There was great excitement when the neighbours heard that Paul Newman was moving in. "They kept sending me invitations. I've framed one from Christies addressed to Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward and hung it in the drawingroom."
In winter, leading Dublin estate agent Paul Newman stays close to town in his Rathgar home. When the weather warms up in April or May, Paul and his Scottish terrier Susie move to their summer home in Ballymore Eustace, Co Kildare, and stay there until November. His housekeeper Stephanie drives out from Dublin to Cnoc Avon four days a week. The country home was put together in a remarkably short time, considering everything had to be bought from scratch.
As senior partner with the Douglas Newman Good Residential estate agency, property is Paul's business. "I was looking for a great house and it had to be close to Dublin, otherwise I wouldn't use it. Once past Brittas, the scenery is stunning - it could be the Italian lakes. I work very long hours so I wanted to find somewhere I could relax. We moved in last May just to get the builder out! Dealing with contractors and electricians and plumbers is very difficult. They don't turn up all the time." Ballymore Eustace is a jewel of an Irish village, tucked into a fold of the Dublin mountains and almost completely unspoiled by modern development. Cnoc Avon is a small Gothic-style mansion, standing on a slight rise at the entrance to the village. A giant wisteria almost completely covers the walls and 1873 engraved above the front door marks the date the house was built.
"This is the first time I've been here since November, but I've a great caretaker in Will Gilltrap, who looks after the house and restores the cars. It never feels empty with Susie here. I walk her every night no matter how late, even 3.00 a.m. You cross the village and suddenly you're in fields - you could be in Kerry."
Cnoc Avon started off as a summer house for the bishops of the diocese and subsequently, the parish priest lived here. "It's still known locally as the Presbytery. When I saw the house, I fell in love. It's a place I can bring people to. I've always felt - for sanity - you have to live in a property you can escape to and find peace." When renovation began, Paul found that a lot of work was needed. Stippled ceilings had to be skimmed and radiators moved to get the furniture in. Some walls were knocked through to accommodate extra bathrooms and dressingrooms. A sound system was installed in every room in the house. The old-style conservatory being built off the diningroom will be ready for the summer.
"The work took a whole year," says Paul. "When you have a country place and a town place, the second house starts off completely unfurnished. Everything had to be bought from scratch. I scoured the shops and auction rooms for the furniture. It's quite homely for somewhere not put together gradually over years." The formal drawingroom and diningroom are papered in rich raspberry and gold colours, echoed in patterned silk chair covers and window hangings. A cosy livingroom across the hall is the most-used room in the house. Jade green fabric covers the walls. There are comfortable sofas, a small breakfast table in the window bay and a magnificent inlaid mahogany bookcase - one of Paul's special finds. Above the marble fireplace, a flat-screen television takes the place of the more traditional gilt mirror.
"I went to auctions and shows and chose a lot of the main pieces myself, often buying things without measuring - I've a good eye for what suits a room. I do a lot of entertaining and staff meetings here, so I've put in extra freezer and fridge space. I love the black and white Amtico kitchen floor and the oak border that sets it off. I had the old Aga re-enamelled. It heats the core of the house."
Wonderful "bookshelves" wallpaper creates a cosy look in a downstairs toilet, which still has an old-fashioned pull chain. Half of the window had to go because it backs on to the new conservatory, so real bookshelves are planned for the alcove.
Upstairs, at the far end of a wide landing, is a leather-topped desk looking out over the fields. This is Paul's office and his favourite part of the house. "It's cosy at night up here. I like to sit and look out the landing window at that fantastic view. You're on a hill here, so somehow you lose the village."
THE main bedroom has a very striking tartan theme, with a fourposter bed and and fine antique fireplace.
"I saw this room in a magazine and cut it out. I thought it was masculine, yet pretty. I've always wanted a four-poster bed. It's new, but redone to an old design." The adjoining dressingroom and en suite bathroom were created by knocking through to the next-door bedroom. New coving was matched to the original plasterwork to disguise the conversion. The bathroom is 1930s Art Deco, with chrome accessories and glass shelves cleverly fitted in the shutter alcoves. Across the landing, a guest bedroom to the front is decorated in navy and cream and another exquisite room has a Chinese theme. Pagoda shapes abound here in curtain swags, specially-made headboards and lacquered furniture. A hand-painted Dutch chair has been upholstered in rosecoloured watered silk. In the garden, thousands of daffodils are coming up and a densely-wooded bank slopes down to the Liffey valley. A stand of copper beech hides a picturesque old timber summer house which Paul has restored as a guest cottage. His shiny green 1950s Aston Martin DB2/4 drophead is parked by the front door. "I collect old cars. There's nothing so nice on a summer evening than to drive home from town early with the roof down. It's just heaven."
A stone coach-house in the grounds is used as a garage for Paul's cars. There is a 1950s Jaguar XK 140, a 1946 MG TC and a brand new Harley Davidson motorcycle that he won at the Red Feather ball. Although Paul loves the area, his busy schedule leaves little time for going down to the local pub. "There's everything you can want here. It's the most wonderful countryside - marvellous fields and rolling hills. Every time I come out here, it's like going on my holidays. I wouldn't choose anywhere else - I just love it."
