John and Nora Egan are the proud owners of one of Ireland’s real hidden treasures, that is Inch House, Nenagh Rd, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, now their home since 1985.
When the family bought the house, together with its surrounding rolling farmland, they really had no idea as to the real treasure that lay around this, then, old neglected Georgian Mansion.
John, a modern and progressive farmer and Nora a fully qualified Nurse, together with their eight children, began the painstaking work of restoration, slowly returning this building to its original and magnificent attractive state.
Their initial dreams and planning for Inch House would eventually came into full fruition four years later, in 1989 when they opened the doors of their dream home to their first paying guests. They have now travelled a long way along that painstaking journey of restoration, however John and Nora make no secret of the fact that they still have lots left to accomplish for the next generation to be getting on with and this house will continue to remains a ‘Labour of Love’ while it remain in the ownership of the Egan family.
Their youngest son, Joseph, has inherited his love of farming from his father John and now works closely along side him on a full-time basis. Nora’s second oldest daughter Mairin is always to be found on duty daily at the front of house, while the other siblings continue to come and go, but are always enthusiastic to assist if and whenever needed.
As stated, Inch House is surrounded by a working 250 acre farm, which as well as producing it’s own organic vegetables and assorted herbs, also grows each year a large quantity of oats, barley and wheat which is harvested in late August and early September. John and his son Joseph work hard right the way through the year to store, dry and roll the grain for re-sale to local farmers throughout the winter and spring of the year.
Inch House Is Truly A Family Affair Gladly Shared With Their Visiting Public.
With the later introduction of a restaurant, which opened its doors in 1994, there has been enormous family team support in building and achieving a solid reputation not just amongst their local customers, but from surrounding counties and from abroad. This reputation for quality has now become a by-word amongst its numerous visiting clientele.
Nora Egan makes no secret of what is the ‘Inch House success story’ to those who ask. She is quick to state:
“In our restaurant we use only locally sourced produce together with only the highest quality ingredients direct from our own farm and the heart land of the Golden Vale, latter the richest producing farmland in Europe. Our restaurant and kitchen have developed menus that can appeal to every palate. Employees in the kitchens work as a team, to build menus to suit each of our customer’s needs and in doing so, ensure and maintain only the highest standards in that task. The restaurant team, work in harmony with the kitchen in serving top quality meals both in a friendly and also in a professional manner.”
If you have eaten her sirloin or fillet steak, her Inch House Traditional Black Pudding, or tasted her secret recipes like her range of chutney dressings and sauces or her special miniature scones, then you know that Nora is a modern day Isabella Mary Beeton, producing something really special and as good food goes is just not obtainable elsewhere.
To book your special evening, please do contact Mairin or Nora at Inch House. They will be only too pleased to work with you to prepare a feast guaranteed to please and to be enjoyed by all, or to coordinate with that special ‘short break’ away from the pressures, the hustle and bustle, that is our daily lives.
Here in this peaceful unique hideaway, that is Inch House, you can quickly regain lost energies, charge batteries and become totally relaxed and refreshed.
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