Bannon visits musician’s home for new show

When architect Dermot Bannon arrived as part of his new Celebrity Super Spaces TV show, it brought a burst of activity to a peaceful corner of the Quivvy river district.

Broadcast last Sunday, the first episode of the new RTÉ One series saw Bannon step inside musician and songwriter Don Mescall’s Belturbet home: a striking 19th century converted church, and a creative sanctuary filled with music, craftsmanship, and imagination.

Don moved there before lockdown, packing all his belongings in several large shipping containers, and even using only a hose for showering while waiting for work within the church to be completed.

Featured prominently was Limerick-native Don’s passion for repurposing, from the intricate lamps to other modern devices that he carefully crafted out of salvaged materials, to his now well-known 'Bus in the Woods' Airbnb, a double-decker transformed into a cosy retreat nestled among the trees.

Don speaks with genuine fondness about the experience.

“Dermot is a very interesting guy, and he has an amazing team. There were about eight of them, I think. They were at the church from around nine in the morning until nine at night - for that small bit of television. They were lovely, really kind and engaging, and they loved the area. They loved the church, and most importantly they loved Cavan.”

What might have felt like an intrusion instead became something unexpectedly special. “We were lucky with the weather. We all sat outside and everything just flowed so naturally. They all said they’d love to come back - stay in the bus and everything. Dermot even said to me, 'I could do a whole show just on the bus.' He really loved it.”

Since the programme aired, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Messages poured in, affirming what Don had quietly hoped - that the story of his home, and of Cavan itself, resonated with a wider audience. Still, he remains characteristically grounded.

“I mean, I’m not a celebrity, but they clearly thought [the church] was important enough to feature," he said.

"It went well, people liked it. I think it was a very positive experience. Cavan came out of it well, the church came out of it well, and we even got a bit of music in there. It really was a win-win all around.”

Yet among all the praise and publicity, one stands above the rest.

Back in Ahane, his 102-year-old mother, Babs, tuned in - staying up later than usual just to watch her son on screen.

“She loved it. I was actually a bit nervous ringing my sisters to ask what she thought. She stayed up to watch it - and she’d normally be in bed by 9pm! Apparently, she was very proud of me, of how I carried myself and all that. That was the big moment for me, really.”