Georgian mansion sells for around €3m

CARNELLY HOUSE in Co Clare has been sold this week for a price close to €3 million after less than three months on the property market.

Selling agent, Mark Kelly of Hamilton Osborne King's Cork office confirmed the sale, but would neither disclose the selling price or the identity of the vendor(s).

It came as no surprise to property experts that the early Georgian mansion on 68 acres sold so quickly it's a rare property in market terms because of its age and overall condition, not to mention location.

According to Peter Cave of HOK, there were at least 25 viewings in a condensed period before Christmas, a rare enough occurrence for country house sales which usually take some time.

The keen level of interest arose because Carnelly is a special house, he said, and drew a strong cohort of national buyers over a three week period.

Dating from the 17th century, the original dwelling was assumed into the present Carnelly House, which, while Georgian, was built in the Queen Anne style, (fashions took a while to make their way west in those days).

The highly preserved state of the property was in part due to its purchase by the Gleeson family at the turn of the century. The legal line from Tipperary continued on 300 years of unbroken occupation, and took pains to maintain the houses integrity while also making it a comfortable home.

The family bought Carnelly House in the 1920s and put it on the market this year for offers in the region of €2.5 million, having run it as an upmarket guest house for the past while, (Dromoland Castle is just a couple of miles away).

New owners could have an eye to the commercial potential of the property, with, perhaps, some low-key developments on part of the land, considering the gold-plated location. The property has a heavily wooded setting and is within commuting distance of Limerick city.

And the house is not huge. There are seven en suite bedrooms, along with private accommodation and staff quarters. Also included in the sale is a gate lodge with two living rooms and two bedrooms.