PICTURES: Stunning Kilkenny home wins Airbnb Capacity Awards

A Kilkenny property, by the name of Mountrothe House, was announced as one the winners of the 2024 Capacity Awards, a fund available to members of Historic Houses of Ireland.

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Through the funding, Airbnb aims to support the restoration of heritage properties throughout the country, helping historical homeowners to prepare their homes to host guests visiting rural Ireland. 

Situated in the Kilkenny Countryside and built in 1765, Mountrothe House offers guests the opportunity to relax and unwind, just 10 miles from the City of Kilkenny.

Since joining the Airbnb platform, owner Derek Walshe noticed that many families were looking to enjoy the space, and the Capacity Award funds will help with renovations to cater for groups with younger children and families.

With the property improvements, Mountrothe House will now have the potential to further boost local tourism in the area, providing accommodation for visitors that is not always readily available.

Derek, the owner of the house, said, "Seona and myself are delighted to receive the 2024 Airbnb Capacity Award. We will be using the funding to improve our amenities so we can welcome more guests to stay with us and learn about the history of Mountrothe House. This includes developing an exciting games room for guests so we can welcome more families with an interest in heritage tourism." 

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Derek Nolan, Head of Public Policy for Ireland at Airbnb, said, “We are so excited to announce the winners of the second annual Capacity Awards, aiming to help restore and preserve Ireland’s historic homes. It is a pleasure to contribute to the restoration of these homes which have such a rich and important heritage, while also providing an opportunity to bring more of the benefits of local tourism to these rural areas.” 

Applications were received and assessed by a panel consisting of Historic Houses of Ireland and Airbnb representatives. Each winning property received the Capacity Award of €5,000 to assist with renovations that will help them to welcome guests.

The winners were announced at the 'Historic Houses - An Autumn School' event,  which took place in October, at Burtown House in Kildare. Other winners of the Airbnb Capacity Awards include, The Gate House in Cork, and Castlegarde in Limerick.

The Capacity Awards were established as a result of a partnership between Airbnb and Historic Houses of Ireland that marks Airbnb’s continued commitment to heritage tourism. 

You can find more information on the property here.