'Visitors usually get a shock when we tell them when it was built' - Unique 'old world' Leitrim house sits on wooded hectare

"On first glance, a house in Keshcarrigan, Co Leitrim, looks like a renovated period home. Its three-storey turreted tower, sandstone-clad façade, and slate roof create an old world aesthetic, which suggests a long and interesting history. In fact, the detached five-bedroom property, which overlooks the Shannon-Erne Waterway, was built in 1997. "We were trying to create the impression that the house has been here for a long time," says the owner, Martin Collum, a manager with the HSE who comes from Carrick-on-Shannon."

"The couple built it after living for five years in the US. When they left 1991, Ireland was still reeling from the recession of the 1980s, and unemployment was high. "The American hospitals used to come here in the 1990s to recruit Irish nurses," explains Martin. "If you were offered a job you'd get a green card." When Monica was offered a nursing role in the US, they sped up their marriage plans and moved to New Jersey where Martin continued his studies,"

"where Martin continued his studies, doing psychology, and later worked in counselling and vocational for people with disabilities. "We loved America and were aware it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," he says. "It's a place where, if you're willing to work, and you've got the right attitude, then almost anything is possible." After a few years, however, they started to miss home. "When you move to another country, your own home becomes foremost in your mind," he says"

The detached five-bedroom house in Keshcarrigan, Co Leitrim, measures 2,540 sq ft and was built in 1997 with a three-storey turret, sandstone-clad façade and slate roof to evoke a period aesthetic. The property overlooks the Shannon-Erne Waterway and features design elements intended to create the impression of a long history. Owners Martin and Monica Collum built the home after five years in the US; Martin is an HSE manager and Monica is a nurse. Martin studied psychology in New Jersey and later worked in counselling and vocational services. The couple returned to Ireland motivated by nostalgia and an appreciation of local culture and heritage.

Read at Irish Independent