Decision due soon on Louth rugby star's plans for house in Carlingford

Former Irish rugby international Rob Kearney’s revived plans to build a new house in north Louth are set to be decided upon this month, eight years after an initial planning application gave the go ahead to build a new house at Back Lane in Carlingford.

Mr Kearney applied to Louth County Council in September 2025 for planning permission for a new dwelling house and all associated site works within the curtilage of two protected structures at Back Lane, Carlingford, Co Louth.

The two protected structures, numbered LHS005-054 and LHS005-055 on Louth County Council’s record of protected structures, are described in the record as attached two-bay two-storey houses, built c. 1750, as a pair with the adjoining house.

For structure LHS005-054, it’s appraisal states that: “This house was built as one of a pair with its neighbour to the south, and abuts the ruins of a sixteenth-century two-storey house which has a carved head on the gable to the north.

“It retains interesting features, such as the sash windows with exposed cases. The interior of the small shop is also worthy of note, once abundant in small Irish towns but becoming increasingly rare.”

For structure LHS005-055, it states that: “This house was built as one of a pair with its neighbour to the north. It retains interesting features, such as the sash windows with exposed cases. The building also has historical significance as it was the birthplace of Lorcan O'Muiceadonig, a priest and scholar.”

A decision had initially been due last year on the application but Louth County Council sought further information on the planned development.

Following the submission in August of further information, a decision is now due from the local planning authority on the planning application by 16 September 2026.

Mr Kearney had first applied for planning permission to build a house at the site in 2016. He was granted conditional planning permission in July 2017 but this decision was appealed by Ms Elizabeth-Ann McKevitt the following month.

An Bord Pleanála made the decision to grant planning permission for the development in February 2018, with revised planning conditions.

The granted development did not proceed however, with the new application made eight years later.