LORD of the Dance Michael Flatley is putting his 14-bedroom Co. Cork mansion on the market.
The world-renowned Irish dancer is selling Castlehyde House, in Fermoy, Co. Cork, 16 years after buying it on impulse.
The imposing home was bought by Flatley in 1999 for £3m in almost derelict condition. He spent millions returning the ancestral home of Ireland’s first president Douglas Hyde to its 18th century glory.
After putting the time and effort into making it the dream home to share with his wife Niamh and son Michael St James, the decision to sell did not come lightly.
Touring with his widely successful shows around the world has meant he has had less time to commit to the home – but he insists he is not leaving Ireland for good.
Castlehyde House. Picture courtesy of The Irish Examiner“We took the decision to sell Castlehyde but that doesn't mean that I will be leaving Ireland. I love Ireland with all my heart and I always will," he told the Sunday Independent.
The palatial home has been restored with careful attention to the period in which it was first built.
But Flatley combined the old with the new and managed to install some new features while keeping with the tradition of the 18th century.
The 14-bedroom house is complete with a 20-person private cinema, a spa and two climate-controlled wine cellars.
Book fans will also delight in knowing there is a three-storey library.
The details are yet to be finalised but the sale is believed to be being handled by Irish and British estate agents and the home is expected to fetch around the £20m mark.
