Two opportunities for a slice of country life

DONOUGHMORE covers a wide area to the north of Tower and Blarney in Co Cork and two houses are on the market there now.

Bare trees, brown ditches and wet fields may not do justice to the full summer blast of the countryside, but the low winter light still has a certain allure.

And for those looking for country living, but within driving distance of work, Donoughmore is a good bet as it’s also close enough to Blarney and Ballincollig for convenience shopping, with Tower almost on the doorstep.

First up is a 3,500 square foot, eight-bed bungalow at Matehy, Vicarstown, which is on offer through auctioneer Dermot Lynch of James G Coughlan and Co for €600,000.

And at that price, the house effectively costs less than it would for a new-build, as sites in Donoughmore are now making close to €300,000 per acre.

At an average build cost of 100 per square foot, that gives a total cost of €650,000, which makes this property cheaper, even with stamp duty and fees.

The location is also handy, just a couple of miles from Tower village, with a primary school within walking distance, a real plus for families.

It offers loads of space with a lounge, TV room, kitchen dining room in the reception area. Then, there are eight bedrooms spread over two floors, with one ensuite room and a main bathroom. And with that amount of space, there’s the option to create more ensuite rooms, if needed.

Over at Lackabawn, Donoughmore, Pierce Cuthbert of Property Choice is selling a very smart bungalow for offers in the region of €330,000.

That’s the equivalent of a semi in the suburbs, so if you’re looking for a more rural location, then this country house might be the thing.

It’s neat, well-cared for and while it’s a bit further out, it has a community location at Donoughmore village with a school, shop, post office and pub.

The commute to Cork city is about half an hour.

Niaroo comes with two reception rooms, a kitchen utility, guest bathroom, three bedrooms and two bathrooms.