Bright, airy house on half-acre

FLAVOURS of the cost-conscious moment are grow-your-own and allotment gardening — and this affordable country home at Ballydonaghmore, Dungourney, in east Cork, fits the bill with its half-acre of carefully tended ground.

An eye-catcher, the owners have travelled, and filled the house and grounds with souvenirs of visits to far-flung place. It is rooted in the rural locale as well, a renovated old-world style house done to modern standards of comfort, but without sacrificing character and charm.

It’s a detached, 1,500 sq ft house with three bedrooms and a bright sun-room with vaulted ceiling and glazing up the gable. Its doubled up roof and valley mean that some rooms have high or pitched ceilings, with overhead Veluxes, so the overall impression is of airiness, says selling agent, William Wallis, of ERA Wallis, in Midleton. He seeks €295,000 for the renovated and extended home, 20 miles from Cork city.

Its half acre is broken up in several sections with water features (a pond is trellised over for safety for children) and the vendors, who’ve been here about five years, are clearly green-fingered: planting is along pergolas, around play areas, and up walls and down ditches.

Then, there are outbuildings, a dog house and run, big Barna, and a 36’ by 12’ stables block with glass house built on the front, ready for summer crops.

“It is the kind of place you come out of feeling good about yourself, there’s a lovely atmosphere inside and out,” says William Wallis.

It could suit a trader-up, a trader-down, a first-time buyer, and those who hanker after the good country life, he says.

It is ready to move into, and is also set on its site in such a way that it can be extended again, in time, if needs be, a feel-good, feed-good option for kitchen gardeners.