You could make this large dormer home your castle

Rose Martin

The imposing, Gothic manor house on the coast near Rosscarbery in Co Cork, has been through a lot of hands since then and is now derelict, awaiting restoration.

However, the old estate walls still snake across hillside and around the coastline and create a large part of the attraction for this area of West Cork.

There's so much to do for free swimming and surfing at two beaches, pleasant parkland and lakeland for walking and dense woodland for exploring and admiring.

And, nearby, close to the pretty village of Rathbarry, there's a stone-faced house on the market.

Located just outside the village, past Dan Tom's Pub, this is a large, dormer bungalow, with four out of five of its bedrooms en suite: it could make a lucrative B&B, if required, says selling agent, Ray O'Neill of Sherry FitzGerald O'Neill.

At the moment it's a family home and comes in excellent condition, says the auctioneer, who gives a guide price of E450,000 for the property.

Cloonbeg, Rathbarry, has a marble-tiled entrance floor, a sitting room and dining room with good wooden floors and an oak fitted kitchen. Ancillary rooms are a utility, walk-in hot press and bathroom.

Apart from the five bedrooms, the attic space is undeveloped and could add a whole new dimension to the house.

Cloonbeg sits on an mature acre of ground, has mains water, gas heating and is just 10 years old.