Property has an indoor pool

TIME was when a dower house meant a place built for a single woman to provide a roof over her head, away from a stately pile set to follow a male inheritance line.

That definitely is not the case in the case of this Dower property, near Castlemartyr in East Cork - it has bachelor pad stamped on, writ large.

How large? Try 5,000 sq ft for size, complete with indoor swimming pool, bar, gym, play room and a whopping 40’ by 23’ first floor lounge with pool table and access to some 800 sq ft of outdor, elevated decked area.

Yet, in its current guise, Dower on its three-quarter acre site has just three bedrooms amid all the fun and finery ... verily a lad’s pad (there’s even a beach a mile or two away for surfing at Garryvoe, and quad biking at Bridgefield buggies up the road.)

Dower hits the market with Lara McCarthy of Property Choice in Cork city carrying a €650,000-plus guide price, and she sensibly points out that with over 5,000 sq ft to play around with there’s easy scope to add to the bedroom tally by sub-dividing some of the large existing rooms. Bedrooms at present typically average 22’ by 18’ each, so there could easily be five bedrooms laid on if required.