Enjoy a slice of the Gulf Stream at Dromgarriff

YOU couldn’t grow trees like these in a lifetime, says the international selling agent for one of the most exceptional slices of Gulf Stream and west Cork coastline, some 96 acres, five houses – one as large as 10,000 sq ft – and a golf course.

And, while the woods at the Dromgarriff Estate are the product of inspired naturalistic planting back in the 19th century, the area’s natural beauty is down to millions of years of geological maturity, which all the money in the world can’t duplicate.

But, you can – if affluent enough – buy a strong flavour of it and a unique series of properties for around €9.3 million, via Kinsale, Co Cork, based agents, Engel & Völkers.

(If that seems dear, try the development site being offered at Glengarriff Castle, to be converted to hotel with up to 86 apartments, at a price floated at €20 million a year or two ago.)

Engel & Völkers, though, have been charged by the German owner of the pristine, run-as-a-business Dromgarriff Estate and they value it all-in at €9.3 million.

Although they don’t market Dromgarriff in separate lots, it is likely that interest may now come from abroad as well as from well-heeled Irish buyers looking to a property out of the run-of-the-mill range of alternatives.

The €9.3m guide is probably based on individual house values from €500,000 to as much as €3 million for the very best and largest. Every one of the five houses is distinct and different and one has nearly 2kms of coastline.

Dromgarriff would be hard to replicate or to try and match again, says Engel & Völkers’ Ron Kruger: “I don’t think you’d get planning again now for a house of over 10,000 sq ft at the water’s edge around Glengarriff,” he says.