Villa living coming of age

Three-bed semi offers buyers the chance to experience gentrified social housing from a different era, reports Tommy Barker

Many of Cork city’s ‘villa’ houses are approaching 100 years of age, standing as expressions of respect for social housing at the founding of the State.

Several areas of Cork’s older suburbs became home in the 1920s and 1930s to developments of council-backed houses for working families, such as French’s Villas, McSwiney Villas and McCurtain Villas.

Many have gone on to become almost gentrified, thanks in part to decent site sizes.

The homes at French’s Villas, off Cathedral Rd and Wolfe Tone St in Gurranabraher are semis, low-density with gardens for veg beds, and are some of the best early public housing schemes in the city.

Now, the chance to buy one of these solid suburban homes has come along with estate agent Matt Fallon, who has the 800 sq ft, three-bed semi at 4 French’s Villas new to market.

It’s a left-hand semi, with gas central heating and double glazing, and is described as “quaint” but needing further modernising (the Price Register shows No 14 French’s Villas selling for €167,000 a year ago).

It has a living room with fireplace, kitchen with fireplace, three bedrooms (two with cast iron fireplaces), and bathroom.

VERDICT: Walking distance of the city centre, gardens and maturity are bonuses.