Rural retreat to delight

Despite its age this period house is an entirely manageable and comfortable home, writes Tommy Barker

WORK done on west Cork’s Reenroe House, by Drimoleague and Skibbereen’s Ilen river has been entirely to the benefit of the house and its surrounds — it comes up for sale as a lovely-looking mix and rural retreat.

The period home of over 2,000 sq ft on six acres with guest cottage, and stone outbuildings, is a new-to-market arrival with agent Ray O’Neill of Sherry FitzGerald O’Neill, guiding at €520,000.

For that, buyers get a period house, which despite its age is an entirely manageable and comfortable home, with added-on sun-room which has some remarkable extras, such a hand-painted motifs and trompe l’oueil columns and painted-on panelling around this sunny spot’s windows. Floor here is Liscannor stone, contrasting with a painted panelled ceiling.

Other stand-out features of the look — but presumably not part of the sale — include a tall, mossy-green painted music organ in a music/family room off the formal dining room, showing the level of ‘noted’ engagement the owners have had with their home. Given the height of the organ and its gleaming pipes, it’s appropriate that the ceiling in this room is extra high, in a sort of coffered shape.

Reenroe House has been extended at ground level, with a back hall, laundry, utility and guest WC with shower provided for, and other rooms include a drawing room, with white marble fireplace and coved ceiling with chandelier. Doors here are glazed with white frames for a bright, yet appropriate period feel, adding to the retained architectural features such as internal arches.

The kitchen is country style, with four-oven Aga (central heating is oil-fired), and overhead are three bedrooms plus bathroom.

Externally, there’s a side/rear courtyard, graveled and with a low stone wall boundary, leading up/sheltering a low-slung detached guest apartment/small self-contained suite with bedroom and bathroom.

The lofted stone outbuildings further away include a stable block and workshop, which Sherry FitzGerald say “could easily adapt to new uses”.

Along the Skibbereen-Drimoleague Road and along the Ilen River valley as well, Reenroe House is inside modest entrance pillars and a few hundred yards up a winding private drive, by recently planted woodland.

The avenue splits before the house, by a stand of mature screening hardwood trees, with one route to the courtyard, the other to the front of the house.

VERDICT: Lovely grounds, and an upgraded period home that can be fully utilised near the market town of Skibbereen should see both local and farther-flung viewing interest rolling up.

Location: Drimoleague, Cork

Price: €520,000

Size: 194 sq m (2,000 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 3 plus 1

BER rating: E2

Broadband: Yes

Best feature: Easy to keep period home and grounds