Charming Castle View offers a snug base for the well-heeled mariner

BALTIMORE, repeatedly sacked by pirates, is still regularly colonised from the sea, only this time the swashbucklers are driving RIBs and other powerful motorboats, they wear chic lifejackets and carry nothing more offensive than a razor-sharp platinum credit card.

That, at least, is the superficial image of the boating set, in this most marine-based of all of west Cork’s coastal villages. Only Schull or Kinsale might give Baltimore a run for its marine-generated money.

Its sheltered harbour, in the lee of Carbery’s Hundred Isles, is a mecca for water-borne craft and this house, Castle View is well-placed from which to witness all that activity.

The traditional, stone-built dormer cottage dwelling is on 0.78 acres, in the heart of the village, with views to the sentinel 17th century castle, now restored and habitable following a major renewal by a local solicitor.

Sale terms had been briefly agreed on this unusually large site and traditional-style dwelling earlier this year, but now following that false start, Castle View has returned to the open market, with joint agents Roseanne DeVere-Hunt of Knight Frank, based in Dublin and Dominic Daly in Cork city.

They guide the house with character and charm, along with an adjoining lofted dairy with conversion potential, at €1.8 million, a figure which clearly reflects the size of the site, its attractions, and also its possible future development potential.

It has views aplenty from without, and from within its dormer L-shape there are three first floor bedrooms with sea views. Beneath is a living room and dining room, each with parquet floors, a kitchen with pine units, plus utility and bathroom and glazed porch entrance. Features include exposed ceilings open tread staircase, deep cills, some exposed stone in the exterior facade, and other souvenirs of age.

Entry to the lawned grounds is via double wrought iron gates, with stone walls and a graveled driveway.