Handsome slice of suburban history follows suitors

BUILT as a pair of matching semi-ds back in 1904 by the Cork Scott family of stevedores, this handsome red-brick Douglas duo catalogue a slice of suburban history in their century-plus of fine standing.

The left hand house of the Cross Douglas Road pair, Edenvale, sold four years ago for around the €1 million mark; now, its sibling, Innisfail, is up for sale and open to new ownership too, aspiring to a €750,000 AMV.

While Edenvale (now the better of the two, with a far larger site, and previously already well extended) was built for senior Scott ownership in 1904, this other half was designed for a daughter who lived here for some time. Innisfail subsequently was also home to a parish priest of Douglas in the 1940s and 1950s, had a few more occupants and was bought back in the 1970s as an investment property, and was rented ever since.

But, while it doesn’t have the immediate charm of a lived-in family home (the teak effect pvc porch door will have to go), overall it is in surprisingly good enough shape for a former rental: four of the five bedrooms still have original fireplaces, and the two main interconnecting reception room fireplaces have fully intact original slate and marble pieces, not even a broken tile.

Red-brick to the front, rendered to the back and side gable, it is a three-storey house with underpinning work done, has been rewired and partly replumbed and has gas central heating.

But, for almost any modern family usage it badly needs more bathrooms and a new and larger kitchen. There’s an obvious shape for a west facing rear kitchen/family room extension to head out in, into the existing yard and outbuildings and outside WC, and it will be an evening sun-trap. Contemporary mono-pitch wing, anyone? If so, there’s scope for an edgy contrast with some of the original period trimmings: Innisfail has coved ceilings, great fireplaces, original doors for the most part and especially sliding double doors between the front and back reception rooms.

Estate agent Malcolm Tyrrell of Cohalan Downing asks €750,000 for Innisfail, which is a lesser property than its other half (Edenvale’s back garden even gets to wrap around the back of this one,) but Innisfail is period, it is sound, it does have the right aspect, and the location is good, an easy walk to the city centre and to schools.

It will be viewed , and upgrade budgets drawn up prior to offer.