When old meets new in East Cork cottage

A run-down cottage has been beautifully incorporated into a contemporary extension, says Tommy Barker.

A VISIT to East Cork’s pretty Loughaderra lake, when she spotted a pretty cottage nearby, was enough to convince a woman then working on the 2011 Census, and roaming the townlands, that this could be a lovely place to live. And, indeed, so it has transpired to be.

A swift property hunt unearthed a similar-era cottage (luckily for sale). It had been happily lived-in by an elderly couple for 50 years of marriage: it was a perfect match for its next owner, who liked the vibes, and the views.