School house is in a special class

THE Old School Master’s House in Baurleigh, West Cork has “great potential to make it into a truly fabulous home,” according to estate agent Roy Lee.

Reckoned to have been built in the latter part of the 1880s, with the local national school, the two-storey house is on a site of two thirds of an acre close to Bandon town, as well as Timoleague and Kilbrittain.

Mr Lee who has returned to his native West Cork after years in the property business in Britain to open up Lee Property, guides the house at €420,000, and says while it has been partly upgraded in recent years, it has further scope, especially for extension.

The actual primary school adjacent was a two-teacher mixed school for many years, dating from the 1880s, and had up to 30 pupils. Its last principal Pat Deasy was there from 1972 to 1986, and is now Principal of Kilbrittain National School, five miles away.

Baurleigh House was occupied by the late Michael Coppins from 1955 to the early 1990’s.

It was then unoccupied for some years before being bought at auction by a brave Scotsman... brave because he bought it before his wife got a chance to see the state it was in.

On a south-facing site, it has been partially restored; it has been rewired, has a new roof and oil central heating. It has three bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen/breakfast room and two reception rooms.