Lovers’ delight in home to treasure

A SUPERB city family home has an inside and an outside that will see its new owners end up in tiers.

The hallway of Coole, on Lovers’ Walk in Tivoli in Cork, is enough to floor many viewers, with a high quality burnished oak floor on two different levels, enhanced by a wrought iron stairwell and railings.

This hall is 24’ by 11’ at its maximum measurement, with a curved banister between the levels, and would be an ideal party circulation area.

Named after a lake and Coole Park in the West of Ireland, beloved by Lady Gregory and commemorated in poetry by William Butler Yeats (Wild Swans at Coole), this two-storey house dates from the 1950s and has five bedrooms, all on a site of 0.6 of an acre.

The grounds are quite exceptional, with east and west facing patios, barbecue area, pergolas, fish pond, stepped paths and lawns. They are full of mature trees, some planted in its fledgling years, other such as a large beech tree predating it to the time this area was the grounds of the Penrose family’s Woodville House, visited by Sarah Curran, amour of Robert Emmett.

It is only a few miles from the city centre, and walking to and fro is a healthy option, says estate agent Diarmuid Dooley of Dooley and Howard, quoting a €600,000 price guide.

Coole is south facing, with views over the river Lee and across the Marina to Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

The house was virtually gutted and re-instated inside about 20 years ago, says Mr Dooley, and he picks out other quality features like 11’ high ceilings in the 19’ by 17’ lounge, which also has a bay window, mahogany built ins and marble fireplace.

Other rooms include a sitting room, with similar features, a kitchen with oak units and utility, and a conservatory opening to a south-west facing patio.

The main or master bedroom has an ensuite bathroom, built-ins and a south facing bay window and access to a balcony.

The other four bedrooms also have built ins, the main bathroom has both bath and shower, and there’s a large floored attic level with pull-down stairs.

Big homes fetch bigger premium HOUSE prices are reaching realistic levels in Kinsale, say local agents, but big houses on big sites in the harbourside town still command a premium.

In particular, this property, called Riverside House at Cappagh, Kinsale, has a guide price of just under €800,000 through SWS Property Services, Kinsale.

But, then it’s big - big enough for seven bedrooms and a scattering of reception rooms. These include a lounge, a dining room and a spacious, split level kitchen with steps leading to the living area which, in turn has patio doors to the outside.

Other rooms include a comprehensively fitted utility and a guest bathroom.

What’s most impressive about this house is that all of the bedrooms are doubles and all are ensuite, which makes the property ideal for the odd spot of B&B in high season.

The half-acre site is lawned and includes some shrub beds and also comes with a Barna shed.

It has a stone-walled entrance, tarmac drive and heating is a pressurised system, run on oil.