Riverview House simply fab

Wow factor high as harbour views delight, reports Rose Martin

BOOGIE nights in Glounthaune? Why not? You’ve got the pool, you’ve got the sun and the Spanish influence — all wrapped up in a prime piece of late seventies property.

So grab the flares, the shades and head for a viewing, because this is some house...man.

Riverview House, as it’s called, is a modest name for a fab property that hides its light under some bushes — you only get a glimpse on first approach. And that’s to the north-west side, where big old shrubs stand sentinel to this Costa del Cork property.

But it’s at the back that you get the full-on wow factor, especially in sunshine. An azure pool, a sun trap patio and the wide expanse of Cork harbour set out before you — roll on cocktail hour.

Taking into account that estate houses in Cois Chuain nearby are making well over the million mark, this house and it’s three-quarter acre site is pitched fairly at €1.1 million through Mark Kelly of Lisney.

And it comes with complete privacy and those spectacular views.

Really, the extra features like the pool and the tennis courts are only so much flim flam to them.

And the name doesn’t really do it justice — there are views all the way from Carrigtwohill to Rochestown, spanning the entire inner harbour and the bifurcation of the sea around Great Island towards Passage and Cobh.

The haze of the past few weeks has given a continental feel to the Midleton Parkway as it snakes across the water. Trains move soundlessly towards the woodland of Fota and, in the distance, the speck that is the cross-river ferry makes it’s way to Cobh from Carrigaloe.

This is the backdrop from the big, picture window in the living room of this house, and it’s crying out for a sun room extension, the ultimate add-on to a house that has 3,200 sq ft and five bedrooms.

Built in painstaking detail by the late builder, Harry Ryan, (he was responsible for a lot of the houses in the Highlands), for his own use, the house has a design that puts it way above its time frame and in a luxury bracket even now, but especially for the seventies.

Apart from the pool, (which is warmed by an early heat-exchanger), there’s the ensuite master bedroom, with chocolate suite and gold tap and a big walk-in wardrobe. This comes with sliding aluminium doors out to the pool, which is set in the elbow of the house’s two wings. The bedroom wing runs along the length of the pool (all are double rooms with built-ins) and the main living rooms are set in the projecting gable.

This is raised above the tennis court and forms part of a high, south-facing terrace with steps leading below.

The pool area has a high wall to the east with built-in barbecue and a real chimnea and it acts as a heat sump for the patio. At the end of the house and to the rear of the integrated garage is a changing room with shelving, shower and WC. Perfect.

Heatwise, the house is run on electricity, but because it’s so warm during the day, it only needs heating at night and there are two useable fireplaces in the living and dining rooms.

Behind the pool house is a secluded area that houses the pool house machinery and is a perfect spot to hide the garden’s messy bits.

To the front is the full tennis court, which takes up most of the lower garden.

Immaculately presented and with some delightful ‘period’ features, this is a one-off property in one of the more discreetly desirable areas, residential areas of Cork city.

Despite market upsets, good houses in good locations always sell.