English stars of the beautiful game are famed for their mock-period homes with oodles of faux trim. As anybody who has watched MTV’s Footballers’ Cribs will know, over in Blighty, the mock-Tudor home is king among the big-buck-earning Premiership boys.

It seems as soon as a football player signs with a top team, two items appear on his must-have checklist: first, he’ll want a Ferrari Enzo (with accompanying Prada-preened blonde). Second, he’ll snap up a humungous detached red-brick house, built not more than 10 years ago, but kitted out to look at least a few hundred years old.

Inside, there’ll be a big brace of chandeliers and a clatter of Chesterfield chests, modified so that a plasma screen pops up at the touch of a button. The kitchen will be vast, of course, and the bedrooms will be showcases of bling.

In contrast, we might think our own calloused warhorses of the GAA pitch would not be caught dead thumbing through the pages of a glossy design magazine. Or would they? With the home of the longtime Meath star forward (now back) Graham Geraghty currently on sale, we were given the chance to find out whether top GAA stars can outplay their English counterparts on the home-design front. Geraghty’s selling agent is seeking offers in excess of €650,000 for his luxurious, dormer-style home in Higginstown, outside Athboy, Co Meath.

Geraghty, who once had a trial for Arsenal, captained Meath to All-Ireland glory in 1999. But over the years, the fair-haired hero, who is also publican, has become almost as well known for his spats with the game’s authority figures as for his versatility and flamboyance on the field.

On his home turf, though, it seems he’s a dedicated follower of fashion.

Geraghty built his home in 1999, with the help of the contractor Pat Smyth. The detached property is set on an acre of land and has three reception rooms, four bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Styling throughout the house has been done by the royal county player himself, working with his wife, Amanda. Like Geraghty’s famous flair on the GAA pitch, theirs is a bold, colourful and well-defined interior decoration scheme. It’s certainly not for fans of understatement, nor for those who like prim pastels.

“Neither of us has any background in design, but we took our inspiration from English country homes featured in magazines and books,” says the footballer. “We both like the look of old-fashioned Victorian furniture.”

Geraghty’s wife, a full-time sales executive, takes up the tale. “On our days off, we used to drive from one end of the country to another attending auctions,” says Amanda. “I’ve loved collecting bits and pieces for years, and Graham also has a huge interest in antiques, which is unusual for a man.” Geraghty admits, however, that he wasn’t into antiques until he met his wife.

Neither half of the working couple is a fan of minimalism. “We like to have knick-knacks around, but not too much clutter,” says Geraghty. Their house also had to be child-friendly, as they have two young daughters and a son: Sophia, 7, Lauren, 4, and Brandon, 2.

All three children are, however, the very model of good manners: there’s been no hanging off the curtains or other misbehaviour, so very little kiddy-proofing needed to be done. Just as well, because the Geraghtys’ rooms are decorated throughout with swagged curtains and printed Versace wallpaper, which the pair had hung professionally.

Designer names abound throughout this heady first-division property. Ralph Lauren sheets grace the children’s sleigh beds, and the main bathroom has a Villeroy & Boch suite. The four-poster bed in the master bedroom is fitted with a customised mattress, made to fit its huge, 7ft proportions. The main bedroom also has a walk-in wardrobe.

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