Was Ed searching for his West Cork ‘castle on a hill’?

By Emma Connolly & Kieran O’Mahony

POP sensation Ed Sheeran is believed to have been scouting out West Cork for his ‘castle on a hill’ last week.

The superstar was in the city for two concerts in Páirc Uí Chaoimh and it’s believed that he helicoptered in and checked out some local properties.

Some local estate agents said they were unaware of the visit, or speculation that he was keen to get a property in Baltimore. However, he recently told broadcaster Ryan Tubridy that he’d ‘absolutely’ consider buying a house in Ireland.

He said Ireland was ‘such a special place’ and his Irish heritage was an ‘integral part’ of his family. Ed has strong ties to West Cork, too.

His first cousins are Murray and Billy Cumming, past pupils of Schull Community College – Ed’s dad and the lads’ mum are brother and sister. He also has an aunt living in Baltimore – where, it is believed, he may have been looking at property.

It was also speculated earlier last week that Ed had touched down at Tot’s Bar at Ballygurteen Cross as there was a lot of activity there, including production trucks.

Vincent Dullea, who runs the bar with his wife Carmel, said they were inundated with people asking if singer had popped in.

‘We had a few enquiries alright but the closest I got to seeing Ed in person was when I was stewarding for the first of his two concerts in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Thursday night,’ joked Vincent.

‘We did have a TG4 crew here last week who were using the pub to shoot an episode of Cúl Tire, and Ed could have bumped into our own stars like John Spillane and The Ceilí All Stars – and others, if he had called in.’