Ómós Digest #137: Ómós Update: Planning Approved.
What to look forward to + the history of Millbrook house.
Dear readers,
I am delighted to announce that our plans for a guesthouse, restaurant, and farm at Millbrook House in Abbeyleix have been granted planning permission, which means we have the green light to start building. I want to take this opportunity to extend an enormous thank you to everyone who has helped us during this process, and especially to the Abbeyleix community and Laois County Council who have been immensely supportive of the project. It means the world. Now that planning has been approved, we can begin the final detailed design phase, and start the enabling works. From that moment on, it’s all go. In the meantime, there is an enormous amount of internal planning to continue. Everything from managing the construction and design process, to preparing the gardens, all the way to choosing the appropriate cutlery, bedsheets, wine list, even a doorbell.
Over the coming months, we’ll be updating you on our progress here in the newsletter. I’ll continue to share stories about the people I meet, and provide snippets from our design process. I’ll also share updates from our larder, and let you know about any upcoming events. This may even be the place to find job listings. But for today’s newsletter, to celebrate our formal approval to restore this beautiful house and regenerate its 4 acres of land, I wanted to share with you a little bit about the history of Millbrook House and the surrounding area.
Discovering Millbrook
I remember driving down a tree-lined laneway, more than two years ago now, passing a large redbrick-clad house in markedly bad condition. It was laden with ivy and moss, and thanks to weathering over time, was in severe danger of crumbling to the ground. As I passed the neglected but elegant structure, I thought “Gosh, wouldn’t that be the perfect location for some kind of hospitality project, but my word, wouldn’t it be some undertaking.” Little did I know, that very evening I would be sitting at a table with somebody who could make that dream a reality. I feel remarkably fortunate that this happened, and humbled to be in this position. I’m also conscious that good things come to those who work hard. I can’t emphasise this enough, especially to the younger generation. If you want something, and work hard for it, there’s a strong chance you will get it. Growing up, I made lots of sacrifices for my career, and dedicated years to a challenging yet rewarding craft, even when easier routes were available. Maybe that’s not what people want to hear; nowadays, many might prefer a quicker, easier route, or to gamble on crypto in their bedrooms. But for me, I somehow knew this was the path I needed to take.
Since my introduction to Millbrook, I’ve taken a considerable interest in learning its history and the history of the region. It’s been so satisfying engaging with residents of the area, who have been so generous with their local knowledge. I’ve met people who lived in Millbrook and people with family who worked the land or in the house. Unfortunately though, I’ve been witnessing Millbrook slowly deteriorate since 2022. With each passing night, the howling wind and rain slowly ate away at what little infrastructure remained. I’m so relieved that now, with this planning approval, we can halt this erosion and bring the building back to its original glory; reigniting the fires and stoves, and filling it with the love and life it deserves. It’s an honour to be involved in restoring and developing this magnificent house. I’m eager to keep learning about the history of the house, and continuing to develop it. I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned so far about the house and its locale with you.
