(Francis Brennan) Who in their right mind would think to build
a beach resort in the Midlands?
We're known as the crazy farmers, but we'll take it.
It's okay. (cow moos)
(John Brennan) Welcome to the dream of one Irish dairy farmer
and his Latvian sweetheart.
He's quiet and unassuming...
She's definitely not.
Every morning I wake up and I tell him I have an idea,
he runs, okay?
They're building a Baltic inspired Bali-style holiday resort
in the fields of county Laois.
There's a little bit of Latvia I try to bring with me
and create here.
This is one of these projects
that is on the borderline between genius and madness,.
And they want to finish it all
in time for their wedding next summer!
This is gonna be emotional.
The wedding flashed in front of us,
you know, the criticism kind of shattered everything.
Iveta, I'm sorry that it is a shock...
I can't do it. I'm sorry.
♪ (theme music)
We're being called in to advise on what might just be
the most unusual farm in the Midlands,
ten minutes outside Rathdowney in County Laois.
It all began eight years ago, when Iveta from Latvia
met the love of her life,
third generation Irish dairy farmer Pat.
(cows moo)
I've been milking cows for 22 year here... (Iveta laughs)
and this is something way out of my league! (Iveta laughs)
The combination of a small herd and low milk prices has made it tough
for this couple to make ends meet.
So back in 2019, they diversified into the hospitality business.
(cow moos)
Behold: The Ranch Cabin,
a cluster of wooden chalets in the middle of the farm
designed for families of up to six.
And now, having tested the water, Pat and Iveta
are about to dive in headlong with a full-on holiday resort for adults.
They're calling it Pond Beach.
What we have here is a beach in Laois.
I come from the Baltics and I love the water.
So I said to him, if he wants to hold on to me,
we have to get a water here. I need water.
We have two cabins, a grill and bar area,
which is under construction, and sauna and spa,
which will be open to public as well.
And up behind us here, we have a sports area, we have chess,
we have basketball, volleyball, and
we're not made up yet with either croquet or mini, eh...
Crazy golf. Crazy golf. Yeah.
So let's recap.
A beach resort and restaurant beside a pond on a farm in the Midlands.
(cow mooing)
Crazy golf doesn't sound that crazy now.
The restaurant idea is to have this bamboo beach bar,
with fancy cocktails and just something exotic
that people can come and chill and have a beautiful view of the pond.
Alright, so, tropical paradise, here we come.
I think they might get a surprise.
Now. The autumn colours are lovely, anyway.
They are, very nice. Yeah. Oh, here we are.
Pond Beach resort.
We are landlocked, you know, in Laois.
Have you your bikini with you?
Yeah, polka dot.
Hello!
There's the lady of the house. Oh, yeah. I can see her there.
How are ya? Nice to be here. John. Iveta.
Welcome! Hi! We're delighted to be here,
on a dry morning! For a change! Ideal for the beach. John?
Yeah, we'll get the towels. (laughter)
Towels are ready. So that's great. We're dying to see it.
So will you show us? Yeah, looking forward to it.
This is the beginning of it all.
And we call it the Ranch Cabin.
It's here four and a half years.
It was a baby of it all. Okay.
And the beach is the next phase.
Beach was the wild card. Right, come on!
(Iveta laughs) Lead the way to the beach!
If the word beach inspires swimming, is it ever intended that
people would swim in it?
I do have a plan to come up with something that people can swim in.
This is the pebble beach area. Right. Okay.
And there's no sand anywhere?
No, we decided to go with a pebble.
Is the Irish market even ready for something like this?
Well, Iveta and Pat think so.
They've already installed two self catering pods
with plans to expand sometime in the future.
So how many can you accommodate here?
At the moment, it's 10, but when we're finished, will be 26.
Across the pond,
the couple are planning a restaurant, bar and grill
with a name hat reflects the watery theme.
And we gonna call it Poseidon, God of the ocean.
Oh, right. You know, in the film that sank,
that Poseidon boat. Well, I'll make it float! Good girl!
(Iveta laughs) Come on, show us!
So now, this is gonna be the bar and restaurant area?
Yes, bar and grill.
You have to use your imagination. I am trying to. I'm sure you
have a good one.
I'm extensively trying to get the head to work.
So now, how many people do you think you'd be serving in this space?
Well, we're gonna start small.
Right. So we're gonna start maybe with four or five tables,
which will seat 16 to 25 people.
And this area out here, then, is this a terrace area for seating?
Well, we were planning to put tall tables around there,
and then planning to put kind of timber valley beds there
that people can lie down and enjoy the cocktail.
That was the idea. Kind of row of timber beds,
with the mattresses to lie down and... (John laughs)
Listen, do you ever sleep? Do you ever sleep? Yes!
(John laughs)
Okay, now. Keep... No, tell us everything.
Yeah. Because then we'll filter it.
He's gonna drop down laughing at it! We'll be here for a month
if she tells us everything!
Seriously, though, valley beds in Laois,
now that's what you call a leap of faith.
Well, now, do you intend opening to the public all year round?
With a bit of a blessing, yes.
That would be... the pope will have to come.
Right? Yeah. Well, you have water to bless the place, anyway.
We want to give the pods our own Brennan blessing.
That is the one-bedroomed
open plan. This is a wheelchair open plan, yes. Yeah.
Right. Okay. Oh, and you have the privacy curtain.
That's great. Because if I wanted a lie-in in the morning
I can stay in bed and then get up late.
That's exactly it.
And then say at half eleven, "Good morning!" (Iveta laughs)
It's wonderful. Yeah, that's good.
It's a nice little touch.
Yeah, lovely. Very nice, isn't it?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Great.
Well done.
Next summer, Pat and Iveta will celebrate their wedding
with friends and family from Ireland and Latvia,
which will be magical as long as Pond Beach is ready for them.
That's a lovely view out over the pond, look, isn't it nice? Yeah,
very nice.
This is a fire pit and a Celtic house,
which we're gonna use in time for a storyteller entertainment
for our guests. Oh, right.
This is in progress now, is it?
This is still in a progress, there's a fireplace
to go at the back. (laughter)
So now what do you think of where we are?
I just don't know. Sure, everywhere you look,
there's something else happening.
Yeah. That's the problem here.
Nothing is finished. Nothing is finished!
And I don't get Bali.
I'm sorry, I've never been, but I don't think it's like, this. Yeah.
But it's daft.
Yeah. And that's the issue.
Oh, look, I just don't know. Yeah. I just don't know.
It's hard to know.
Inspection was wonderful.
It was actually very, very interesting and pleasant.
Francis responded better than I thought, which made me smile.
So, yes, it was a positive reaction.
So we'll go and have a chat with them, will we?
Yeah, we'll put our thoughts to them and see what they think.
John was more reserve and quiet, I'd say I will have
a lot of advice there.
And I'm actually really looking forward to his opinion.
It's time for the truth.
And the truth may just hurt.
Now, I came here with no concept of what you were doing,
alright? And to commend you both, you've done a mountain of work.
Mm. Absolutely. Thank you.
But we're... not madly happy about all the projects
that are on the page at the moment.
♪ (suspenseful music)
We feel that everything has been started,
but has everything been finished? No. No.
What you've achieved is wonderful,
all the work you've put into it is enormous,
but we would feel that you look at television at night,
you see something and you decide at 9 o'clock the next morning,
"Right, we're going doing that."
It is a project of desires, which is fantastic,
but it's not as polished as it should be.
We would believe not one new project
should be entered into until you finish what ye have got.
And there's one big black cloud on the horizon.
That'd be the bar restaurant.
Okay. I cannot understand
why you would consider spending capital money on that,
and you have three sites available here,
with planning permission, for extra pods,
because that is where the money is.
No client comes to stay in the pods today thinking of food.
It's a huge job, and it's a colossal financial drain.
Mm. And I would actually worry
about how many people would come here to eat. Mm-hm.
The margin on accommodation is far, far greater than food and beverage.
True. And you're putting all your money into
a food and beverage operation of which you have limited experience,
you have to buy the expertise for the kitchen,
the chef leaves, the food changes,
and your reputation is wobbly-wobbly
because you're not in control of the kitchen yourselves.
There's a huge amount of cost to go into that area
with an unknown return.
You put in a restaurant,
you have a whole people-management situation.
You have your new toilets that you have to put in,
you've kitchens, you've HACCP,
you've food and beverage inspections,
you've all of those things, you've a licence...
It is a ton of work,
and you don't know how much you're gonna turn on it.
Also, I know that it's a big day planned for next August.
I heard it on the grapevine.
And I know, perhaps in your mind,
you'd love to have that space finished,
but I would be looking for someone to come in
and put a lovely marquee in the centre of that,
get an outdoor caterer to do the wedding, have a great party,
and you don't have to worry about where the glasses are coming from,
or where the forks are coming from and they bring the chairs.
You need more accommodation.
And the money that you would set aside for the barn
can be put into your accommodation.
Now. You're very happy,
you are not happy, by the look of you. Iveta...
The price of one house doesn't come near of the budget
we want to build the little cosy bar-restaurant.
But I'm willing to take it on because I genuinely believe
that something unique would work.
It will work.
There's no return, you won't make any money on it, let me tell you.
It'd be different if you were just opening a restaurant
and nothing else. But you have the opportunity
of getting a good bottom line
from the three extra pods.
None of it adds up in our minds. Right.
We honestly believe that you'd be out of your mind to build
the bar-restaurant.
Mm. (laughing) And you would be also out of your minds
to add anything further to the site apart from accommodation,
'cause you have so much going on here.
It's unbelievable. Mm. (Pat exhales)
We knew when we stepped into this,
it's a very high risk and there's no doubt.
What is the cost of those pods?
Oh, the cost is great.
75.
And how much would you expect to be out of the restaurant at?
Em...
What budget has you got in your mind to open that restaurant
for serving? 60.
Ah, stop.
No, I mean, 'cause you know, I'm not, I'm not...
Yeah, but I was looking at the small operation.
Not to that scale at the start.
Yeah. Yeah, but even to close in the walls and put up the windows,
it'd cost 60,000.
Mm, no, I worked it out.
It didn't cost me that.
I have the windows worked out and the brickwork worked out,
insulation worked out, the timber cladding worked out.
It didn't come near it. Yeah, but where money will come into it
is in extraction.
And it's making a lick. Yeah.
You wouldn't see 100 grand making a lick in there. Mm.
And you're putting in drains on the floors,
and wash-downs and, like,
the health officer would put four handbasins in there,
for staff. Yeah. Just to wash their hands.
And you have to have your shower room for the staff. That's right.
That is in a plan. Yeah. And that's up there.
But that's more money, isn't it? Now, that's another cost up here.
(Iveta sighs) Well...
Anyway, we can... We can do no more than
tell you what we think will work.
Okay? Mm. Iveta, I'm sorry that is a shock...
Like, a dream is a dream and you love a dream.
Mm. I mean, look at all the work
that's gone into it. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
Listen, we... as my wife says, if 10% of the projects
we have in our attic at home
happened, we'd be grand. (Francis laughs) Okay?
I can't do it. I'm sorry.
You're fine. I can't do it.
♪ (melancholy music)
It would be a million times worse
if we didn't think the product that is here
was a fantastic achievement. Yeah.
Francis and I are on a mission to help Irish dairy farmer Pat
and his Latvian partner Iveta
as they create an adults-only Baltic oasis in the Midlands.
An impossible dream, some would say
but not for these two.
What we have here is a beach in Laois.
So far, we've advised them to abandon plans
for a costly bar and restaurant,
which didn't go down well. I can't do it.
I'm sorry.
Pond Beach is more than just a business for these two.
It's an emotional investment, because next summer,
they plan to hold their wedding here.
The wedding flashed in front of us.
You know, the criticism from outside is hard to take...
and kind of shattered everything.
We advised the couple to boost their profit margin
by adding more accommodation,
and putting the bar and restaurant on hold.
And guess what? They've taken our advice.
For now.
Today, I can see it that...
a lot what they said makes sense,
and yes, they probably saved us a fortune.
I thought it was good to hear
their experience of running something that scale,
em... and what we might be getting ourselves into.
I suppose every business, when you build it and do it,
is kind of personal, emotional, you get attached to it, it's your
little baby, if you like, and you believe in it so much.
And I still believe in it.
I'm not giving up.
I have a Plan B,
and maybe not to the scale we were doing,
but something will happen.
I wouldn't doubt that for a second.
After all, this is Iveta's dream -
a little bit of Latvia here in Ireland.
I am a fisherman's daughter and I'm very proud of it.
I dug the pond because I miss water so much.
It is a little bit of Latvia I try to bring with me and create here.
I've been in Ireland 24 years.
Do I miss Latvia? Of course I do.
My family's still there.
But my heart, I suppose belongs to Paddy at this stage,
okay, (laughing) so my heart is where home is,
and the home is in Ireland at this stage.
I love her because she's the most genuine,
easy-getting-on-with person.
It's just so easy with her, and...
we just bounce off one another
It's gas out. I never met anyone like her, so...
that's why I love her.
We're looking at approximately, for the wedding,
around 100, a little bit over.
Yes, my family from home is coming,
which I'm so excited about.
So, yeah, no pressure! (laughs)
Well, a bit of pressure, because our Latvian wedding guests
will need to be accommodated on site.
There is planning permission for three more cabins,
which the couple can't afford at the moment.
But we've got a plan.
Good morning, Iveta! Good morning!
How are ya? I'm great, thank you. And yourself?
Have you recovered from our visit? (Iveta laughs)
I did indeed.
I suppose the first thing and the biggest financial
impact on yourself is the idea of the bar and the restaurant.
We're still of the same mind
that it is a huge chunk of money
that has to be funded to be put into something
that's going to give you very little return.
Our suggestion was that we would do nothing new,
only absolutely finish everything that's there.
And one of the things we were going to suggest you was
that the three platforms that you have ready for additional houses,
that maybe you would consider doing glamping on those sites
for the summer and increase your revenue.
We have a glamping site ourselves.
It was 12-15 thousand for a quality tent.
Well, that is way overstated.
Yeah. From my experience of what you buy a tent for.
So you're looking for a tent that you put up in April
and you take down on September. It's a temporary structure.
You have planning permission for those sites already,
and they're serviced.
And it's a cheap way of getting into accommodation
that generates proper revenue,
profitable revenue, without risk, on the site, for small money.
Maybe you can send me where you were getting the tents.
Yeah, there's no issue with that.
If, as we leave here, you're going to
work on all the existing 15 things that you have there,
tidy them up, get them together.
Okay? Talk to John
about the tents and we'll come back to you at that stage.
Fantastic. Alright. Thanks so much.
Okay! Very good! Morning!
Thanks! Thanks indeed! Bye!
Thanks for that!
To keep them focused on the value of accommodation,
I'm taking them to see a pioneering farm
on Slane Castle Estate in the Boyne Valley.
It's a gold certified Ecotourism Ireland destination.
Now, I brought you here today to Rock Farm in Slane,
which is a working farm,
so you'll know all about that. Okay?
And they have done many different things in the tourist area,
so you'll learn from it.
We're looking forward to it.
Located among the trees by the river
is a glampsite run by Carina Conyngham,
Countess of Mount Charles.
Oh, there's Carina. How are ya, Carina?
Hi, Francis! This is Pat. ..
Hi, Pat. Nice to meet you.
And Iveta. Hi.
And thank you for giving us your time today.
So, we want to learn.
So will you show us around? Let's go see!
Tell us, Carina, when did you start all the tourist things on the site?
So, we're a 90-acre organic working farm,
and we started the glamping in June 2013...
Yeah. And what have you got on the farm now?
So, we have a herd of Dexter cattle,
we have outdoor pigs, chickens for eggs,
and we also grow vegetables. Oh, very good.
So you have a quite a mix. Yes.
Accommodation-wise, what have you got on the site?
So we have two shepherd's huts and they go all year round. Right.
And how many do they sleep? They sleep two people each.
And then, really, the star attractions here are the yurts.
Oh, yeah. And how many yurts have you got?
We have five yurts. Alright.
And they're open from April to October. Alright.
That's very good. Now, all is revealed,
Iveta, have a look. Thank you!
Look at this, it's lovely!
It's cosy, yeah. Isn't it?
This is nice and cosy.
It is indeed, isn't it? It is!
Now, Iveta, what do you think?
I think it's beautiful!
It's actually nicer than I expected.
I love the timber work on it, I really do.
And tell me, how many to sleep here in this one?
So, four sleep in these ones.
These are 16-foot yurts and then we've got two 20-foot yurts
that sleep six.
Alright. Wow!
Very nice and cosy. Yeah.
Carina, what's the lifespan of this?
So this has been going ten years,
and we've just changed our canvases this year.
So is there a lot of maintenance on them every year?
We have to treat the canvases every year,
which is why we take them down in October.
So, now, what do you charge per night for the yurt?
175 for this size of yurt.
So, anyway. There we go! There we go, now!
Weeey! Ah, look!
Aaaaah! (laughter)
Come on. Football was not in the family. (Iveta laughs)
Rock Farm extends for about a kilometre and a half
along the banks of the Boyne.
It's very different to what we are building, but it's mesmerising.
It's beautiful, truly. The scenery, the setting, it's very, very nice.
I suppose all who is in a hosting business, we're trying to create
that pleasant and lovely experience for the people to stay,
and that's what we are creating.
And they most certainly have created it here.
I like the animals that's here, the Dexters, and...
that's something I'd say we could be looking into down the line.
Very nice to look at.
People would enjoy them, I think.
That was quite a day!
It was interesting that they noticed things that you could do on a farm
that they hadn't thought about, particularly Pat.
He didn't think you could ever have anything to do with an animal
on his own place, whereas he could have
pot-belly pigs, or chickens, or wherever it might be.
So that was interesting, too. (pig grunts)
Yeah. I think it opened up their eyes.
It's exactly what we wanted them to see.
And it worked.
(pig grunts)
It's all go at Pond Beach.
Pat is pulled on the digger duties.
It's very much out of his character,
but he enjoys something different.
So, yes, he's helping the digger man to do a bit of a landscaping.
Pat and Iveta have taken our advice to add new accommodation,
but of course they're doing it their way.
I know the advice was to put some tents, maybe, or pods or so,
but when me and Pat really start to think about it, it's...
I don't think we wanna go that way.
So we kind of said if we do it, we do it right and we do it proper.
I don't think tent really work here,
in our setting or environment or what we're trying to achieve.
So we decided to go with a proper
comfortable and luxurious accommodation.
We might not be able to do three.
We will start with one and add one every year.
So there's a new plan, and with Christmas fast approaching,
I wanted to keep everything on track.
I know we were suggested to put some tents
or temporary accommodation, but we kind of decided
to do a permanent structure. Right.
So, our plans are this year to do at least one. Right.
I'm delighted to see the couple invest their money in the right way,
but as always with Iveta, there's more, lots more.
Okay, so what we're doing here,
we're planning to have a kind of dip pool for people in the summer.
Now, it's still work in progress.
This is a jetty, and we finally got a permission
to actually allow people on the boats. Right.
So we're introducing boats this summer.
We want to also add two fish aquariums here,
so while you lie down, you can actually watch the fishies.
Oh my God. Come on.
And there's a new two additions coming this year,
which is a horseshoe game. Oh, yeah. Throw...
the horseshoe. That's right. And probably six hole golf.
Now, Iveta, that's an awful lot of projects.
Dipping pools, aquariums, golf.
I'm starting to lose count of her projects at this stage.
But she's not finished yet.
Francis, I brought you here for a little surprise.
Oh, a surprise? Yes, indeed.
Yeah. (laughs nervously) You ready?
(laughs) But you'll have to close the eyes and I'll bring you to it.
Alright. Let's go!
Don't put me in any pothole now.
No, but you have to be brave.
(Iveta laughs) Okay, here we go.
Well, Francis, it's not too far to go now.
Well, I hope it's not ice swimming or anything, is it?
We're not in Baltics, but not far from it,
by looking at the crisp...
My heart rate will be going up! (Iveta laughs)
One more step, Francis. Yeah.
Are we nearly there yet?
We're nearly there.
Are you ready?
Oh! Open your eyes, Francis. This is the moment, yeah?
Yeah! Open your eyes.
A... a food truck? Yes.
You suggested that the restaurant is a bad idea,
so I went for the restaurant on the wheels.
Well, it's a lot cheaper, so I'll give you that.
Yes. Now, have you worked in one before?
I've been around the kitchens for 20 years,
so I think I can manage.
Now, Francis, come into my little restaurant on the wheels. Oh!
Let me put a bit of a light in it.
Oh, that opens out. There you go!
Look at the view. Yeah, it's lovely. (Iveta laughs)
So, now, tell me, where did you get the food truck?
I got it in Dublin off a very lovely gentleman.
Right. I'm delighted with it.
Right, so, now, what facilities have you got here for cooking?
We have two double fryers, we have chip pan,
we have soup bain-marie, fridges...
Griddle up here. Foreman griddle.
And more bain-maries. Oh, yeah.
Panini machine... There's loads!
Now, looking around, menu wise, what have you got in your mind?
Because you're very tight on space.
The idea of the menu is to do healthy salads,
which I will grow my own. Alright. Okay,
so I will have a greenhouses down in the back,
so I will grow my own greens,
homemade burger, fish, either on a grill,
or fish and chips.
The menu won't be big.
It will be four appetisers, four main courses and four salads.
Well, having spent the day here now,
and having seen what she suggests she's going to do,
from six hole golf courses to swimming pools,
AND opening the food truck, AND building a new
accommodation unit, like, hello?
Obviously, I wasn't making myself clear enough.
Francis was pleasantly surprised
by the food truck, which was... amazing!
I would like to have it ready by this summer.
It has to be operating by June.
Do you know, you wouldn't know what to do with Iveta.
She is a powerhouse, but there's no goal.
No, you have to rein her in.
Well, I wish you the very best,
'cause I just don't think it's possible to hold her back. Yeah.
But where we're going and where she's going with the whole place,
I get... I lose sleep over it.
I get the impression it's such a challenge
that we'll actually be the first people in history
to be able to hold her back.
Yeah, if we do! Yeah.
There's an awful lot going on.
But everything stops in December for Iveta's annual visit
home to Riga.
This place is called Lido,
is one of kind of traditional Latvian places
people go and eat.
And she's brought a little bit of Laois back to Latvia.
Daughter Chloe, and Pat in his woolly hat.
This is Lime's Park,
which is the one of the most romantic places in Riga.
People do their first dates at it.
Now we are having gingerbread, mulled wine.
(camera clicks)
♪ (festive music)
A few days later, the family festivities
continue at Pond Beach, managed by an elf
with no intention of sitting on the shelf.
That's what elves do!
(Iveta chuckles)
We love Christmas here at the Ranch Cabin.
We make it magical for every family who comes here.
Elf meets everybody on arrival and shows the children, you know,
little crafts and magical things to do,
and gives them games and tricks.
Around 6 or 07 o'clock,
the big man, Santa himself, comes over the fields
to meet them all.
We are very busy elves here,
as you know, it's a busy season in the North Pole,
so we are making an effort to meet every family here.
And yes, we try to make it as magical as possible.
Let's hope it doesn't rain, dear! (twinkling)
(cows mooing) (Pat) Come on!
Come on!
Dairy farmer Pat and his Latvian partner Iveta
have decided that County Laois
really needs an adult-only Bali-themed beach resort.
Who would have thought?
They may be 100 kilometres from the nearest coast,
but they have a pond, a food truck,
and plans for new accommodation.
The problem is they're getting married in August and they want
the whole place ready for then!
(calf moos)
It's now late January and work on site
has had to take second place to the constant demands
of running a dairy farm.
(cows mooing)
It's a very busy season for
farms like ourselves in January and February to, you know,
calving season, milking, starting feeding the babies...
(calves mooing)
A lot, a lot of work with cows and calves at this time of year.
You're doing 12, 14 hours a day there, handy.
Yeah. No trouble sleeping at night, anyway!
(cow moos loudly)
There's no doubt farming's a tough life.
And Pat and Iveta are right to diversify,
but if they're going to run two businesses, we need
to keep the pressure on.
Do you know, I'm dying to see the food truck,
'cause Francis was really excited about it,
so it must be special.
But the really exciting thing about today is
she hasn't a clue I'm coming.
'Cause we do decide that we want to do the cladding,
and we have a local lady who is gonna do that for us,
and we're very excited about...
Aargh! (John laughs) You're very excited about everything!
Yeah! (laughs) How are ya?
Thank you, everyone! (John chuckles)
Hi. Welcome! Good to see ya! Good to see ya!
And it's great to have the sun shining and the place looking well.
Thank you. Yeah!
And the tide is in. Yes, for sure, why not!
Tell me now, this here is the food truck, the famous food truck,
I assume, is it? It is indeed.
Can we have a little look at it? Yes!
That's a great base.
Well, the base was number one. Yeah.
And now we're gonna try to waterproof
and clad the whole place.
And the cladding, now, that's all timber, is it?
Yes. And what kind of food will you do?
We're gonna start with coffee, and fish and chips, and scones, and
something light and tasty.
Bitter of everything?
No, very small and tasty.
So now I'm intrigued as... what's this over here?
We're gonna build a stage down there.
So that will be kind of raised stage.
And yes, you could have a live music on it.
On the stage? On the stage.
Another little feather in the hat.
What's your time frame? What do you have in your mind?
Well, we're very tight for the time.
As you know, our big day is coming the first week of the August,
so hopefully this could be finished by July. Okay.
Okay. And you envisage using this for the wedding?
Yes. Yeah, that's the goal.
This will be our wedding venue. Excellent.
For most people, a fully functioning wedding venue
would be enough of a challenge.
But this is Iveta we're talking about.
This is a new addition,
what I decided to do is
that if the people are wanting to come here with a horse,
you can park your horse and go for a cup of tea.
Is there many people riding horses up and down the road?
There is a good few horses on the road at our driveway.
With people on them?
Yes, with the people on them.
It's another thing. Mm-hm. When nothing is finished. Mm-hm.
And you have to finish things. (cow moos)
The horses, like, where's that coming from?
And it's typical of what's happening here.
It's... we wake up this morning, we get an idea,
bang, we're going doing it,
and it's 50% done.
And when you look around here, it's littered
with examples of that.
There's still no sign of the dipping pool,
the sauna, the greenhouse, the crazy golf,
and on and on we go.
But there is some good news.
Having scrapped the idea of tents,
Iveta thought she could only afford one new cabin,
but she's actually managed to find the money for two.
So then these are the bases, then, for the traditional houses?
Yes. When do you expect them to be here?
With a bit of a blessing, by the mid of the summer.
Okay, great. End of June. The new houses will be made,
actually, away and transported as a unit here. Okay.
This is great, 'cause what I love about these is
you have no work to do. When they come, they're finished. Yes.
The day you put them in, you can open. Not really.
Well, you have to connect to mains. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But now, with your history.
and given everything that's happening here,
there's no work to be done in the houses compared to anything else.
You'll get money out of them very quickly once they arrive.
Yes. Which I'm thrilled about. That's for sure.
Great.
The accommodation is a fantastic idea,
'cause she buys it, it's finished.
Okay? Manna from heaven.
She's nothing to do with them. In they go,
they make money tomorrow. Fantastic.
So that gives her significant revenue
to invest in the other various things that are happening.
So these will fund the follies.
And I only hope that by August and for her big day,
that she will have finished the place,
and when her family come, they'll all be proud to see it.
What she has done so far has been good, but nothing is finished.
(cow moos)
It's now May, just two months before the wedding.
Have to sort out the seating arrangements somehow.
Frankly, we're worried about this business.
There's no sign of the new cabins
and the food truck still isn't functional.
We have cleaned the place up,
we had health inspector come here, gave me a couple pointers,
bit of a headache...
It's getting there. (Iveta laughs)
Slowly but surely.
We're over budget, trying to
get money from here and there to do all this
stonework and timber-work and everything,
but we're getting there.
Now. Straight up,
that food truck's an eyesore, end of story.
(planer whirring)
However, thankfully, it's now been clad in timber...
(hammering) ..to blend into the steel frame.
(machinery buzzing)
We have enough to do to get this over the line in eight weeks,
which is quite strong pressure.
So a lot of things have to happen.
A lot of things have to happen.
(hammering)
At the moment, I'm not tackling any new ideas.
I have plenty of years to come to do them.
Really?
Who are you and what have you done with your former self?
Seriously, though, this is progress and not before time,
because the couple's big day is approaching,
and their venue is nowhere near ready.
Now, we've two and a half weeks to the wedding,
and I notice our two new accommodation units are not built.
So I don't know what is all gonna happen,
where are we going to put the people?
But I need to meet Iveta quickly.
And that's where one of the two cabins are supposed to be.
So now... Hi, Francis!
What's this platform for?
A stage. A stage?!
Yeah, for musicians.
Oh, I thought it was a raft for the pond.
So now the barn, you know, it looks very nice.
Thank you. I'm glad you like it.
I would have preferred to have seen the two cabins,
where you're making real money...
Mm-hmm. And you need them for the wedding.
Alright? Mm-hmm. But you didn't have that.
Not yet. No cabins. We have a lovely space and no cabins.
They're coming. They're coming. Yeah. Yes.
So is Christmas. I know, but don't we believe in magic?
Oh, listen, this place is full of magic.
No, no, we have to go through the arch for the good luck.
Oh, the arch! Oh, sure, we'd have to give you good luck!
Let's go now!
So this is kind of like... It's not finished.
Oh! (laughs) I'm not surprised! It's not.
It will be all filled with flowers everywhere.
So it's gonna be full. Oh, right.
Look at this!
It's a real barn for the dance on a Saturday night. (Iveta laughs)
Well, at least one part of the business
is starting to look finished.
I think it looks very well,
and you've it laid out, is this wedding practice, is it?
It has that... Yeah, just playing around. It has that look about it ,
alright. My worry is about accommodation
for the guests. To get the accommodation is
nearly the most... It's nearly more important than the wedding,
'cause that's money.
We're all day after the revenue to help you to do everything else.
The two cabins, will they be here and up in time for the wedding?
I have a very good faith.
I should have them by 30th. I know,
I'm leaving it very close. Oh!
That's four days before the wedding! Me nerves!
I need a cuppa.
We bounce off each other.
So it's actually, you know, it works well. Yeah.
When I'm low, he picks me up.
When he's low, I pick him up.
Well, you would need a bit of picking up all round, now,
for the next three weeks! (laughter)
I'm delighted,
there's been no new additions. Oh, wait now.
Is that a boat or what down there? It's a pedal boat.
Yes. A pedal boat?
Yes. Oh, right.
It's new.
Well, I'm not.... (laughs)
What's not new here, as the fellow says, right?
Could we have a go on it? Sure!
Well, if I told someone that I was
in a pedal boat in Pond Beach in Laois...
They wouldn't believe you! I'd be. ..
I'd be put away! Now!
What... How much does this cost? A lot.
A lot? We're not getting anywhere.
(Iveta laughs) We're like the Titanic! We're going...
I hope there's no icebergs out here, is there? No!
We're going backwards.
Oh, and am I steering it? You are.
Oh, right.
Navigating the pond is one thing,
but Francis and I are more concerned
with what's happening on land.
So tell me now, we're only two weeks away from the wedding...
Yes. How do you think we're going to do?
First of all, we have no cabins, so where are we going to sleep?
Alright? We have acquired a paddle boat,
but we're paddling to nowhere, I think.
Now she has done a fantastic job
on enclosing the steel structure.
Right. At the top of the pond. Yeah.
Which is where the wedding is going to be.
And it's set up and it will be lovely, but there is so much to do.
Oh, Lord save us. I'm a nervous wreck.
I'll be more nervous than the bride.
But as long as they get married and the wedding's finished,
it'll be the first thing finished.
(Francis laughs) Yeah.
It's the week of the wedding,
and Iveta's having to draw on all her Latvian resolve.
There's a lot more to be done.
A lot.
Needs a bit more sparkle and more flowers, but I'll get there.
Hallelujah!
With four days to go, the new money-making cabins have landed.
The accommodation arriving today
takes a massive pressure off me because
I'll have my family and guests accommodation.
A lot of people haven't been seen in 15 to 20 years,
so I'm really, really looking forward to see...
in some way it's gonna be even like a family reunion, if you like.
Before they're ready to receive guests,
these prefabs still need a lot of work.
What I'm gonna do to it, I have to finish painting it ,
em... and furnish it.
That... that has to be changed.
I have to get a painter.
I thought they'll be painted, but they're not.
There's a bit more work to be done.
And that, ladies and gentlemen,
is the expression of a man that knows
another job is just around the corner.
(laughs) We'll be grand.
We'll be grand.
♪ (soft piano music, wind blowing)
(people chattering)
Today is the day before the wedding and it's hectic, absolutely hectic.
And I don't know what to grab, what to get...
There's cars arriving every minute now,
and I just don't know which way to split.
It's been fairly hectic here now for the last couple of days.
I could do it going for a...
a haircut now, and I still have to go get the suit.
When I started this project, that I wanted to create
this little unique place, with all the timber, and the view,
and the nature. It just felt like home.
And that's what I tried to create here and I think I'm getting there.
Elsewhere, it's all hands on deck,
quite literally, for Iveta's brother.
We're decorating the boat, for Iveta and Pat.
The food truck, is finally up and running.
It may not be the Poseidon Bar and Grill of Iveta's dreams,
but it's perfect for a small event like this.
The Eastern European women are very set in the minds.
When the Brennans set up, doing the bar-restaurant,
it wasn't a great idea.
I still think back to that day,
and probably tears still come up, because I was genuinely,
really, really, REALLY hurt.
In comparison, running a small food truck should be a piece of cake.
(camera clicks) To be honest,
I am actually thankful to them both for saving me a fortune.
Was I ever going to give up on it all?
Not a chance.
Pat is one of the most amazing people I ever crossed my path with,
and Pat is my biggest supporter.
We won our lottery years ago, so I'm marrying my best friend.
♪ (upbeat music)
(Hairdresser) Want your fringe gone? Is that...? No.
I want the French twist to stay, and I want it high up in the hair.
Boo! You look gorgeous!
You look like a butler! A butler?
(both laugh)
(Francis) This'll be a big day.
She's an enigma because when we say "Do white",
she does black and when we say "Do black", she does white.
And, you know, she's a dynamo because she gets everything done
in her own way. Maybe not the way I'd like it,
but in her own way.
So I'm dying to see what...
what she's going to produce for us today.
I see two new cabins. I see revenue.
Ding ding! The beach looks lovely.
We have a new roof on the little house over there,
which is very nice to look at.
Listen, it's absolutely fantastic, really, to be quite honest.
In a field, in Laois.
♪ (mellow orchestral music)
Yes, we certainly had our doubts, but I'm happy to say Pond Beach
has defied our expectations.
It's a joy to see the happy marriage of Laois and Latvia
and two sweethearts who shared a dream.
There's a lot to love here.
From Bali beds that just seem to defy the location
to bean bags with a view of the pond.
At last, this resort appears to be a viable enterprise.
This is now a business with a future,
because with four fully functioning cabins on site,
doubling the original accommodation,
Pond Beach has everything it needs to pay for itself.
The barn's ready for the wedding reception
and I'm ready to give my verdict.
It looks absolutely lovely. I can't believe it.
And the beautiful mirror,
it looks fantastic there.
And we have beautiful desserts.
The Irish will start on them first, surely.
And the way she incorporated the food truck,
it just looks as though it was there forever.
Honest to God, full marks all round.
♪ (laid-back music)
(chattering, giggling)
(horse snorts)
(hooves clip-clopping)
(cheering and applause)
(Officiant) In marriage, the little things are the big things.
It is never being too old to hold hands,
it is remembering to say "I love you" every single day.
It is never going to sleep angry,
even though you say you never fight. (laughter)
It is standing together and facing the world.
Do you, Pat, take Iveta to be your wife?
I do. Iveta,
do you take Pat to be your husband?
(laughter) It's too late to change your mind now! I do.
Yay! (laughter)
And with that, I now pronounce you man and wife.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr and Mrs Pat and Iveta Bowe!
You may kiss the bride! (applause and cheering)
Now. I have a little surprise for you.
Open that there, now.
See... And I have a good...
Have you a good idea what it might be? I've an idea!
Well, off you go now.
So I'm happy to present a buoy...
Look! Look! For the both of them, that they'll be able to save lives,
please God, in years to come.
So that's the first thing. Alright?
And the second thing I have is a very small
monkey puzzle tree. Monkey puzzle!
My favourite. Is it?!
Iveta's favourite tree. Well, I never knew!
But it always grows for life,
and it'll bring you good luck for the rest of the days ahead.
Pat, you're in charge of the monkey puzzle tree.
Thank you! And congratulations to you both.
Thank you very much! (applause)
Now it gives me great pleasure
to cut the ribbon, and announce Pond Beach open.
A big round of applause! (applause and whooping)
Yay! Iveta's plans haven't come to an end yet.
They're gonna stay rolling on for a while, we've a sauna on the way
and another cabin on the way.
Being the person I am, I don't think it's ever gonna be completed.
I'm gonna better it every year,
I'm gonna change the things every year,
I'm gonna add the things every year...
And if everything falls apart, me and Pat said it,
we're gonna have a fantastic back garden.
So when we came here all those months ago, John and I, okay,
and Iveta explained that she was gonna open a beach pond resort
in a field in Laois,
we thought "This is madness!"
But, you know, today, it's not. It's kind of genius.
Subtitles: RTÉ 2024