Fine big house with a surprising basement

IT’S a fine big house, but this detached property at Rahan, Mallow, hides a secret — a mirror image basement.

And the 2,496 square feet logged on the brochure doesn’t take into account the room below.

Basements are a rare thing in Irish houses, because of problems with damp, but new building methods ensure that our soggy climate won’t impinge on living down below.