Carlow agent Thomas M Byrne has been less fortunate with The White House, a large Georgian pile in Kilkenny that has been on the market at £2 million for over a year. Designed by James Hoban, who was also the architect for the better-known White House in Washington, the 1820s house was once owned by Sir John and Lady Lavery. The house has no less than 12,500 sq ft of space, including 12 bedrooms, nine bathrooms, an indoor swimming-pool and a beautiful games room. Should the wealthy American owners come down in price, it could prove to be the buy of the year as every inch of the house has been refurbished.