Cashel couple open up on tragedy as they worked towards building a dream home

Cashel couple Kate Molony and Brian Carrigg moved into their dream home with their young sons in a complete rebuild to embrace one of Ireland’s best views - the Rock of Cashel - on RTÉ’s popular show Room to Improve last Sunday night.

Two years after they bought it and four-and-a-half months after work began, the young couple managed to completely transform the old and freezing building, replacing a condemned roof and rotten joists to create a fantastic finished product, thanks to the help of Dermot Bannon and his team.

Kate, a native of the Cashel, and her husband Brian, from Ballyea in Clare, met on holiday in Marbella seven years ago and married during the pandemic. Kate dreamed of one day owning the property from her childhood after her late mother dubbed it, “the best view in Cashel”.

Kate and Brian plunged their life savings into the project and wanted an A-rated home and were on a tight budget of €220,000 - aided by some €98,000 of Government grants.

Also, and luckily during the building period, contractor Paul O’Brien of Sola agreed to cover the shortfall until the grants came in some five months into the project.

UNEXPECTED TRAGEDY

However, cash flow issues were put sharply into context coming toward the final stage of the build when the couple was forced to come to terms with an unexpected tragedy when they lost their unborn child just 21 weeks into the pregnancy.

Speaking on behalf of the couple during the show, Brian stated: “We’ve had a fairly tough time of late. Kate was 21 weeks pregnant and unfortunately, we lost our little girl. Obviously, we’re devastated,” he said.

In the aftermath of the show being aired, viewers heaped praise on the Tipperary couple for opening up about their pregnancy loss which occurred during the show’s filming. 

Kate found out she was pregnant during filming to the couple’s delight but, tragically, she and Brian lost their baby girl at 21 weeks and the couple decided to speak about the loss in the episode, with viewers commending their bravery in highlighting such a sensitive subject. 

Dozens of people posted their condolences on X (formerly Twitter), with one person stating: “Well done to the show and more importantly to this couple for including their baby in the episode.

“What they’ve gone through is incredibly tough.

“They could have easily cut it out, but they kept it in.

“It happens so often and it shouldn’t be a taboo subject.”

Another viewer wrote: “Such an emotional programme - 21 weeks is such a tough, tough loss, the bravery was not the floor but continuing on with the filming with grace and dignity.

“Wishing a fantastic couple all the best in their gorgeous house.”

LONG AND HAPPY LIFE

In the following weeks and months, they showed great resilience to get back to creating their dream home for themselves and their two kids and Kate was adamant in her praise of the whole team who helped them bring the home together.

“The whole team, Dermot, Paul, Claire everybody.

“It’s a time we’ll never forget. We had a tough time but you know who has your back and they all did, so much.

“God, you’d be forever grateful to them for it,” she said.

Addressing the homeowners, architect Dermot Bannon added: “Even in tough times you know it’s been great fun.

“I hope you guys have a very long and happy life in this wonderful house.”