Opening the doors of Ireland's Big Houses

Ailin Quinlan talks to the owners of four stately homes about the challenges of maintaining a Big House in today’s world

Ireland’s Big Houses are part of our heritage, but because they’re also huge and centuries-old, they’re costly to maintain. Their owners run B&Bs, tea-rooms, orchards and distilleries, and host weddings, concerts and ‘glamping’, to make ends meet. This weekend, the May bank holiday, many of these houses will open their doors to the public for the summer season. We take a look inside.