'They’re our lawnmowers, but they’re also very cute': architect John Curran on his three alpacas, and the ‘flying’ house he built in Limerick wildflower meadow

Architect John Curran had dreamed about building a house in Ireland for years. He and his Chinese wife and business partner Liu Hai Ying, and their three boys were living in Shanghai, a city of 25 million people. Life was busy and their architectural practice was thriving but, while they loved Shanghai, John says: "It does feel like you're holding your breath and postponing living until you get out."

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Ideal urban village box-ticker: terraced house with mezzanine landing in Dublin's Portobello

There's no doubt that the pandemic has reshaped the type of property that buyers are looking for. A new yen for a slice of garden or access to the countryside or sea has given country homes a boost, for example, while in Dublin it's all about the urban village.

'We were a far cry from the WAGs' - Rugby legend Willie Duggan's widow Ellen reflects on life in their Victorian home in Co Kilkenny

The late Willie Duggan, rugby legend, Five Nations champion, Lions veteran, straight talker and dedicated smoker, was known for his fearlessness on the pitch. But there was another unexpected side to him.

Property prices hold firm despite challenge from pandemic

Property prices have held firm despite the impact of Covid-19, according to a new report published today exclusively in the Sunday Independent.

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Ahead of the Super Garden finale, we revisit each of the gardens - and share the contestants' top tips for creating a winning garden at home

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Five-bed family home in north Dublin boasts its own gym and the perfect space for summer BBQs

The first thing that greets prospective buyers at the threshold of vendor Niamh O'Connell's property is a bespoke doormat with her address, No 31 Castlemoyne.

Super Garden judge Monica Alvarez shares the secrets of good - and bad- garden design

The pandemic has caused quite a few surprise trends - home-made sour dough bread, Zoom calls, DIY hair dye, the home office. And a new love for our gardens.

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Property prices are on the rise again as end of the lockdown draws nearer

Leading estate agents are registering a high level of activity in the property market as lockdown restrictions ease.

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Insta inspiration: The social media accounts to check out before tackling a new build

If there's one thing that stokes our national obsession with property, it's a warts-and-all tale of a house makeover - as the viewing figures for Room To Improve, Grand Designs and a rake of other TV series show.

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Fixer uppers: A step on the ladder or a money pit?

The number of first-time buyers is falling year on year. Blame the Central Bank rules, blame lack of supply or high property prices or any one of the current market's idiosyncrasies. But as a result, those wanting to get a foot on the ladder are having to think outside the box.

'We fell in love with it before we even walked in the door' -revamped cottage in Foxford is a tranquil haven with modern flair

If you love the look of a traditional cottage but not the work - or investment - involved in dragging it into the 21st Century, there is a solution. Buy one that has already been modernised.

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How to transform an old Irish cottage into a 21st century home

It might seem odd to hear an architect say that the more you leave an old house alone the better, but Nicola Ryan of Studio Red Architects has long experience of what is best for conservation projects.

Covid-19 pandemic forces postponement of property awards

Covid-19 continues to affect the property sector, with the announcement that the annual KPMG/Irish Independent Property Industry Excellence Awards for 2020 have been postponed.

Canal class: How one couple restored a 19th century house in Co Kildare

Harvey Appelbe, vendor of the 19th century Old School House in the sleepy village of Ardclough in Co Kildare, could run a master class in the dos and don'ts of restoring old properties.

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'I'm not destined to be still' - What's Dermot Bannon doing in lockdown?

You might think TV architect Dermot Bannon would be spending the lockdown relaxing in his new outdoor bathtub, the one that got him into a bit of hot water with the planners. Not so.

Lockdown lessons: 12 predictions for the post-pandemic home

It's nearly a month since the country went into lockdown and the impact on everything from energy consumption to DIY has been radical.

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12 bedroom castle with 500 acres for €5m

One summer in the mid-1970s, there was a knock on the great oak front door of Knockdrin Castle in Mullingar, Co Westmeath. The current owner, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, then in his twenties and studying at Trinity, opened the door to find an American couple outside. They were castle buffs who had read about the neo-Gothic pile and decided to tip up on a whim.

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Restored Dublin 9 home dating back to 1910 is now ready for family life

Maria Rogers, the vendor of 39 Botanic Avenue in Glasnevin, Dublin 9, admits to being mad about houses. It's a family thing, she says.

Goodbye, open plan, hello, panic rooms: your guide to the post-pandemic property market

The property market may be in what one commentator calls 'a short-lived Ice Age', but there is widespread confidence that as the threat of Covid-19 recedes, construction will pick up, and prices will rally, and buying and selling will continue more or less where they left off.

Glamourous Refurb: a hunting lodge in Percy French country for €495k

There's a story told about Percy French, the songwriter whose work is celebrated every year at a Summer School in Castlecoote in Roscommon. Apparently, his song Are Ye Right There, Michael, was inspired by a train journey he took with the West Clare Railway network. He had set off from Sligo early in the morning to perform a recital in Dublin at 8 o'clock that evening but because of the snail pace of the train and the driver's decision to stop off randomly, by the time he finally arrived, his audience had left.

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The fairy tale house on a hill

When you buy a house in Coleville Road, Clonmel, you know you have arrived. At least as far as the merchants who built their elegant mansions there in the 18th and early 19th centuries were concerned. It was, and still is, locals say, the Clonmel equivalent of Shrewsbury Road.

Dream home for horse lovers

The owner of Belmont House in Co Kildare, a fine four-bedroom property in the heart of equestrian country, was born and bred locally, and horses are in his blood. He has known the slice of land that Belmont sits on from the days when it was still part of the famous Whitechurch Stud.

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Fran Power Opinion Keep-cup, disposable or biodegradable - what is the most eco-friendly way to get your coffee?

I have two keep-cups on my desk at work. But when I nip around the corner to get a caffeine fix, they often stay on my desk. By all accounts, another 80pc of keep-cup users are just as forgetful as I am.

Fran Power Opinion No more mowing the lawn for me - I'm letting the garden grow into a wild haven for hungry bees

Last year, I stopped mowing the lawn - or, to be strictly accurate, the husband stopped. I had read that when a bumblebee queen emerges blinking in to the cold spring light, she needs to visit 6,000 flowers a day just to be able to feed her offspring. I knew that our bees were in trouble. And that butterflies, hoverflies, beetles and other insects were disappearing too.

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Class act: Architect revitalises derelict schoolhouse

Architect Lisa Carolan has a passion. She loves historic buildings, no matter how dilapidated. In fact, since returning home from Amsterdam four years ago, she has renovated two derelict properties and poured love - and money - into their restoration.

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Satisfy that sweet tooth - and your conscience - with some ethical chocolate

Buying a bar of chocolate, it turns out, is a gender issue. It's also a child labour issue. You could even say it's a modern slavery issue since the average cocoa farmer lives on a wage well below the UN's poverty line of $1.90 a day. And as deforestation and soil erosion are typical problems in cocoa-growing areas, chocolate is also an environmental issue.

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On the Market: The day Priscilla Presley came to tea

It's not every day that musical royalty comes to tea. And it's an even rarer occurrence when they offer to buy your house over a cuppa and cakes. But that is exactly what happened when Dr Jan Mohamed, of Pouldrew House, opened the door to Priscilla Presley and her daughter Lisa Marie.

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Not all glasses of milk are created equal - dairy has three times the impact on environment

If you're reading this over a cup of coffee or tea, sip on this. Adding dairy milk to your cappuccino has just bumped up its carbon footprint by two-thirds.

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Two cracking homes are bang on target in Monkstown - with a Liberator history

There's a story about 8 Seafield House that goes as follows - Daniel O'Connell, the Liberator, was a crack shot with a duelling pistol, though he usually relied on his wit to win his parliamentary battles.

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Fran Power Opinion This Valentine's Day, show you care with eco-friendly daffodils, not roses

This Valentine's Day, I'm hoping for a bunch of daffs. Not as classy as roses maybe. Certainly not as expensive. But home-grown, seasonal and a blast of cheery colour to brighten up my day.