Quarry becomes fishing lake for imaginative holiday homes scheme

IF life gives you lemons, make lemonade — and if you have a massive hole in the ground left after years of quarrying, then flood it, create a fishery.

That’s what the owners of 36 acres of land near Cecilstown, Mallow in Cork did, and the fish came flocking, so to speak.

Ballyhass Lakes opened as a commercial fishery (rainbow and brown trout) in 1998, with 14 acres of crystal-clear water, boats and rods for hire, a tackle shop and tuition all on hand.

Now, phase two of the novel, ambitious scheme has just now been completed, some 11 fishing lodges done to a very contemporary design standard.

Behind the holiday homes, with Section 23-type reliefs as a bait or lure to investors as well as anglers, is businessman Eddy McCarthy, who previously developed a marina and accommodation scheme at Castlepark in Kinsale: this time, he is pushing the boat out on inland waters.

Building work wrapped up over the summer, and all eleven houses are now complete to a turn-key, Bord Fáilte four-star standard, and five are left to sell.

Tax adviser is Ned Murphy of HLB Nathans in Cork, and he says buyers of the first few included investors looking for a tax shelter, and others were those who envisaged making use of the house themselves at a later date, planning an active retirement of golf and fishing.

Design is by Brian O’Sullivan of Castletownshend, and the 11 houses have got mono-pitched roofs to trap extra light, cedar timber and stone finishes, and sizes are larger than average for holiday rentals.

The three-bed, 12,35 sq ft house are priced at €295,000, excluding VAT but including fit-out, and the four-bed 1,370 sq ft houses are priced the same way at €310,000, and they come with net rental guarantees of €7,500/8,000 pa for the first five years. A management company has been established to run the property letting investment for the 21-year period, and tax reliefs are available from this year.

There’s year-round fishing on the lakes (check www.ballyhasslakes.ie for an overview of the 364-days a year facilities) and for anglers the Blackwater, and there’s golf at Mallow, Kanturk and Doneraile, with horse racing at Mallow. Fine eating can be had at Longueville House, Assolas and Springfort Hall. They’ll even cook your fish for you.