Longford native progresses to final of RTÉ’s Home of the Year series

The ninth season of RTÉ’s Home of the Year series hit our TV screens on Valentine’s night and Longford viewers spotted a familiar face, whose home impressed the judges so much that it was chosen to progress to the final.

Ciara McMahon and Drumlish native Richie Hannify live in a modern mid-century home in Dublin along with their golden retriever, Stella.

When the couple bought the property in 2020 it was in great need of modernization, so they fully gutted the house and knocked down the garage so they could extend to the side and rear.

Richie played gaelic football with Fr Manning Gaels at minor and U21 level, and then a couple of years at senior level in 2006/7 before focusing on his law career. He is the son of Longford GAA legend, Jimmy and the late Patricia Hannify.

Fr Manning Gaels GAA this week congratulated Ciara and Richie on their success. “It was great to see our former player and clubman Richie Hannify on RTE’s Home of the Year last week. Congratulations to Richie and wife Ciara on their fabulous home and we wish them the best of luck in the rest of the series.”

As Ciara and Richie’s house is mid-century, they wanted to reflect this in their styling. They went for a relaxed colour palette, simple furniture and natural materials.

The couple think their home is a great combination of both their tastes and love that they were involved in every aspect of the project from day one.

The day after they moved in the couple got married and held their wedding reception in the property, cementing this house as a home from the very start.

The Home of the Year judges - architect and founding partner of Douglas Wallace Consultants, Hugh Wallace, award-winning architect Amanda Bone and award-winning interior designer Sara Cosgrove - all gave the house nine out of ten marks, earning it the top score at the end of the first episode of the 2023 series on RTÉ One.