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Help restore an 18 Century house and garden in rural Westmeath, Ireland

  • Favourited 775 times
  • Last activity: 28 Mar 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 2 weeks

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are a married couple with four boys. The eldest is working and living in London with his wife. The second was working his way round the world with the horse racing industry, but now has his own training yard near Sydney, Australia. The third is in the fashion industry; he is married and living in New York with his husband. The fourth is working in London organising Doctoral conferences around the European Union; he did European Studies at Trinity College, Dublin.
    We found this house 30 years ago. Built in about 1760, it was a virtual ruin and we have restored the main block. The gardens, which include two walled gardens, are gradually being restored. Caroline is a keen and knowledgeable gardener (RHS qualified), while Patrick is an architectural historian.
    Our sons, daughter and son-in-law come home whenever they can and we have students staying in the house at times.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    If they want to learn English we can help them and Patrick is TEFL qualified and can give English lessons. These have to be paid for and cannot be done in lieu of extra hours.
    We encourage them to explore the surrounding beautiful countryside and take them with us for walks and visits to local sites if they want to come. We teach them about the Irish legends of this area and Irish history and architecture.
    Many of our workawayers have come to us for their first experience and have learnt lots about gardening, building, painting and house maintenance.

  • Help

    Help

    At this time of year there is always help needed in the garden. When it is raining, there are plenty of things to do in the house. This building is an ongoing restoration programme for us. There is always some painting help and there is some housework. This is our 12th year of hosting workawayers and, as you can see, people like staying here.
    We make a point of treating our workawayers as part of the family and every night we all sit down to dinner together. We really enjoy it if a workaway cooks for us sometimes - particularly food from their country.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    French: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Full board. We have a double room and a single room with a bathroom next to them and two power showers. As many workawayers like to eat a lot at lunchtime, particularly French and Italians, they usually have to prepare this themselves using the food in the cupboard or fridge. We eat a very healthy diet with home cooked food at all times eating many vegetables from our garden, tended by workawayers and eggs from our own hens.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    This area, largely unknown to tourists, is situated in the North Midlands of Ireland and is rolling country with beautiful lakes. It is 100kms northwest of Dublin, close to Mullingar, with good transport links: train, bus and main M4 close by, (75 mins. driving). There is good fishing in the lakes. The village has a good pub with music on occasions and restaurants nearby (driving). The house is very much in the country, surrounded by farmland (though we are not farmers). As such it is not suitable for people with allergies to animals. The local village is 10mins. walk away. There is a daily return Bus Eireann bus to Dublin (about 2.5 hours each way). There are, however, other faster methods of getting to Dublin by bus and train. We also have bicycles and high viz tops.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    The wifi is usually pretty good here.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    This host can provide space for campervans.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    Two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    25 hours maximum

Host ref number: 738643259889

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Accuracy of profile: (5.0)

Cultural exchange: (5.0)

Communication: (4.9)




































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