This little star is a gem needing polishing

THERE’S already a bit of a hunt on at Cork’s Orion — a compact cottage called after a mighty stellar constellation, the Orion Nebula and the discernible shape (seen by telescope) of a hunter’s sword.

This little star is a gem needing polishing, but is worth seeking out in any case. It is hidden away in off Hartlands Road in Cork’s inner western suburbs, near UCC and the Lough.

You won’t need a mariner’s sextant to get navigation bearings, once you know it is down a small lane serving two other properties, but it does seem to be plonked down in amongst neighbouring gardens, say auctioneers Cahalane Skuse. They seek €225,000 or so for the chance to get stuck into a makeover.

This hideaway Orion was built around 1928, and the main portion is in better shape than a later single storey addition.

It has a living room with gas fire (there’s also gas central heating) an 18’ by 9’ kitchen/dining room, three bedrooms, and bathroom. Peter Skuse diplomatically notes “it will be of interest to those with a will for refurbishment.

A different garden site, meanwhile, further west of the city at the Model Farm Road, gives the chance to build from scratch.

Cahalane Skuse have a back garden offering of 0.1 of an acre near the Rendevous Bar. It has full planning permission for a detached two storey dormer. Guide price is €315,000.

“The market will dictate the price level it sells for, but if location is everything, supply and demand is a close second,” says Peter Skuse.