Tune in to country in Belgooly

A COUNTRY lifestyle beckons, complete with early morning birdsong, cows ruminating and peace and tranquillity all around, at this Coolcarron, Belgooly cottage with lots of add-ons.

Extended twice and re-ordered so there’s an interesting first floor living room with triangular gable window through which you can gaze on the back garden, it has been home for the last seven years to journalist Lana O’Connor, head of news in youth-oriented radio station Red FM.

With two sons in tow, she is moving — albeit reluctantly — to a spot nearby in the village along the main Cork-Kinsale road so her lads will have buddies on hand to play with. She sighs at the thought of what she’s leaving behind, but even though her on-air day job is nearer the city, she is staying local to remain close to neighbours, friends and babysitter: after all, the daily commute to Cork is a fraction of what a Dubliner has to put up with.

Local Kinsale auctioneer James Murphy is selling the three-bed home with a quarter of an acre of haven-like site and seeks €495,000.

Off the main road just west of Belgooly, Kinsale is a five minute drive, Oysterhaven is close by, and the well-regarded bar and restaurant at Browns Mills will suit as a local.

A previous owner of this 1930s Coolcarron cottage did lots of the renovation and extensions, and Lana added two more bedrooms and changed the use of the upper room to daytime accommodation.

The place is characterful and country at the same time, but well finished, with interest added by varying internal levels and high ceilings, while the cosying central heating factor is boosted by a solid-fuel stove in the dining room.