23/02/2025
How are my nerves? Ask me again in April.
The Journey of a Copper Bath: A Race Against Time
Every winter, I take on the sometimes arduous task of further restoring and refining my 300-year-old Irish Georgian guesthouse, ensuring it remains pristine structurally and historically authentic without compromising the luxurious comfort for our guests.
This year, however, I embarked on the most daring transformation yet—Egret, the master bedroom bathroom refit to pay true homage to the elegance of the past.
Out went the standard white square tiles and modern-ish bathtub, making way for a cloaking in rich church oak paneling, an Edwardian high-level toilet, cast iron radiators, and a bespoke claw-foot copper bathtub with green copper veined wall and floor tiles on special order from Spain. But while the vision is set, there’s one crucial element still missing— the stunning copper bath, is now caught in an unexpected odyssey across the seas.
Commissioned from skilled artisans in India, this bath was meant to arrive months ago. Instead, it’s currently stranded in a container ship battling rough weather off the coast of Africa, forcing us to track its progress like a lost treasure. Who knew that restoring an Irish Georgian guesthouse could be at the mercy of Atlantic storms near Senegal? Its new estimated arrival—fittingly, St. Patrick’s Day—adds a touch of poetic irony. Like the legendary saint who traveled far before returning to Ireland to leave his mark, The Egret copper bath, too, has undertaken an arduous journey to complete its final purpose. But with just three weeks until we reopen in April, the clock is ticking.
As I anxiously await its arrival, the race begins. Will this masterpiece of craftsmanship make it in time? With every passing storm and shipping update, the tension mounts. Yet, in true Irish spirit, we press on—refining, restoring, and re imagining every corner of Barrow House to offer our guests an experience steeped in history, beauty, and character.
This final touch will be worth the wait. And when you next sink into its warmth looking out towards the Atlantic and the Slieve Mish , just remember—the journey of luxury is often as storied as the destination itself.
