Mairead O'Sullivan

Mairead grew up in Dungarvan, just eight kilometres from Lismore, where she developed an early fascination with the castle grounds and their architectural heritage. That childhood curiosity never left her — it's shaped everything she's done since.

She completed her degree in Horticulture at University College Dublin in 2008, then spent five years working with the Irish Heritage Gardens Trust. During those years, she surveyed and documented walled gardens across Munster, getting her hands dirty while learning the real stories behind these spaces. But it was her 2013 publication, Waterford's Hidden Gardens: A Restoration Guide , that changed her trajectory. The book became essential reading for estate managers throughout the southeast — and it still is.

Over the past decade, her focus shifted. She started asking different questions: How do historic estates serve people in their later years? What makes a pathway genuinely safe and accessible without erasing its character? This led her to work directly with property managers, implementing navigable pathways that honor period authenticity while meeting modern accessibility standards. It's not just about preservation — it's about making these spaces liveable.

At roseslumiere Limited, she's dedicated to creating content that helps retirees understand what a historic riverside property actually offers. Not the romance of it, though there's plenty of that. The practical reality of daily life in places like Lismore.