Lots of pedigree close to beach

A TALL and tasty slice of old Youghal comes in the attractive shape of No 6, Clifton, a Victorian house that has watched the harbour town’s comings and goings for a century and a half.

A summer market arrival in the east Cork seaside town, it is a period home with lots of local pedigree. It was originally one of six Victorian houses (three bracing pairs of semis) built for the one extended local family; later it was used to house some of the local police/garda force, and then was in flats for a period.

That was then, though, and this is now, and now it is a fully renovated home up against a stone cliff face, keeping watch on Youghal’s lighthouse and harbour mouth, with views to the east to Ferrypoint, and southerly as well from the gable wall.

The current owners have been here for just three years, and they completed a full overhaul: they bought it with windows already replaced in PVC, and they tackled big issues like the roof, and ‘little’ ones like the decor.

One half of the couple, Limerick-born Catherine Meskell, was involved in interior design and shop fit-out, and her skills shows in the interior finished here, smart, cheerful, appropriate.

With three children they are selling up to get more play area for the smallies, and estate agent Brian Gleeson of Ardmore is charged with the sale, seeking offers over €485,000.

He enthuses about not only the views, but the level of finish, and pretty much all of the (admittedly, limited) external space has been made use of, with decking, seating area, and best of all is a raised terraced to the back.

As to the three-storey house itself, it has a bright tiled hall with open plan living/dining room in to the left, a modern galley kitchen with green glass splash-back tiling and cream units, utility, a first floor sitting room with projecting bay, and glazed sun room to the side, three large bedrooms, study/playroom, and main bathroom with cheery yellow tiling.