Cor, Jim’s living next door

MUSICIAN Jim Corr, he of the lovely singing sisters, sometimes uses a helicopter to fly in and out of his private home in Leinster Wood, the requisite residential section of the Carton House Demesne.

Unlike some golf/hotel resorts (such as Fota) there were no planning restrictions here confining ownership to holiday lets. Nor was it tax incentivised. Partly as a result, and partly because of proximity to Dublin and the M50, buyers in the main turned out to be young families, albeit fairly wellheeled professionals. There are already over 100 children in residence in the development of 118 homes, with 102 units sold.

House design was by Murray O’Laoire. There is a strong Scandinavia influence, with lots of wood used and many of the buyers went for the option of basements as well. House types include 2,000 sq ft two-storey semis from €700,000, 2,750 sq ft four-bed dormers from €980,000, three-storey six-beds of 3,800 sq ft from €1.5m, says Susan Kirk of Coonan Estate Agents, acting jointly with Savills.