Old Conna Village lies in the grounds of Aravon House in Rathmichael, which was sold last year by songwriter Chris de Burgh to John Scottus School – and is due to open for classes this September. The old stables, forge and outhouses have been converted into 10 properties, which surround a village-style courtyard. The setting is totally private and entered via the old stable archway through electric gates at the end of a tree-lined avenue.
The location has had an illustrious role call of actors and films locate here down the years. Sean Connery's Zardoz was filmed here, as were scenes from Braveheart starring Mel Gibson, in addition to the Irish-produced hit television series The Irish RM.
The Coach House itself was used in scenes in My Left Foot, and a photograph hanging in the kitchen depicts Daniel Day-Lewis sitting at the large refectory table. "This table, where Jack Nicholson once dined, was left to us by the previous owner, who in turn inherited it from film-maker and playwright Peter Sheridan – brother of Jim Sheridan, who directed My Left Foot here," says Cathy Slattery, who lives here with husband, Graeme, senior managing director of brand and communications firm Teneo PSG. "It seems only right that new owners inherit the property's history" says Slattery.
The house, which has a floor space of 153sq m, was bought in 2006. “We had very little to do as it had been converted in 2005, so we just put in a new kitchen and bathroom,” says Slattery.
Old beams
The kitchen-cum-dining area forms the focal point of the property and is overlooked by a mezzanine, which towers above the room. This space is used as a home office and the old king post truss beams overhead serve as a reminder that this property dates from the 1860s.
French windows from the kitchen lead to a fine-sized rear garden, which is private thanks to the mature trees flanking all sides.
The living room sits adjacent, where the old carriage entrance still frames part of the wall, but today takes the form of a window seat set within the old brickwork. A corner fireplace makes the room a cosy den for winter evenings.
Three bedrooms lie on the upper floor. The master bedroom is particularly bright, thanks to the full-length windows and the splayed porthole reveals, which also feature in the en suite. The bedroom, with a Juliet balcony, also has a tiny fireplace, which would have warmed the ostlers in the 1800s.
The setting of this pretty house within the courtyard is unique. The spot where Sean Connery once stood clad in a red nappy, knee-high boots and a ponytail in Zardoz, is now the location for the annual Halloween bonfire for the village children. The Coach House is for sale through Sherry FitzGerald with an asking price of €845,000.
