An American beauty

THE only American living in Cork city's so-called 'American houses' is on the move.

Frank McConnell, a former naval officer, New York policeman and surveillance expert, is vacating his family home since 1976 - coincidentally, America's bicentennial year.

Since then, he and his Irish-born wife Mary have owned and cared for sturdily-built no 1 Annaville, which was especially handily placed for their children's college going years.

While in Cork, Frank McConnell traded on his specialist skills, and started his own security alarm company McConnell Alarms, a business he has since sold. He has had several lifetimes worth of work experience, and quietly reveals that some of his New York policeman days' wiretaps led to the case that subsequently was filmed for the French Connection movie. With the drama all in the past, he is retiring to West Cork.

And one of his last jobs at 1 Annaville last week was to get a roof ladder and to re-paint his dormer windows, so clearly 'retirement' is a moveable feast for the 70-plus year old.

Subtle design changes characterise the six red-brick American Colonial style houses in Annaville, including dormer and window placings.

The 'States-like Six' are on the Western Road, near UCC, the Mardyke, Fitzgerald Park, tennis and cricket grounds and the Bon Secours hospital and private clinics.

The eye-catching houses were built in the 1930s by returned businessman and builder Cornelius Buckley. He imported most of the building materials (oak floors, plumbing fittings, etc) from the US at a time of depression both sides of the Atlantic, and their construction in Cork (they were the among the first homes to have central heating) was a novelty.

Built three-storey over service basement (essentially, a crawl space ideal for getting at services), these houses have six bedrooms, four at first floor level and with two large bedrooms and spare space in the dormer attic.

There are joint auctioneers for no 1, Brian Olden of Lisney and Hugh McPhillips of Marshs, who sold the last two Annaville homes in the 1990s. Guide price is €950,000, the sort of sum that medics and professionals have been ready to pay in the city's western suburbs this year for upmarket homes, and Annaville has the benefit of rarity and a place in local residential folklore.

There's a porch, entrance hall, deep sitting room, sun room, dining room, kitchen/dining, pantry, enclosed rear courtyard (easily glassed-in) with garage, workshop and basement access, main bathroom, and six bedrooms, with main bedroom en suite and with a walk-in dressing room.