Starter Home: Drinagh, West Cork

Ebor Cottage in Drinagh near Skibbereen, breathes life and modernity into a building that started out in a more traditional style, writes Trish Dromey.    

Ebor Cottage in Drinagh isn’t the two-up, two-down a West Cork cottage used to be — now it’s open plan, modernised and a lot more interesting.

The transformation was carried out by UK owners who bought it as a holiday home four years ago. “They knocked an internal wall to create a spacious kitchen/living area — they also reorganised the rooms upstairs and completely revamped the property ” says auctioneer Henry O’Leary.

Although they made a nice job of renovations they haven’t used the property as much as they planned, so have now put it on the market with a guide of €130,000.

The ground floor is now a 14’ by 20’ open-plan living /dining/kitchen area with wooden fitted units, a large stone-built fireplace with a stove and exposed ceiling beams. At the rear there’s a long narrow sunroom leading through to a utility room in the garage.

Upstairs there’s a modern bathroom and two carpeted bedrooms with countryside views. The property has an attached 250 sq ft garage which the owners planned to turn into a third bedroom but didn’t get around to.

Fitted with oil-fired central heating and a stove, it has double-glazed PVC windows. On a site of close to half an acre, there are some sheltering trees, a gravel area and planted gardens

Located one mile from Drinagh and eight and a half from Skibbereen, Ebor Cottage is expected to appeal to first-time buyers in the locality. Mr O’Leary says it’s priced well and could also attract interest from emigrants who want to retire to West Cork.

VERDICT: Renovated and ready

Drinagh, West Cork

€130,000

97 sq m (1053 sq ft) including garage

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 1

BER: pending