Piece of (un)real estate at Slea Head

Slea Head, Kerry €395,000

It’s hard to argue with the sales pitch on a Kerry coastal home named after a craggy, 200m high Blasket Island. The Slea Head bungalow called An Tiaracht is undoubtedly the most scenic property currently for sale in Ireland, enthuses estate agent Paul Stephenson — and his profession’s occasional hyperbole and specific lofty claim in this case is probably even underpitching the sheer, natural beauty of its location.

While the bungalow home Tiaracht is grand and comfortable, with four en suite bedrooms, its glory is the setting, at the feet or claws of Mount Eagle along one of Ireland’s most iconic heritage drives past beehive huts and islands steeped in folklore and literature.

The immediate views are of the Blaskets, enrapturing in all weathers, and of the indented coastline and stoney fields plummeting down to famed Coumeenole beach — a spot given global reach and recognition by the David Lean movie Ryan’s Daughter.

Called after the Blaskets’ most western island Inistearaght or An Tiaracht, or other spelling variations, this house’s name is proudly spelled out in large ceramic pottery letters on its front wall.

As a piece of (un)real estate, it carries an asking price of €395,000 with agents Sherry FitzGerald Stephenson Crean, who note it has income potential as it has traded as a B&B, but is still family-sized.

Apart from the four en suite bedrooms, there’s a living room, kitchen/dining room, attic den with Velux by solar panels, and it has a 400 sq ft basement. The glory spot is the viewing terrace outside the pine-clad living room, like a well-anchored ship’s bridge.

VERDICT: A good house — but a priceless, great setting.