Riverdance producers Moya Doherty and John McColgan should know tomorrow whether they are to get planning permission for their new home on a stunning site at the Bailey in Howth. Last July, the planners gave them the go-ahead to demolish the bungalow on the four-acre site at Carrickbrack Road and replace it with a two-storey house complete with a basement swimming-pool, sauna and changing rooms. At that stage, the couple had second thoughts about some of the Gothic features in the 12,000 sq. ft plans, and brought in a British architect and hot interior designer Kelly Hoppen to create a rather more grand and stylish home.
The revised plans, which are currently before Fingal Co Council, also involve a larger basement and an underground car park which will probably push the floor area close to 20,000 sq ft - more than 15 times the size of the average three-bed semi in Dublin.
Doherty and Colgan, who have amassed a fortune from the Riverdance show, paid around £1 million for the modest bungalow, Danes Hollow, which stands on four acres next door to the home of Gay Byrne.