Quirky townhouse pad a modern build that picks up on old city

Gamla Stan is a modern build city tower pad, but it’s pure old town. Tommy Barker reports

There’s new pretender on Cork City’s Tower Street — the city spot off Barrack Street is long-known for Callanan’s Tower, visible from all over the city, but it got a new rival back in 1998 when Catford Mews was built.

This three-storey all stone and brick block of quirky townhouses picks up on the old city Catford street name, while the two-bed No 1A Catford Mews is also known as Gamla Stan — Swedish for Old Town. And, the setting is pure old town: Cork City Council has just done a smart job at the foot of Barrack Street, with cobblestones and ramps, and it’s a good start to helping this long street and some fine shops and buildings gather its wind again.

It’s already home to an eclectic mix of traders, from Tom Barry’s great trio of pubs (Tom Barry’s, the slice of Paris in Cork that is the chic Pigalle, and Mr Bradleys with its live music venue) while the pizzeria La Tana shows a take-away can be gourmet as well as downright gratifying. Now that the garda station is about to vacate Elizabeth Fort, who’s to say what new uses and tourism flavours might come to the 17th century star fort?

Auctioneer Andrew O’Donoghue of Casey and Kingston seeks offers of 120,000 for the three-storey, two-bed/two-en suite Gamla Stan, with its open-plan living room/ kitchen up on the top floor, and with a utility on a mid-level. It’s got own-door access, pressurised showers and rear yard.

VERDICT: Old style, but modern build city tower pad.