House owners told to seek €22,000 rent for golf tournaments yet to receive an enquiry

They each paid €195 to put adverts up on a website which states it specialises in short-term accommodation for golfing tournaments taking place in Ireland.

A number of people who put their homes in Kilkenny up for rent during the Irish Open at Mount Juliet last week told the Irish Independent that they did not receive any interest and were advised to seek huge sums for their homes.

Their houses were advertised on Accommodation for The Event (AfTE), a website that was set up last year.

There are currently more than 100 properties advertised for rent on AfTE for the Ryder Cup, due to take place at Adare Manor in Limerick in 2027.

Some who paid for adverts expressed concern that one of the positive Google reviews written about AfTE was by another company also owned by Brian Higgins, the director of AfTE.

“Families had holidays booked for the week of the Irish Open to free up their homes the week of the event,” said one man who wishes to remain anonymous.

“I didn’t get one query, but to be fair there was no pressure put on us to put it on the website. I heard the owner of the website on KCLR radio back in February and he was saying it was a great way for families to make additional money.

“My house was up for around the €20,000 mark. The guy who runs the website saw the pictures of the house and he was saying for a two-week period, if you had six to eight people, you’d be looking for around that figure, so I went with it. I sent it to my neighbour and a few friends and it spread like wildfire. They put their homes up too, but didn’t get any contact.”

Paul Ryan, from Co Kildare, currently has his three-bedroom family home advertised for €22,000 for the Irish Open taking place at the K Club next year.

“If you told the lads down the pub you were putting the house up for that much, they’d think you were crazy,” he said.

“We haven’t heard anything since, but he (Brian Higgins) was fairly confident that three months out from the event people will be booking it when they can’t get into Carton House or the K Club”.

Another property owner of a house in Limerick, advertising his house for the Ryder Cup in 2027, said he has received no calls or emails yet.

“I just said I’d throw it up and see what happens. I heard about it on the local radio station in Limerick”.

A positive review of AfTE left by a company called Porpos Ltd – which Brian Higgins is also director of – said: “Exceptional service. Such a warm welcome when the homeowners greeted us. 5 stars.”

It has since been deleted.

When asked about some homeowners being disappointed about the lack of uptake from their adverts and the review left by Porpos, Mr Higgins did not respond.

Earlier this week, he told the Irish Independent: “The homeowners have the final say, but we recommend they try to keep it on a par – if not less – with the hotel industry.

“Certain hotels will be charging €2,800 per room per night and that is just for two people.

“The vision of the company is to channel all the funds directly to a local family or homeowner without charging them commission”.

Houses in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary are being put up for rent for the Ryder Cup,

A three-bedroom family house in Rathkeale for €35,000 is also among the properties available.