Parknasilla gem is waiting to be woken from its slumbers

Sixteen acres of land, some interesting history and a scenic location in one of Kerry’s best known tourist spots should make Askive House in Parknasilla very attractive to foreign buyers.

Sneem, Co Kerry €245,000

180 sq m (1,938 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2

BER: G

The history starts in the 19th Century with the building of an estate house for Parknasilla and continues into the 1920s when this was partially burned down, probably during the Troubles when nearby Derryquin Castle was burned.

The subsequently rebuilt Askive House was bought by a German couple who are believed to have fallen in love with the area while honeymooning at Parknasilla in the 1940s. Several generations of their family have since holidayed in Askive House.

Renovations in the 1980s included putting on a new roof, fitting double glazed windows, electrical re-wiring and adding storage heating and the kitchen was upgraded over the years.

The house has been used in recent years but will require upgrading. In the grounds there is a stone stable building with a loft overhead as well as a row of three artists’ studios with Veluxes.

Offering almost 2,000 sq ft of living accommodation the property has a kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, three large lounges and a green house.

Seeking offers of €245,00 Seán Daly of Sherry FitzGerald Daly says this is a very interesting property which would make a good renovation project for someone with an interest in period houses.

“ It is set on a site of 16 acres which is a mixture of mature gardens, mature woodland and paddock. The grounds were once manicured and well taken care of and a new owner could bring them back to their former glory,” he says.

VERDICT: three miles from Sneem, it’s around a mile from the Parknasilla Resort which is one of its nearest, posh neighbours.