORENCE COURT
Sitting in the majestic countryside of west Fermanagh, Florence Court was home to the Cole family for over 250 years. After sustaining damage in a devastating fire in 1955 and flooding in 2020, it’s having its plaster work restored and getting a new colour.
EPISODE 6: MALAHIDE CASTLE
Malahide Castle in North Dublin has played a significant role in Irish history, with ties to Oliver Cromwell and the Battle of the Boyne.
EPISODE 7: MOUNT STEWART
Mount Stewart, the ancestral home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewarts, is positioned on a rise overlooking Strangford Lough in Co. Down.
EPISODE 8: ORMOND CASTLE
Joined on to an earlier medieval riverside castle, Ormond Castle is the finest example of an Elizabethan manor house in Ireland.