Lakeside Georgian lodge an ideal home for duck shooters
But it hardly needs its lakeside position as this 100 acre Georgian estate comes with its own 10 acre lake, which is still used for duck shooting.
The main residence of this Anglo-Irish, military family was Annagh Castle, which is close by, but as this tower house slowly crumbled back to the earth, the Minchins set about extending the lodge and making it their main residence.
A new wing was added in Victorian times and the family remained in occupation until after the Second World War.
This rambling period house has been in continuous occupation since its construction and its present owners, the Stirling family, have run a successful country house business here to date.
The house is listed in the Bridgestone and Alastair Sawday guides, says Rachel Stirling and with nine bedrooms and plenty of reception rooms, the property is ideal for this sort of enterprise, she says.
Trained in hotel management and with a strong background in horses, Rachel Stirling is ready to sell the family home to concentrate on these main interests.
She breeds Kerry Bog Ponies, an indigenous strain that were thought to be extinct up to 15 years. Their numbers have now climbed to 141 registered animals of which Mrs Stirling has nine and is exporting to Northern Ireland and Britain.
The Kerry Bog Pony, though little, are directly in proportion to a normal horse, she says, and unlike the sometimes nasty Shetland pony, are docile and easy to manage animals that have a long pedigree.
They were so tough that Kerry ponies were used to drag the cannons of the Napoleonic army, (many ended their military careers abruptly during the disastrous Russian campaign by being eaten) and even today, the breed is not susceptible to illness.
The demand is now growing so strong that Mrs Stirling is concentrating on this aspect of her breeding and breaking business.
William Talbot of Sherry FitzGerald Talbot is handling the sale of Annagh Lodge which comes with excellent farmland, the aforementioned lake and a range of outhouses including a modern, American barn, an outdoor arena and stabling for a number of ponies.
The package is on offer forin excess of €850,000, a modest sum when you take into account that good farmland can fetch up to €10,000 per acre.
The property was launched in the late autumn and a sale was agreed quickly to a UK buyer, but contractual problems on the purchaser’s side now sees Annagh Lodge returned to the market this spring.
Likely buyers could also come from the UK, as this property is ideal for the huntin’-shootin’- fishin’ lifestyle that’s in jeopardy if the proposed ban on hunting goes through there.
Because of its proximity to Lough Derg, its new marina and the Shannon/Erne waterway, tourism is a growing economic force in this part of Tipperary, and combined with the success of its duck shooting parties, (groups of 60 at one time and many from abroad), Annagh Lodge would be ideal as a top-notch, country house hotel.
The wisteria covered house has an unusual entrance at the right-hand side of the front gable. This used to be at the left, away from the weather but, according to Rachel Stirling, a body was taken out feet first instead of head first and, because of the bad luck attendant this, the original doorway was blocked up.
The new doorway leads to a huge, reception hall with its own fireplace, high ceilings and ornamental plasterwork and on either side are the drawing room and dining room.
The drawing room is the largest room in the house at 16’ by 21’ and it has an original fireplace, as do all the rooms, including the largest of nine bedrooms.
Opposite the drawing room is the formal dining room, and to the rear of the reception hall is another hallway with a fine staircase to the main bedroom floor: from here there is access to the family room and morning room and another rear staircase.
Because of the addition of the east wing the house has unexpected corners, with a first floor return leading to two bedrooms and three further rooms on the first floor, while the remainder are spread between the basement and ground floor.
Thanks to a 1970’s extension, the house has two kitchens: the old kitchen in the basement is now a playroom and the newer addition, at ground floor level comes with a blue, four-oven Aga and white, modern units. There are lots of other storage rooms, including a scullery, and the house has six bathrooms, including ensuite rooms.
Annagh Lodge is set in a rural area close to Terryglass village and set back from the road at the end of long drive. Set amongst tall trees and surrounding by its 100-acre privacy belt, this is a little gem waiting for the right buyer to come along.
