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Irish‑born president Desmond Keogh has taken ownership of Oakley Park House, a Georgian country estate in County Meath, and is leading a comprehensive eight‑phase restoration while steering the Irish Georgian Society in America towards broader educational outreach and cross‑continental preservation partnerships.
Desmond Keogh, the first Irish‑born president of the Irish Georgian Society in the United States, opened a new chapter of his life in April when he officially took up the presidency.
A native of County Meath, Keogh has long dreamed of owning a house that echoed the grandeur of Ireland's architectural heritage. After a three‑year quest, he finally settled on Oakley Park House, a late Georgian country house that sits on the 120‑hectare (300‑acre) Ballinakill Farm near Lough Derravaragh.
The house, which has just been transformed by his wife Cristina, an interior designer, now welcomes visitors with a spacious drawing‑room featuring historical paintings, urns, authentic Georgian furniture, and a striking elk head that frames the fireplace. Cristina has striven to balance heritage with practicality, insisting that the home feels alive rather than a museum - a philosophy that permeates every room, from a modernist dining table surrounded by French‑fabric chairs to a contemporary kitchen equipped with fitted cabinets, a historic Aga cooker, and a large table for family and friends.
The house's five bedrooms remain untouched, awaiting the same thoughtful blend of old and new. Keogh's vision for Oakley Park House is grand and methodical. He plans an eight‑phase restoration that began with essential emergency work on the roof and valleys. He revealed a once‑abandoned basement that lay hidden beneath the base of the house, a remnant of a larger older house that previously stood behind Oakley Park House.
In addition to restoring the main residence and the underground spaces, Keogh intends to refurbish the steward's and coachman's cottages that populate the extensive farmyard, revive the walled garden, and reconstruct an additional sunken garden. His restoration scheme also includes the surrounding estate, ensuring that every element of the property - from the buildings to the landscaping - reflects the historical significance of the Georgian era while meeting modern standards of comfort and functionality.
Beyond Oakley Park House, Keogh's influence extends through his role as president of the Irish Georgian Society in the U.S. He orchestrates intimate tours that bring 14 to 16 Americans to visits across the 32 Irish counties. The tours are carefully curated to give guests a personal experience of 18th‑ and 19th‑century country life, with comfortable lodging, communal meals, and insightful conversations with the owners of the visited houses.
Keogh is struck by how many Irish country houses remain intact, a testament to Ireland's commitment to preserving its architectural heritage despite the fact that almost 300 houses were burned during the Irish War of Independence and many more were demolished or allowed to crumble in the mid‑20th century. His tenure as president is marked by an ambitious outreach strategy.
Keogh plans to launch Irish Georgian Society chapters in U.S. cities with strong Irish‑American ties, such as Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, and San Francisco. He is actively seeking universities with reputable architecture and history programs to bring Irish students to America, fostering cross‑cultural academic and cultural exchanges. Through these initiatives, Keogh envisions a broader network of scholars, preservationists, and business leaders united by a shared love for Ireland's architectural legacy.
Keogh's network links him to prominent figures in the American and Irish business worlds. A Republican Party member who arrived in the United States as a young man, he leverages his connections to encourage U.S. investors to purchase and restore Irish properties.
He recently paid a visit to the Irish Embassy in Washington, where he welcomed Ambassador Edward Walsh and spoke with Fred Krehbiel, the late businessman behind the restoration of Ballyfin Demesne, now operated by his sons Jay and Liam. Other influential allies include Palm Beach resident Tommy Quick, president of the Ireland Funds charitable network, and the admiring legacy of late Wall Street financier Beth Dater Jennings, whose sizeable donations to projects such as the City Assembly House in Dublin and the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh have helped keep Irish Georgian architecture vibrant.
Keogh's story is one of passion, heritage, and a commitment to preserving Ireland's architectural treasures for future generations. By turning Oakley Park House into a living, breathing museum of the past and spearheading national preservation efforts across the Atlantic, he aims to ensure that Ireland's Georgian heritage - celebrated as a cornerstone of national identity - continues to thrive both in the spirit of its original charm and the modern context it now inhabits
Desmond Keogh Oakley Park House Irish Georgian Society Country House Restoration Heritage Preservation
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