A WEST Cork couple who took part in RTÉ’s ‘The Great House Revival’ on RTÉ1 earlier this year have said that the late Hugh Wallace is a huge part of their home.

The 68-year-old renowned architect and presenter of RTE’s ‘Home of The Year’ and ‘The Great House Revival’ was a regular visitor to West Cork and passed away unexpectedly on Monday.

Siobhán O’Mahony and her husband Timmie O’Brien had enlisted Hugh to help transform a former post-office in Butlerstown to their forever dream home in the popular television programme, which aired earlier this year.

Speaking to The Southern Star, she said the outpouring of love since the news broke of his death only scratches the surface of what Hugh was to so many people.

‘Hugh is a huge part of our home. From the second he bounded in, full of life and devilment, he put us on the right path and pushed us to get in,’ she said.

‘We assumed that after the show was finished we wouldn’t really hear from him again but how wrong we were. Hugh’s name would pop up on the phone and you were always greeted with ‘Hello Darling’ and then some plan for dinner or a discussion about paint, a two-second or ten-minute conversation and whatever it was you always left smiling.’

Siobhan said one of the best things that Hugh brought into their lives was his husband, Martin.

‘They were such a fun and easy couple to be around and Martin’s loss is unfathomable. Our hearts go out to Martin and all the team at Animo TV who were like a family to Hugh and all of Hugh’s family, friends and colleagues.’

The couple had even named their patio after the much-loved architect much to his delight and they now plan to erect a plaque there to remember their dear and close friend.

In a statement posted on Hugh’s Instagram account on Monday, Martin announced the death of his ‘beloved husband and soulmate’, who died suddenly at their home, and said he was ‘heartbroken’.