see a house type as it was intended in order more fully to understand its design and workings.

In recent years, Ireland has been fortunate in seeing a revival in authentic restorations across all property types. For owners of Georgian homes, there are plenty of properties open to the public.

Few beat the Shaw Birthplace Museum at Synge Street, Dublin 8 — George Bernard Shaw’s first home — which has been meticulously restored to authentic condition, right down to the kitchen utensils and wallpaper.

Another example of prime Georgian restoration can be seen at the offices of the National Youth Federation at 21 Lower Dominic Street, Dublin 1. Featuring some exceptionally restored stucco work in particular, visits are by appointment only.

Other period Georgian properties with authentic details include two private homes on North Great Georges Street in Dublin. Respectively restored by An Taisce’s Ian Lumley and the architect Michael Casey, the IGS says both properties are in “undecorated restored” condition, making them invaluable for restorers or redecorators.

For authentic Irish rural designs, there are few sites more worth visiting than the Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in Co Clare. Better known for its remarkably restored castle, the park contains eight traditional Irish cottages of various ages and designs. Here the houses are kept in walk-in condition, the turf fires burning in every hearth lending an impression so authentic you’d be forgiven for thinking that the owners had just gone outside to hang out the clothes. On top of this, they demonstrate just how clean and genuinely cosy homes built of stone, lime, mud and thatch can be.

With so few cottages restored inside to original condition in Ireland, the Bunratty site is invaluable. Mainly from the 19th century, the differences between the homes are obvious, and visitors can marvel at a typical fisherman’s cottage (thatch is looped with rope to keep it attached in coastal gales), the sort of village house once occupied by a wealthy professional such as a doctor or a solicitor, a home which housed a wealthy dairy farmer and, of course, homes occupied by poor cottiers and share-croppers.

There’s even an Edwardian Co Dublin farmhouse on the site, shifted brick by brick from the old Hughes Dairy site in Rathfarnham and rebuilt at Bunratty.

Most of the homes are reconstructions, although some original properties have been relocated from their original site, such as the Shannon Cottage which was once in the middle of Shannon airport’s newest runway.

Marie Slattery of Shannon Heritage stresses that great steps were taken to ensure the authenticity of the buildings. “Most of all, we were lucky enough to have the direct involvement of the late Dr Kevin Gallagher, a leading Irish folklorist based at UCD and the author of some of the most recognised works on Irish folk history and dwellings,” she says.

The heritage village also has its own pubs and shops, and added atmosphere from on-site character players such as Kay O’Dowd from Dublin, who, in full period dress, plays the role of a traditional Irish Victorian country wife. She bakes farmhouse bread for much of the day. The park is managed by Roma O’Connor, who will help to accommodate architectural and design-minded visitors.

At the opposite end of the scale, Bord Failte has a list of big country houses of all periods which are open by appointment to the public, such as Gigginstown House in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, owned by the Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary.

An example of the top end is Castletown House in Kildare, perhaps the largest and grandest Palladian country home in Ireland. Wherever you go, just make sure you take your camera and a notebook.

Irish Georgian Society, www.igs.ie, 01 676 7053; Shaw Birthplace Museum, 01 475 0854; National Youth Federation, 01 872 9933; Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, www.shannonheritage.com, 061 360 788; Bord Failte, www.ireland.ie; Castletown House, 01 628 8252

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