Blacksmith’s cottage featured in TV show ‘The Irish RM’ goes for sale

Asking price: €800,000

Agent: Savills (01) 61813000

​Fans of the popular 1980s TV series The Irish RM may recognise the surroundings of Calliaghstown Cottage, which is one of the last surviving remnants of the historic Kennedy Johnstown House estate at which the series was filmed.

The Irish RM was set in the West of Ireland, based on the books by Somerville and Ross. But Major Sinclair Yeates’ home for the purposes of filming was actually Johnstown Kennedy House near Rathcoole in Co Dublin and its many historic outbuildings were transformed into shops and pubs for village scenes.

Set in 1900s rural Ireland, the series depicted the comical misadventures of an English magistrate, played by Peter Bowles. It also starred a slew of Irish actors including Anna Manahan, Niall Toibin, Bryan Murray and Lise Ann McLaughlin.

Johnstown Kennedy House itself was mainly used for exterior shoots and for its authentic kitchen area, which played a big part in the drama as the lair of the formidable Mrs Cadogan (portrayed by Anna Manahan).

Alas the ‘Big House’ was controversially demolished shortly after the series ended and not long after the owners of nearby Calliaghstown Cottage moved into their home around 1988.

“Johnstown Kennedy House was very beautiful inside. You get glimpses of it in The Irish RM,” says vendor Davina Wilson. “I couldn’t believe the ceilings and the detailing. Though damp and neglected, it was a beautiful house and a shame that it was demolished.”

All that remains of the historic estate today are a few buildings, among them four-bedroomed Calliaghstown Cottage, although this has a history all of its own.

“They built it in 1847 and then in 1849 across the lane they built a lovely forge which has a granite horseshoe entrance and is now a studio” (today a separately owned property). Like the other buildings attached to Kennedy Johnstown, it likely played a role or two in the television series.

But Calliaghstown Cottage also played a key real life role in the life of the 19th-century estate.

“Staff from the estate lived in the cottage, primarily the blacksmith,” says Wilson. The census of 1901 shows blacksmith John Dempsey living there with his wife Catherine and five-year-old twins Michael and Anne, plus another 25-year-old blacksmith, described as a boarder.

The blacksmiths may be long gone. But their legacy lives on in “wonderful iron-work” that can still be seen in the area, says Davina.

Living here has given her a special appreciation for their craft. “I love iron gates and metal work,” she says. “It’s a joy to see these creations outside so many little cottages and farm houses. They did some wonderful work.”

The cottage was built during the Great Famine, which hit rural Dublin too. There are many sturdy ‘famine walls’ in the area. These were ‘charitable’ works commissioned by landlords; if, that is, paying starving people to cart large stones could be so described. “It was a good time for landlords to build because money went further,” says Davina.

Like the local famine walls, the cottage is extremely sturdy. The interior walls are “nearly three feet” thick in places, which created challenges during the extensive renovations, where the couple “renovated everything. We had the floor in the hall taken up and redone. Everything had to be upgraded, to make it into a comfortable house.”

“There’s a little Gothic window in the hall,” adds Davina. “It’s only single-glazed and it’s original timber; Tim has to paint it every year. But it’s a really attractive original feature and we’ve kept it.”

The entrance hall features a solid-fuel-burning stove leading to the living room to the right-hand side and a bedroom to your left.

The sitting room has broad built-in bookshelves and another solid-fuel stove, set in a marble surround, with mantle and ceramic tile hearth

The 2,050 sq ft, two-story house may be unrecognisable from the first blacksmith’s single-storey home given that the previous owner added an additional floor to the home. The couple burn turf in the fire and there’s also oil-fired central heating.

Steps from the hall lead to a modern, open-plan kitchen/dining room with painted, fitted Shaker units, a Belfast sink, and a Stanley oil-fired oven/hob. A utility room off the kitchen could be used as a pantry and there is also a cloak room and a shower room on this level.

Upstairs are three double bedrooms including an extra-large master suite with four skylights. The two other bedrooms have south-facing, dual aspect views. The bedrooms — like most of the house — have varnished or painted floorboards in classic country-cottage style.

Separately, across the yard there is also a two-storey, detached block-built building which could be used as an office, study or guest accommodation if necessary, subject to planning permission.

The garden area of 0.7 acre with mature trees bordered by a stream was what originally attracted the pair to the house, as Davina says:“We bought it for the trees, not for the house to be honest, and we developed the garden around the trees.

“We planted a lot in recent years and put up a second greenhouse.

However, the extensive garden is becoming a “bit too much” work for the pair. “We’re going to sell up and move down to Tipperary, where Tim is from,” adds Davina.

Savills seeks €800,000 on behalf of the Wilsons.