A look at life in Ireland's 'Downton Abbeys'

So what was life really like inside the ‘Downton Abbeys’ of Ireland?

Yes, they were lavish homes with battalions of servants and thousands of acres and the occupants spoke with upper class British accents, even though many regarded themselves as Irish.

But the ‘landed gentry’ are now a part of history, often regarded as eccentric and many of their elegant homes, the so-called Big Houses, are in ruins.