Your local in your own back garden

THE market throws up the occasional house where the personality shines through so much, it would make you laugh — from a sense of fun.

And none more so than this house, Academy Lodge, at Foxes Bridge, Vicarstown, Co Cork, where a rear shed has been turned into, well, a shebeen.

Not that they’re selling drink, mind you, it’s just a mock-up of a local that’s so perfect and so wish-fulfilling that you have to take your hat off to the owner.

It’s ideal for matches, festivals, family celebrations — the lot.

And, you have to admire the child-like drive to create an adult play area like this, (it’s referred to as a recreation room in the brochure) — it’s refreshing.

As to the rest of the house, well, the same attention has been lavished on the interior and exterior. Standing on a large, acre site, there are discrete areas of planting with a different designated use running through walkways and picnic areas and private, seating groves — along with a large workshop to the rear.

The house has 3,000 square feet with five en suite bedrooms and it’s certified as a B&B, but has never been used as such. The location, outside Blarney might suit such an enterprise, but an alternative, yoga or health centre, could also work.

The area is quiet, rural, yet minutes from Tower and Blarney and a half hour’s commute to Cork city.

With the large recreation area attached, it would suit a residential, retreat or organic produce business.

The interior comprises a lounge of 6m by 4.2m with double doors off the main hallway which comes with an antique-style fireplace and wiring for surround sound.

A formal dining room, with the same dimensions is on the opposite side and leads through to the large, fitted kitchen/ diner.

Then, there’s another living room, or fifth bedroom in this part of the house along with a bathroom and fifth en suite bedroom.

At the rear of the corridor there’s access to the bedroom wing, which has four good double rooms, all with their own bathrooms.

At the guide price of €435,000, Academy Lodge offers a lot of house and land for the money, along with the option of a handy sideline or small business run from the rear workshop.

The house is in impeccable condition and is on the market with Tim Murray of Property Partners O’Mahony Walsh.