Starter homes: Killarney, Kerry €1.2m

Size: Sq m 372 (4,000 sq ft)

THERE aren’t too many ‘Millionaire’s’ Rows’ left anywhere outside the country’s main cities since the property crash, but Killarney’s Ardagh can still lay claim to that billing.

Ardagh’s a gated enclave of just seven large one-off homes off the Loreto Road, a walk from the town, within a walk of the National Park Muckross and Ross Castle also, and it comes with lake and mountain views. In fact, it’s ground floor layout is devised for entertaining, and for opening up the main living areas to the terrace/patio to the back for views.

Here at gated Ardagh, No 4 Ardagh showed up as a €1.14m sale in June of last year, while the previous November, 2012, No 3 alongside it sold for €1.45m, making our Top Sales Killarney result in Year 2012 Review here.

So, not too many eyebrows may be raised at No 1’s price guide of €1.2m quoted by Donal Culloty of REA Coyne and Culloty in Killarney: that’s for a top-spec home of 4,000 sq ft, on 1.47 private acres, with all four of its bedrooms en suite.

The setting is elevated, private and secure, says Mr Culloty, and who describes the house as “truly spectacular, and one of the finest luxury properties to come on the market in Killarney town for a number of years.”

He says it’s a mix of contemporary and traditional design, and with its pale blue/grey exterior walls, and slate roof, plus lots of chimneys, it looks almost like a sumptuous parochial house or convent — except for the almost-sinful level of finish and fit out inside.

Touches include a cream Aga as well as Smeg integrated appliances in the kitchen, with teak-topped island and granite worktops, as well as marble flooring in the hall and guest WC.

The main reception areas (living room, lounge and dining room, plus study) all have teak floors, and there’s zoned underfloor heating throughout, with concrete slab floor to the first floor level, ideal for sound suppression and ‘heft,’ while floors upstairs in the four bedrooms are either teak or maple.

All are en suite, fully-tiled with showers, and bed four also has a claw-foot bath and a finish to hotel five-star standards, say REA Coyne Culloty. There’s lots of hand-painted panelling on walls, kitchen units are hand-painted and off the kitchen is an oval-shaped breakfast room.

VERDICT: A design and decor that isn’t going to date, in a scenic location that charmed Queen Victoria over 150 years ago.