All decked out in beautiful Brideweir
IT is not so much escaping the rat-race, more a matter of putting distance between it and you, and that is what's drawing the early interest to Brideweir.
The Georgian home, a former rectory on 20 acres, hit the market publicly last weekend and inquiries so far are being drawn out of Cork city from those prepared to commute the 24 miles to and fro, for the sake of bucolic tranquility.
Location is at Aghern, near Conna, on the scenic river Bride-side route to Tallow, Lismore and Cappoquin, a short distance off the main N8 Cork to Dublin road.
Given front page exposure here last weekend, it is a house that has been worked on and improved by several recent owners and last changed hands seven years ago hence the apposite headline last weekend 'Brideweir Revisited'.
Those who might happen back on this house as it hits the 2004 season's market, having considered it back in 1997, might notice some of the changes most notable of all is the conversion of the basement's six high-ceilinged rooms to family living space, including a smart contemporary country kitchen, sunny family dining room and staff rooms/au pair's quarters.
In all, the house has 5,000 sq ft of living space, with six bedrooms (two at basement or lower ground level), three bathrooms and three reception rooms.
Its previous owners, the Hallinan family, had the house's grounds open to visiting gardeners each summer, and the current owners have maintained the love affair with the outdoors.
Apart from the maturity of beech trees, a dramatic (this time of year) climbing blue Ceanothus, shrub beds, lawns and paddocks, the property includes a tennis court, an old stone lofted coach-house and courtyard with arch, with stabling for five horses, plus garage and workshop for the mechanical varieties of transport.
There's about two acres of gardens and 18 acres of good pasture in four divisions.
The Bride river, a tributary of the Blackwater, forms the northern boundary, and fishing can be had for brown trout, sea trout and salmon.
Price guide quoted by estate agent Michael H Daniels is excess €1.3 million, and initial interest is promising.
"Brideweir is a very pretty house in a delightful riverside location. It is of manageable proportions and in extremely good condition for its age. We anticipate a high level of interest from city professionals as well as international buyers," he observes.
The renovated home is now "in superb condition after extensive work during the past six years" and has kept many of its period features including fireplaces, tall sash windows, shutters, corniced ceilings and a Godin stove in the hall.
Rooms include hall, drawing room, dining room, sitting room, kitchen, pantry, laundry and sauna: the main reception rooms and the first floor bedrooms all have great views of the gardens.
The interior has a decor that is mix of classical and contemporary, with good fireplaces and window dressings, and the kitchen has a good selection of crisply coloured units and a central island.
The Bride feeds into the Blackwater at Villierstown, while Cork city and airport is a within a 45 minute drive less most of the time, thanks to a much-improved road network, while the Blackwater area is internationally noted for angling and stud farms, which include Rathbarry, Aghern, Grange/Castle Hyde and Kilshannig.
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