MTV Cribz GAA style

[thejuice]

http://property.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/property/article705472.ece

Champions of the high life
How does a GAA footballer's home compare with the piles owned by players in England's Premiership? Alanna Gallagher finds out

English stars of the beautiful game are famed for their mock-period homes with oodles of faux trim. As anybody who has watched MTV's Footballers' Cribs will know, over in Blighty, the mock-Tudor home is king among the big-buck-earning Premiership boys.
It seems as soon as a football player signs with a top team, two items appear on his must-have checklist: first, he'll want a Ferrari Enzo (with accompanying Prada-preened blonde). Second, he'll snap up a humungous detached red-brick house, built not more than 10 years ago, but kitted out to look at least a few hundred years old.

Inside, there'll be a big brace of chandeliers and a clatter of Chesterfield chests, modified so that a plasma screen pops up at the touch of a button. The kitchen will be vast, of course, and the bedrooms will be showcases of bling.

In contrast, we might think our own calloused warhorses of the GAA pitch would not be caught dead thumbing through the pages of a glossy design magazine. Or would they? With the home of the longtime Meath star forward (now back) Graham Geraghty currently on sale, we were given the chance to find out whether top GAA stars can outplay their English counterparts on the home-design front. Geraghty's selling agent is seeking offers in excess of €650,000 for his luxurious, dormer-style home in Higginstown, outside Athboy, Co Meath.

Geraghty, who once had a trial for Arsenal, captained Meath to All-Ireland glory in 1999. But over the years, the fair-haired hero, who is also publican, has become almost as well known for his spats with the game's authority figures as for his versatility and flamboyance on the field.

On his home turf, though, it seems he's a dedicated follower of fashion.

Geraghty built his home in 1999, with the help of the contractor Pat Smyth. The detached property is set on an acre of land and has three reception rooms, four bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Styling throughout the house has been done by the royal county player himself, working with his wife, Amanda. Like Geraghty's famous flair on the GAA pitch, theirs is a bold, colourful and well-defined interior decoration scheme. It's certainly not for fans of understatement, nor for those who like prim pastels.

"Neither of us has any background in design, but we took our inspiration from English country homes featured in magazines and books," says the footballer. "We both like the look of old-fashioned Victorian furniture."

Geraghty's wife, a full-time sales executive, takes up the tale. "On our days off, we used to drive from one end of the country to another attending auctions," says Amanda. "I've loved collecting bits and pieces for years, and Graham also has a huge interest in antiques, which is unusual for a man." Geraghty admits, however, that he wasn't into antiques until he met his wife.

Neither half of the working couple is a fan of minimalism. "We like to have knick-knacks around, but not too much clutter," says Geraghty. Their house also had to be child-friendly, as they have two young daughters and a son: Sophia, 7, Lauren, 4, and Brandon, 2.

All three children are, however, the very model of good manners: there's been no hanging off the curtains or other misbehaviour, so very little kiddy-proofing needed to be done. Just as well, because the Geraghtys' rooms are decorated throughout with swagged curtains and printed Versace wallpaper, which the pair had hung professionally.

Designer names abound throughout this heady first-division property. Ralph Lauren sheets grace the children's sleigh beds, and the main bathroom has a Villeroy & Boch suite. The four-poster bed in the master bedroom is fitted with a customised mattress, made to fit its huge, 7ft proportions. The main bedroom also has a walk-in wardrobe.

GAA fans hoping to see mementos of football history on show at the house will be disappointed, though. There's no trophy room. "We're not into that at all," says Amanda. Instead, Geraghty had all his winner's medals — minor, under-16 and senior — made into a bracelet for his wife, which he gave to her as a special birthday present.

The kitchen did play host to the Sam Maguire cup in 1999, after Meath's victory in the All-Ireland finals. Since then, the room has been refitted with gilt-edged, hand-carved Clive Christian units, which have Waterford Crystal handles. Both the kitchen and connecting dining room are partly wood-panelled.

The couple enjoy doing their fair share of entertaining. The open-plan dining room and kitchen make the house very party-friendly. On training nights, everyone in the family tucks into hearty meals with complex carbohydrates, which Amanda cooks.

Geraghty and his wife also share a passion for Italian, classical design. "We love looking at glossy magazines to get inspiration," he says, "but sometimes Amanda just steams ahead with an idea.

"I was in America when she painted the lounge its current colour, rhinestone green. It seemed almost black when the paint first went on. When my father came into the house, he said I was going to red-card her when I got home, but I loved it. Sometimes, you just have to experiment."

Amanda has also played around with carpet colours. "Originally, we had laid a gold carpet to complement the lounge colour scheme, but after several years we decided to change the flooring to a deep shade of burgundy," she says. "Contrary to popular belief, the pale gold carpet was easier to clean than this one." She has already decided that she will be laying light- coloured carpets in their next home.

The house is set in an acre of garden, which features patio areas and comes equipped with electronic gates and an intercom system to vet any potential paparazzi. The couple have received full planning permission to extend the house by 1,150 sq ft to the side, with provision for three more reception rooms and two bedrooms with en-suites.

For their next project, the pair want to start again from scratch. They are already sourcing furniture from abroad.

This time around, they say, they both know exactly what they want from their living space. The Geraghtys believe, for instance, that a separate dining room has now become essential to their entertaining needs.

Currently, the couple and their children spend much of their time in their kitchen, so they have decided to create a kitchen-cum-living area in their new home, with an open-plan lounge to cater for each family member's needs.

On Geraghty's personal wish-list is a games room. He'd like to fit it out with gym equipment, so that he can work out at home, instead of having to travel to a gym in nearby Navan. Amanda wants another walk-in wardrobe.

With two impressive careers to juggle, it's anyone's guess how much time the Geraghtys will be able to devote to decorating their new home. One thing is for certain, though: by the time they've finished, Ireland's sporting all-stars will have held their own with England's.

The Geraghtys' house in Meath is on the market with Carty Property Advisers, 046 943 0895, www.carty.ie

[full back]

Oh FFS