Set sail with riverside home

WELL, the word ‘cottage’ in the name is definitely a misnomer – Corbally Cottage is a big property offering, where you can draw a boat up to your garden boundary.

Set at a pronounced bend in the River Shannon at the end of Mill Road, by the Limerick-Clare border and a 10-minute drive from Limerick city centre, this is a 1977-built, Tudor-style family home in award-winning riverside gardens. In fact, its current owners, who re-ordered the gardens when they bought the property 12 or so years ago, won third place in the All Ireland Gardens competition in the year 2000.

The gardens, on 1.6 acres, have always been kept up, and are a mix of century-plus old hardwoods, including yew, oak, beech, chestnut etc, mix with shrubs, perennials, seasonally flowering bulbs, etc.

And, there’s nearly 1,100 feet of water frontage onto the River Shannon, with a galvanised steel dock for boats, so if the car lets you down, you can always cruise on down to the city – or the sea. Although ostensibly on an island, there’s bridge access, so for the most part, there’s no fear of separation or isolation.

An autumn 2010 property market offering with Mark O’Donoghue of Hickey O’Donoghue, it carries a €800,000 asking price, and at this is priced to sell given its key attributes, says Mr O’Donoghue.

A fairly modern take on the Tudor look, Corbally Cottage has six bedrooms, one is en suite and it and one other have access to protruding wrought-iron gable wall balconies with river views.

There’s a good mix of living/reception room beyond the hall’s appropriately sturdy hardwood and studded front doors, including a study, there’s a sauna room, a fresh, cream-painted kitchen, plus a detached conservatory/garden room.

Agents HOD say “rarely does a home of such distinction come to the market, viewing’s a must to fully appreciate it”.