Brush with the North is in a building that was re-built in 1907 along with The Arlington Restaurant & Hotel and the Maynooth General Store after a great fire destroyed them. At that time, it was a stage coach stop and boarding house for guests traveling to the new Maynooth Railway Station five minutes out of town (which was also built in 1907). 

 

The greatest care was taken in creating this building, with it's tin ceilings and walls, brick exterior and balloon construction. Rooms were upstairs while the lower level was used as a banquet hall. The central stairs were the pride and joy of the person running the boarding house. There were stories that a mother had to carry her baby's bathwater in from the back so she wouldn't spill any water on the stairs.  

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In later years it was a pool hall, but most locals fondly remember the building as "the restaurant." 

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When Linda purchased the building in 2016 it had sat empty for a number of years and was in a state of disrepair. Despite many people telling her not to buy it, she could see the potential and charm in this historic building. She has lovingly restored it, keeping as much of the original charm as possible. The main floor of the building is now home to Brush with the North where you will find Linda's studio, gallery, and workshop space. 

 

Guests are invited to take part in workshops either in Linda's studio and gallery surrounded by her latest paintings for inspiration, or in the glass studio which has the original floors, tin walls and ceilings where workshop participants can leave the stresses of today and step back in time to a welcoming, relaxing and inspiration space to create with their friends and families.