Enjoy the high life, Victorian-style, at top of Cork city’s St Patrick’s Hill

THERE is gym equipment in a backroom of this tall house, number three, Landsdowne Terrace, but, truth be told, getting to the front door is a cardiovascular workout in itself.

Set within a few hundred yards of Cork’s shopping centre, St Patrick’s Street, (twice voted the country’s best shopping street since its trendy re-vamp), you might need sherpas to bring your purchases home: number three is on the top of precipitous St Patrick’s Hill.

Number three is a three-storey home measuring 2,200 sq ft, with four bedrooms and views of classic Cork vistas, from St Anne’s Shandon to the North Cathedral, with the city and Blackpool valley spread out beneath.

It is two years since this house was last bought. The vendor was the musician and ex-Dixies front man, Joe Mac.

Considerable sums have since been spent on improving the house.

One of the current vendors is a consulting engineer, who oversaw the rewiring, re-plumbing (with provision for en-suite bathrooms in two of the bedroom), plastering and other refurbishments.

Number three is being marketed by Michael O’Donovan, of Sherry FitzGerald in Cork city, who says the asking price is €750,000 for this conveniently-located, Victorian mid-terrace.

The house is set above railings and steps at the top of the hill, with a small front garden, to catch the sun after mid-day. The back of the house opens onto a high-walled yard, which could be brightened with a lick of paint.

The interior is predominantly painted in cream and white. Number three has a ground-floor reception room at the front, with a larger drawing room on the first floor, though this, too, could be used as a fifth bedroom. Shame to lose the view, though.

The ground level has a kitchen, dining room and study, with glass-roofed porch/connecting room at the back, opening to the yard. A guest toilet is tucked under the stairs and the top two floors have four bedrooms between them, with the main bathroom on a stair return.

The property has mains services and gas central heating, while parking is on-street, with a resident’s permit (just check your hand-brake regularly).