‘We fell in love with it’ - Meet the couple breathing new life into forgotten Leitrim cottage

When Paul and Clair Rosser turned off a narrow Leitrim lane in September and followed a 170-metre driveway through dense overgrowth, they had no idea what they were about to feel. They had bought the derelict cottage months earlier, unseen, from 10,000 miles away in Australia.

"My wife was nearly crying; she was shocked, as if she hadn't expected it to be as good as it was," Paul recalls. "Yes, it was overgrown, but we've had so many houses, you can look past and see what the future is for it. She really liked it and just said to me, 'You've made a good choice.'"

The Rossers, originally from Heywood in Lancashire, lived in Australia for 18 years before deciding on a complete reset. Ireland had always been a place they hoped to visit, but they had never set foot here before moving. Yet when Paul saw the cottage in Gortnalamph listed online, something clicked.

"We've never been to Ireland before," he says. "We'd been looking for two years, to be honest, and when we saw this cottage come up, we just thought, let's go. Let's go for it. Life's too short."

A lifetime of hands-on work

Paul's ease with the massive project isn't accidental. "We don't mess about. We've done a lot of houses," he explains. "I've had my own property maintenance business in Australia for about eight years. We've done three cottage renovations, two of which were about 1750. We've managed five new builds, two in England and three in Australia. So, yeah, we're not new to it."

He grew up surrounded by hands-on work. "My dad was the same, and I started working with my dad when I was about seven on building sites. I was about 11 when I started properly."

Over the years, Paul has welded agricultural machinery, run a removals business, worked with antiques, and taken on countless restoration projects. "I'm not a builder as such, but I can do most stuff. I can put my hands around anything, really."

A cottage with history

Their Leitrim home turned out to be more than just charming; it carries remarkable heritage. Research revealed it had links to Margaret Heckler, the former US Ambassador to Ireland under Ronald Reagan.

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"It was the ancestral home of Margaret Heckler," Paul says. "She was born on the 21st of June, same as me. I thought there were a few things calling me to the house."

Inside, the family uncovered more reminders of the past: old coins, bottles, tools, a 1966 edition of the Sunday Independent, and a brass Royal Irish Constabulary belt buckle hidden behind stones near the fireplace.

"There's a little cupboard at the side of the fireplace… that's where I found the buckle. All the bits we've found are going to go into this little cupboard."

"I feel like I'm at peace"

Much of the Rossers' decision to leave Australia stemmed from their desire for a quieter, more respectful way of life. Paul doesn't dwell heavily on the stress they experienced, but he is clear about the difference Ireland has made.

"And now I feel like I'm at peace," he says, "and I'm not feeling as stressed and anxious.”

He was immediately struck by the pride Irish communities take in their surroundings.

"When we go down to Mohill, and all around the streets of Ireland, they're all nice and clean. People appreciate what they've got; the houses are nice, the gardens are well-kept and maintained. I think that Irish people look after their houses and have more respect."

"The people here are more friendly"

In the short time since arriving in Leitrim, the Rossers have been bowled over by local generosity.

A nearby farmer, Brian McCauley of McCauley Wood Fuels, had spotted the YouTube channel and arrived up the drive with his son Kenny and a trailer of bark chippings for the polytunnel.

"He said, 'I've seen you.' And Kenny said, 'Seriously, you've got a YouTube channel?' They were really keen and so helpful."

Another local man, Seamus Shortt of Carrick-on-Shannon, became an unexpected guardian angel. "He's in his 80s, and he's been up to the cottage twice to keep an eye on me," Paul says.

It was Seamus who helped Paul navigate the paperwork and processes for electricity. Through a contact at ESB, he arranged a site visit and offered to help however he could.

"I said I appreciate what you're doing for me, you don't have to do this stuff for me, but you are. And he said, 'Well, I've got nothing else to do and sure it keeps me occupied."

Life in the mobile home

During the renovation, the family is living in a second-hand mobile home on the site, accompanied by their dogs Winston, who travelled from Australia, and Charlie, who was born in Longford.

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"We've had to adapt a little bit," Paul admits. "The boiler packed up about three days after we got the thing and we had to put a new boiler in.

"We've got central heating, or if we want to put the oil radiators on in the caravan, we'll be more cosy through the winter nights."

ABOVE: Winston and Charlie settling into life in Leitrim

As for cabin fever? "We're pretty used to it," Paul says. "We built two houses in England, and we lived in a static caravan for two years. So we're pretty used to it."

Bringing the cottage back to life

The roof is the biggest job ahead. "Some of the timbers have got woodworm, so I'm going to rip the lot out and put all new ones in," Paul says. Once the roof is finished, electrician Caillin Wrynn will complete the first fix, followed by plumbing.

"We're sort of hard-working people, and nothing fazes us really; we just get stuck in and do it." Paul has already completed extensive stone pointing inside and hopes the cottage will be finished within eight to nine months.

Sharing the journey with the world

Their YouTube channel, Our Irish Cottage & Garden Revival, has become part of the adventure. "It's something to look back on when we're finished, really… and some people might find it helpful." The account now has over 1,500 followers.

Looking ahead

The Rossers didn't move to Ireland for work - they moved for a different kind of life. "We're not working. We're just concentrating on doing the cottage. If people want to donate something to help us move along, then that's great."

After decades of moving, renovating, relocating and starting over, this Leitrim cottage represents calm after years of upheaval. For Paul, Clair and Jacob, it's a fresh beginning. For Winston and Charlie, it's a new adventure.

"This'll be our forever home," Paul says.

A project of this scale is never a solo effort, and the couple say they're sincerely grateful for the support they've received from local businesses and tradespeople, including King & Moffatt Euronics in Carrick-on-Shannon; DG Developments; Brian and Kenny McCauley of McCauley's Wood Fuels, Mohill; KSB Greenhouses in Longford; Joe Gilmartin of Neat Heat Plumbing & Gas; electrician Caillin Wrynn; Reynolds Topline and Homeland in Mohill; Crowe's Sawmills; and Gravity Asbestos Removals.