This old landmark building in Limerick has been surprisingly and carefully modernised

Trish Dromey reports on an old landmark building which has been surprisingly and carefully modernised.

Ballingarry, West Limerick €575,000-excess

Sq m 325 (3,500 sq ft)

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2

BER: Exempt

A DISTINCTIVE Dutch gable on this 17th Century residence at Ballingarry in West Limerick has provided the property with a name, turned it into a landmark and made it a talking point for local historians.

The Turret reputedly got its name from having being incorporated on to the turret of a building which had been built by the order of the Knights Hospitallers.

Originally built by the Anglo-Norman de Lacy family, the property was later owned by the Odells who came to Ireland during the Plantation of Munster.

The Odells marked their arrival in 1693 with a plaque on the Dutch gable.

According to local stories the parish priest objected to the crescents on the Odell coat of arms, believing them to be Islamic, and insisted on cross being put above it.

A more plausible explanation is that the cross went up in 1890 when the property became a presbytery A listed building.

The Turret has approximately 3,500 sq ft of accommodation spread over three floors and has three acres of grounds on which the current owners have planted 1,500 trees.

Modified and added to by a succession of owners over the last three hundred years, it now has zoned gas heating and double glazed windows.

Since buying the property 12 years ago, the current owners have upgraded the heating system and replaced the kitchen.

At ground level there’s a large country style kitchen with cream units with an archway opening into a timber floored living room with a wood burning stove.

Also on this floor there’s a utility room and a timber paneled office.

The first floor has a library, a dining room and an elegant drawing room with ceiling coving and a marble fireplace.

The main bathroom is on the lower return while the second floor has three bedrooms.

On the upper return there’s also a master bedroom and a second bathroom Seeking offers in excess of €575,000, selling agent Helen Cassidy in Galway describes the Turret as being in excellent decorative order.

She has had interest from Americans, who she believes were attracted by the fact that the property is so unique and historic.

She says she has also had enquiries from locals living in both Limerick city and county.

The Turret is located within a few minutes walk from Ballingarry village, and is around 12 kilometres from Adare and 30km from Limerick city.

VERDICT: 300 years of history, over 3,000 sq ft of space, three acres and one unique turret.