China wallpaper graces Irish home

The room dates to the 1770 expansion of the house.

Connolly says clues found in restoration suggested the paper was from around 1790, but not put up until around 1820.

"At that time, anything Chinese was fashionable, and to have a Chinese room would have been a great way of showing your wealth. There are no repetitions in the design, everything is different, and every detail has messages in it, about things like the social and economic status of the characters, so it will be incredible to see it in all its glory."

In 2018, as part of a visit hosted by the Mayo Local Enterprise Office, He Tiancai, vice-governor of Shanxi province, visited Westport House and was delighted to see a dresser from his own province in the Chinese room.

"He couldn't believe it, he said he'd not seen anything like it since his childhood back home," says Connolly.

In around a year's time, it is hoped that other visitors will be able to see what the vice-governor saw.

"There's lots to be done, so it may take longer, but we hope it can be back up in 12 months," Connolly says. "The house already feels and smells different, which is encouraging.

"We hope that by 2026 the house will be done and we can kick on with the grounds and the Grace O'Malley visitor experience we're going to build. It's a massive project, not just for Westport but for the whole region. But it will definitely be worth it."