Approval for replacements at house of historic interest

Westmeath County Council planners have granted permission for an upgrade to a home on the grounds of a historic country house.

Patrick Mulholland made the application for the improvement works on a property on the lands of the Gaybrook Park Estate, Mullingar.

The applicant sought permission to replace all the existing windows and doors on the bungalow and garage within the curtilage of the protected structures. Permission was also granted for the replacement of existing rainwater goods on the bungalow and garage, and the provision of a new painted fascia board in line with the new windows and guttering.

Also approved was the application of an external insulated render system to the existing bungalow and garage.

The buildings that were approved for the upgrade are part of the 111-acre Gaybrook Park Estate which was sold for €1.88 million at an auction in August, 2024.

That lot featured the well-preserved 18th-century cut stone farmyard complex on Gaybrook Park Estate, which was built around 1790. This substantial complex of outbuildings and stables, along with the expansive walled garden, was originally part of Gaybrook House, which was constructed by Ralph Smyth in 1790.

Although the main house was demolished in the 1960s by the Land Commission, the remaining structures serve as a historical reminder of the once grand estate and the Smyth family’s legacy.

The farm overlooks the parkland fields and the woodland area which is host to a huge diversity of wildlife including woodpeckers.

Local authority planners approved the application for the improvement works on the bungalow and garage last week.