WHILE FLYING OVER CORK in a helicopter in 1999, American dancer, choreographer and star of Riverdance, Michael Flatley, spotted a beautiful estate on the edge of ruin.
He immediately told the pilot to land so that he could buy the house for £3 million, a decision he calls “the best impulse buy” he ever made, according to The Sunday Independent.
Castle Hyde, which was originally owned by the family of Ireland’s first president Douglas Hyde, took four years to renovate from the flooded foundations up – and now it’s for sale for €20 million.
Located on the edge of the Blackwater River, known as one of Ireland’s premier spots for salmon fishing, the house features outbuildings, a swimming pool, a spa, a tennis court, a cinema room, a wine cellar and a three-storey library.
The extensive renovations to the house were designed so that there are views of the Blackwater River from almost every reception room and bedroom in the property.
The home features an entrance hall with two original fireplaces, original mahogany doors that were restored, gilded Corinthian columns and ceilings decorated in 24-carat gold.
There are enormous stags’ heads from New Zealand on the walls of the bar, gilded furnishings and elaborate crystal chandeliers in many of the rooms.
One of the most luxurious aspects of the home is its indoor heated pool and spa, installed by Flatley at the time of renovations.
The four-storey mansion is nestled among 150 acres of woodland, where Flatley had 350 trees and 10,000 rose bushes planted.
Castle Hyde, Fermoy, Co. Cork is on sale for €20 million from Knight Frank via Daft.ie.
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