Gavin Duffy and Orlaith Carmody to sell Kilsharvan estate

Businesswoman and broadcaster Orlaith Carmody has revealed that she and Dragon's star husband Gavin Duffy are selling their landmark estate outside Bellewstown. A native of Drogheda, the former presidential hopeful and investor on RTE's Dragon Den, Mr Duffy has lived in Kilsharvan between Julianstown and Duleek with his family for the last 20 years. Taking to Facebook, Ms Carmody commented:

The power couple taking a stroll through Kilsharvan with their dogs 

"So, the news is out, we are leaving our beautiful home of the last twenty years – Kilsharvan House - for a new chapter in the big smoke. Excited and sad in equal measure!

"It is the lot of ‘empty nesters’ to re-think, and in our case, we are looking forward to life in the city. We will miss Kilsharvan, but we are excited about our plans for our new home.

"To have lived for over two decades in a wonderful country house like Kilsharvan is a rare privilege. You never really ‘own’ a house like Kilsharvan, you just have custody of it for a short time. The house, the lands, the mill, and the river were there long before us and will be there long after us.

Gavin Duffy is the longest-serving expert on RTÉ’s popular Dragon’s Den series

"It has been an amazing home and a wonderful place to bring up our family. Hopefully, the next owners will enjoy it as much as we did. And to them all the luck in the world!
In the meantime, I will always consider Drogheda to be my adopted home town. I was made so welcome, and have nothing but the best of memories, and friendships that will last forever."

It is just over 20 years since Gavin Duffy and Orlaith Carmody purchased Kilsharvan, a parkland estate near Bellewstown paying IR£1.05 million it made front-page news at the time as a record country house sale. 

 Mr Duffy said: "With the children grown and a sense of "rattling around" in the house, a return to Dublin and another project is now planned "while we're still able to enjoy it".