Stars behind upmarket holiday home scheme

A FRONT row development team is behind one of Waterville’s most up-market holiday home schemes, The Cloisters.

Ireland’s assistant rugby coach Niall O’Donovan, along with former international/Munster rugby captain and All Ireland football medal holder Mick Galwey (a Castleisland, Co Kerry native) and Limerick developer Neil O’Carroll have teamed up in the €6 million-plus development of 13 plush houses now on sale.

At 2,100 sq ft apiece they pack as much punch as an Ireland scrum, and though Ireland team members yet haven’t been inveigled into buying, there have been five sales to buyers from Dublin, Clare and Cork, says Niall O’Donovan.

“I came across the site when I was looking for a holiday home for myself in Waterville, and Mick Galwey came in with me, along with Neil O’Carroll, who has built hundreds of houses in Limerick. Neil is opening a new hotel, the Killeshin in Portlaoise, this weekend,” Mr O’Donovan adds.

Niall O’Donovan is full-time Ireland assistant coach, and met up with Mick Galwey as Shannon players, and pair up again now in this scheme. O’Donovan’s Rugby-plus shop chain has since been bought out by Munster, and recent off-time has been spent brining this Waterville scheme to fruition.

He is heading into a busy period, launching sales of the remaining eight Waterville houses in The Cloisters, via agent Pauline Sugrue, and then upping sticks to Argentina for next weekend’s first test match in Buenos Aires, in advance of the Ireland-Argentina clash in the World Cup series in France. The World Cup comes round in September....when these holiday homes will be occupied, with the matches on air in the plasma screens in the living room, master bedrooms and kitchen.

The Cloisters is located in scenic Spunkane, Waterville, a few minutes’ walk from bars and restaurants, with views over Lough Currane. It is an outdoor living heaven, with walks, angling, deep sea fishing, climbing, sailing, diving, golf and, eh, Gaelic football.

The new Skellig Bay Golf and Country Club is the latest visitor addition, joining the world-acclaimed Waterville Golf Links as a local draw.

Houses at The Cloisters are priced at €500,000 and €550,000, plus VAT and fit-out costs average about €40,000. They can be bought with Section 23 tax breaks. Builder is local man Brendan Mangan, and features include stone facades and some timber detailing, full four-star fit-out, quality painted kitchen with granite worktops and American style fridge, four double bedrooms, two sharing an adjacent en suite, and the master bedroom has a dressing room and bathroom, gas heating and satellite TV.